Want to leave teaching and don't know what to do

[Helsbells]

Hi everyone,
I am feeling very depressed today, off sick from work with a migraine because of a horrible couple of days at school I have had. Whenever school pops back into my find I feel nauseous. I dont know what to do, I want to leave but dont know what I can do that pays as well, need to pay the mortgage. Also want to have a baby next year so if I leave I wont get the maternity pay. Dont know if I can stick it out for another year. I feel so fed up.
Any ideas most welcome but please dont tell me to be thankful for what I have got. Read some of these http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/t/313277.aspx if you think I am just moaning.

[Gert]

Sorry have no answers , but can appreciate how you feel. Mrs Gert is a teacher, she does three days a week because we can't afford for her not to, but she feels pretty much the same way you do.

[MKG]

I followed your link and found an illiterate first post followed by several not so much better. If that's modern teaching, Hellsbells, I can understand why you're so frustrated. Get out now and bugger the consequences.

Mike

[Green Aura]

I'm not overly sure I can help either Helen. Just want to let you know I empathise totally.

It took a long time for me to get out of the job I was in - in fact if we hadn't moved 500 miles away I would almost certainly still be doing it.

I think what you need to do is plan carefully. First and foremost, is it teaching you hate or just this particular job. Could you offer private tuition so you could cut down yours hours in the state sector. Or find another job? If teachers are as thin on the ground as the Government suggests there must be something else on offer.

If it's teaching you hate then look at what you can already offer - transferable skills etc. Then look at a list of the things you'd like to do and modify it to what's achievable.
Then work out short and long-term goals as to how to get to where you want.

Keep the list somewhere handy and tick off what you've done - then when you're really fed up you can see how you're progressing towards your desired end.

In the meantime, keep your chin up honey - our kids need decent teachers!

[mrsmiggins]

Of course we don't think you're moaning, teaching is a difficult profession. If it isn't just a bad few days, I would look at your finances and work out how much you need to earn to be comfortable, then start thinking about jobs you might prefer. Which I understand is really hard and can take a long time to find the right thing. Could you manage if you went part time? That might help?

[Fizzy Izzy]

Don't know if I have any useful advice but as a teacher I know how you feel. I left just over a year ago and had a baby (without maternity pay) and I know I was lucky that I'm able to stay home on my husband's pay. That said we are very poor and live frugally. I still sometimes dream about my bad classes...

You've had some useful advice - what about setting up a tutoring business? You can register as self-employed and then I think you still get statutory maternity pay when you decide to have a child. Not sure about that though.

ETA: just read the link you posted - there's some good ideas there too. I love teaching too and miss the creative, planning aspect of it. I don't miss the stress and the constant discipline. I really hope you can find something that works for you...

[Helsbells]

Thanks everyone for your support, its so difficult to see or think of any options when you are depressed (which I think I am right now...crying as I write this)
I am an art teacher at the moment and there are not many art teacher jobs about. Honestly I dont think I want to even move to another school I think all schools have their differant issues, in this school its unsupportive staff, nasty kids and bullying parents. In anotehr it will be pressure for results or travelling distance or longer hours.
I could do tutoring although I am terrible at maths so couldnt do that, but could probably cope with English.
Thanks for your ideas Green Aura, I am going to begin a list now.

[StripyPixieSocks]

Gosh, I wonder what is going on in the world when teachers aren't respected anymore but...

Have you thought about maybe doing private tutoring? Moving to a college or university where the people there are usually people who actually want to be there instead of having to... if you see what I mean.

What about teaching evening classes instead of mainstream schooling?

I don't really know what to suggest but as people have said above, try to keep your chin up

[JillStephens7]

What a shame : (

Have you thought about teaching adults? I found Lifelong Learning UK (advice & information line is (0300) 303 1877) really helpful. Perhaps you could start with a few hours at a local college and gradually shift the balance until you phased school out altogether? It might make enough of a difference to teach people who want to learn?

I know the school I work at (primary) are buying in teachers to do one to one literacy tutoring now and this seems to be the new big thing, this is much easier work I think ... certainly quieter than the classroom!

Or, though this might seem bizarre, I have found working in specialist schools for pupils with behaviour problems & exclusion units much less stressful than mainstream! Pupil to staff ratio is so much better and classes tend to be less than a third the size and there are PROPER strategies in place to deal with behaviour problems. In my experience staff are more supportive of each other too and often more competent & enthusiastic about their jobs!

All good wishes, you're not on your own, Jill

[Fizzy Izzy]

Hmmm, yes not much call for art tutoring I guess... Perhaps you could teach English as a foreign language? There's a big call for that. Especially if you live near a university or college with lots of international students.

Anyway, I know it's easier said than done, but chin up, and try to relax and forget about school for a while...

[fruitcake]

hugs hb. Sounds awful - our art teachers at school were the only reason for going to school - they were brill! Really sucks that you're getting such a hard time - life's too short - get out now before you feel even more trapped. You can always go back and you sound like you're a really resourceful person, but making yourself ill will leave you not much energy for being your talented creative self.

With your art skills and your teaching qualification there's loads you can do - have you thought about community work - when i worked in community development and outdoor ed I met loads of people - who like me, had been to art school but ended up doing something completely different. If you'd like your CV given a look at / or some ideas re your transferable skills cos their not always obvious to ourselves then drop me a pm.

Best of luck and go and talk to someone - get some R&R and some you time. Get a decent line off your doctor as well until you sort out some ideas / restrengthen your coping skills!!!

xx

[red]

I feel for you - its horrible to be in a job you hate.

The first steps out of depression are knowing you have a problem, in my experience, so you are over this hurdle - next hang on for now while you plan plan plan - once you have a plan in place, you will find it much easier to stick to your job until then.

As green aura said, try and work out which bits are getting you down so much, and what you can change. Then work your way through it.

have another

[boboff]

Right I am not best regarded for my advice on here so you will have to take this or leave it. From the outset though I feel for you.

My thoughts are :-

You must not continue in a job that is making you unhappy.

The instant you decide you are going to do something different, this job will feel one hell of a lot less stressful.

Money is not that important, but you need some, but with a family especially there is social support.

You would have to leave to one side the maternity thing, as really that is a judgment that only you could make, and that would only be when you are happy.

I am a governor at our kids primary school, and the Teachers do work hard, but the head had given them all a day a week out of the classroom for planning and CPD etc. Since this has been put in place staff absenteeism has decreased by 80%! Well that tells you something. It also means that it is virtually self funding, as relief teachers are hardly ever needed. If you are an Art Teacher, I bet you would be a great asset to any primary school. When kids get to there teens they become something else, little ones can challenge, but at least you're always going to be bigger than them.

You could get a job on a Till at T***o ,as a Care Assistant in an old peoples home, and earn a wage, but it would still be hard work, political, poor team playing etc etc etc.

It would seem you are depressed, and from my own personal experience this needs you to get to the bottom, make a decision to change, to implement that change, and then it will slowly get better. Do a list of all the things you want in life, review it, cross out all but three, then set you mind on how you can achieve those things. What are you going to do today, in a week and in a year to make sure you get to meet your goals? It might be these goals direct you in a way you have not thought about before.

Don't limit yourself with hard things, you can always sell your house, rent somewhere you would like to live, if you have debt, think about sorting it out in a structured way, if it means cutting right back, I have found it's the focus on sacrifice that stops the focus on your depression. But it doesn't happen over night.

If people are getting you down, avoid them. If attitudes are negative, leave them be. Be calm and assured, and believe you are giving it your best. The thing with any job is effectiveness and not attendance. If you let it worry you, it won't help you.

Believe in yourself, and believe there are people worse off than you, accept this with generous good humour, smile knowing that you can be happy, and will be happy, once you are happy and settled, you are going to have a family, and that will be LUSH!

Oh and don't forget the Suncream!

[TheGoodEarth]

Have you thought about doing agency/supply work? The variety and change of environment might just do you the world of good.

I always felt trapped in perm jobs but for the last 7 years have been doing agency work normally on 3 month contracts - if it sucks I get out quick, some roles have sucked some have been good but with this type of working you know there is always a way out soon. You can even take breaks during the growing season.

[snapdragon]

so sorry to hear it Helsbells, do you need to get out of teaching altogether? or could you transfer your skills to Primary teaching where the maths is basic ?