Has anyone left teaching? How was it?

[KareninsGirl]

Afternoon all,
After much soul-searching, I have decided to leave education and have started applying for 'normal' jobs.
Has anyone else here left the relative security of the education sector and gone on to do something completely different? Has it worked out? Do you miss education?
I think I will miss the holidays and the students as I have spent many years in this sector, but sadly, I am at the end of my tether.
Thanks in advance for any advice/experiences!

[Isbn999]

Hi, it is so sad that an experienced teacher can be pulled to the end of their tether.

I am considering my options at the moment, but I'm not a school teacher, so it's a bit different. Just wanted to wish you luck...

[KareninsGirl]

Thanks isbn. I feel wrung out by unrealistic demands and expectations that ultimately don't sit well with me. It's time to go...but it's a bit scary!

[zizzo]

why is there so much guilt and stigmatism around leaving teaching as opposed to say, leaving nursing?

I left after two years to go into marketing, which is far more 'me', and with more scope for creativity these days.

[bronya]

I left after 10 years, to become a tutor. Love it!

[HeyMicky]

Snap, Zizzo. Marketing here too, via copywriting. No one throws chairs at my head at work these days

[pitchy]

can I ask what type of a teacher you are? only, im the opposite, after years of 'normal' jobs am thinking of re training. thanks

[ViviDeBeauvoir]

I left and went into HR which was ok. Still for a public sector employer but much less stressful.
I now work in mental health dealing with acute and low secure sectioned patients and it's also much less stressful and I look forward to going to work. I work pt and my employer is very flexible which helps.

Good luck!

[AntoinetteCosway]

Yes. I couldn't make my timetable pay and the school couldn't promise anything better for the following year so I gave up. I was working 4 days and getting paid for 2, plus paying for nursery 4 days a week. Now I'm a SAHM and tutor most evenings.

My stress levels have gone from through the roof to minimal, but I do now only make about £10k a year. Still, this is more than my part-time salary minus childcare so I don't care!

[Grockle]

I'm busy researching this too. I've had enough but I'm scared. I've not had a 'normal' job for many years. 13 years is enough.

[KareninsGirl]

I really can't wait to leave now that I have made my mind up, even though I am apprehensive as education is all I have known for many years.

I teach English, but the job has changed beyond all recognition and it saddens me.

[Alexchallex]

Tutors- how easy have you found it to get tutoring work. I'm pregnant with number 2 and considering options. I'm chemistry

[TawdryTatou]

This will be me in a few weeks.

About to back tomorrow after being signed off for three weeks with stress. It's the end of the line for me - in fact I have no idea how to make it to July :(

I have a burning desire to work in Cath Kidston and look at pretty things all day, but I know the reality of job searching will be very different. Scared.

[chibi]

i am in science too, i tutor as well as teach and i get the feeling that if i were motivated, i could make a career of it- there is enough work where i am.

there is also easter revision courses, and exam marking.

i would start building a client base, and then you can develop it as you get a word of mouth going.

[AntoinetteCosway]

I'm on a few different sites and also have my own website and have a fairly steady stream of tutees. At the moment I have 6 with a couple of enquiries in the pipeline. I don't really want many more as I can only work evenings due to childcare but if I could work daytimes I could probably quite easily have up to about 12-15 tutees, with the daytime slots being taken by sixthformers who have gaps in their timetables.

[inadreamworld]

I spent a few years teaching in schools and now work as a private tutor. I have 6 pupils a week. I don't want more as the rest of the time I am a Mum to two under threes!

kareninsgirl You sound as if you have been in teaching longer than I have - how do you think the job of an English teacher has changed? My DH (also an experienced teacher) says the same so am very interested in your views.

[Wolfiefan]

Another English teacher here. I dream of working in a book shop or library or education officer for animal welfare.

[BranchingOut]

I left and now do an office-based role, still connected to education.
Love it!

Why not look at vacancies going in your local authority as a starting point?

[IHeartKingThistle]

I taught English in a secondary school for 11 years, 4 days a week until a year and a half ago. The juggling was crippling me, I was a total zombie from late night marking and after childcare I was bringing in less than £300 a month. Luckily DH got promoted, we realised I could afford to leave, I left and am so glad I did.

Now I do various things as both DC are now in school. I have 3 tutees at the moment (almost all my tutoring work has come through word of mouth), I mark GCSE papers in the summer and I teach an adult literacy class one morning a week (which is lovely). Off the back of the adult class I have been offered some hours teaching Family Learning through the local Children's Centre. None of it feels like work so far, admittedly my salary is still peanuts (although it's about the same as I was earning before!) but I am at the school gates every day, home after school, and I've got my weekends and most of my evenings back. It's early days but I'm really really hoping this is a direction I'll be happy taking.

Good luck OP. It's shit that so many good people are leaving, but the job is becoming unsustainable.

[storynanny]

The powers that be ought to be reading these sorts of posts to realize the truth of what is going on and how disgraceful it is that good committed experienced teachers feel they can't go on.
When I took early retirement aafter 34 years of teaching infants I had absolutely had enough of nonsense. Teachers are not trusted to know what is best for their pupils any more. "Back in the day" I loved my job and all children in my care made good progress from their starting point and could read and write etc. However of course now good is not good enough and I don't see how young teachers can possibly sustain "outstanding" for the whole length of their careers. Outstanding goalposts will change soon no doubt. I can't see teachers managing 30+ years in the profession anymore.
When I left full time teaching 2 years ago I thought I could live on about 8 days a month supply teaching plus my small pension. After one year I lowered my target to 5 days as I was so dismayed by going around schools seeing the ridiculous nonsense going on and stressed staff not getting any pleasure from their jobs.
This year I have lowered my target to 3 days a month and am cutting my cloth accordingly as I increasingly am disillusioned. My 3 year old grandson starts infant school school and I am feeling sorry for him.
I really feel for you teachers in the middle of your careers who want to leave. I think my advice to you would be to change career whilst you are still relatively far away from retirement age.
Good luck to you all whatever you decide to do.

[Isbn999]

Tawdry tatou... I hope it's not too awful... Sorry to hear how stressful it is.