Brown trousers time (career change eeeek).

[Donger]

Good luck in whatever you choose to do @Pikey. You've already changed career once, so you know you can cope with change. Wish I'd changed careers myself before I became too institutionalised.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'll try not to make this read like one of those secret teacher articles from the Guardian, but I think I've bloody well had enough of being a teacher now and need to use you guys as a sounding board.

Ten years ago an eager young Pikey left zoo keeping (really, that is true) and joined the teaching profession. I really enjoyed it until about three years ago, but now what was once a respected profession helping youngsters to help themselves get the best start in their lives has become an endless treadmill of testing, assessment, marking, RAG rating pupils and changing the way we all teach, seemingly weekly to suit the latest think tank / quango fuelled crap... and repeat.

Nothing to do with helping young'uns progress and learn, just a drive to get the best results for senior management.

I've seen a massive increasing in the number of the pupils at the school with depression, school related anxiety and random sicknesses due to exams, testing and their workload. I'm really not sure I want to be a part of that any more.

I'm 98.32% of the way to sacking it, becoming a driving instructor (already interviewed) and financially me and Mrs P can house the career change, along with a bit of supply and private tutoring.

But I'm pooing my proverbial pants at the change, what do you learned folks think? Am I being a tool worrying about the change or a tool for changing careers in the first place?

Theres no point if you're not happy, go for it, find something to do you enjoy.

 

[Fnaar]

You could watch an education/motivational film on your new chosen career path first...
Good luck though... I'd like to change my job right now, but finding it's not an easy option)

 

[vernon]

I clicked like, but its not really the best choice of word. Wifey is also disillusioned with teaching for the reasons you post. she does however still get some of the good moments , but nowhere near as much as she used to.

it is a sad state to be in . good luck for the future whatever it brings . you and the OP

I'm lucky enough to be made redundant in the year where I'd made to decision to make it the final one but hadn't publicised it. I'm also lucky enough to be able to draw upon a pension that has only been nibbled at by actuarial reductions. My redundancy payment means that I can defer drawing my teacher's pension for a year though I am tempted to have mega fun from the redundancy money.

It's quite telling when young teachers are electing to abandon the profession and that many of the lauded 'Teach First' recruits elect to seek employment outside of education after their two years of compulsory service within the program.

Generous tax free bursaries of up to £30,000 are failing to attract new recruits and it's hardly surprising when the profession is chastised, belittled and undermined by the government and OFSTED.

Meanwhile, in schools, the beatings continue until morale improves.

 

[screenman]

From what I see a lot of parents are not giving the teachers an easy task nowadays.

 

[vernon]

From what I see a lot of parents are not giving the teachers an easy task nowadays.

Parents don't blame tooth decay caused by kids being too lazy to brush their teeth and eating too many sweets upon their dentists.

Teachers get the blame for poor grades obtained by pupils who don't work in the classroom and who are allergic to revision.

Thankfully there's sufficient numbers of motivated pupils to still make the job bearable.

 

[screenman]

Parents who do not support teachers should maybe not be parents.

 

[NorthernDave]

Making sure you've one your homework with the driving instructor job. Mrs NDs uncle did it for a few years, form a national concern and then on his own.
He struggle to make it pay while maintaining a sensible work/life balance - people tend to want lessons on evenings / at weekends.

 

[Saluki]

Go for it. If you are disillusioned with teaching just make the change.
Change is always a bit scary, but exciting too? no?

There is not point burning yourself out and getting to the point where you hate getting up every morning, so I would suggest that you make the change and do what makes you happy. Good luck too, although I am sure that you won't need it.

 

[gavroche]

Pikey, I have done all those things: HE lecturer and driving instructor for 11 years. I still do part time lecturing in my local college ( only 4 hours a week though, but the money is good,) and supply teaching . I see every day the stress teachers are under and really feel sorry for them , and anybody that says teachers have long holidays, I say they deserve it. As a supply teacher, I have none of the stress except dealing with the kids in the classroom, but are least I know my day finishes at 3pm no matter what. No preparing, no marking, no assessing, no useless meetings. So I understand your views .
Now for the driving instruction. I would advise you against it as there loads of driving schools out there and building your customer base is not easy. The financial rewards are not what you are made to believe and the expenses can he quite high.
Be prepared to spend between £2000 and £3000 to train as a driving instructor which consists of 3 tests, the last one being the toughest with only 33% pass rate.
Also bear in mind that in 20 year time, there will be no need for driving instructors as cars will drive themselves.
How about doing supply but bear in mind no holiday pay, combined with private lessons?
I am now lucky as I get my monthly pension so work is a financial bonus.
Whatever you decide, think carefully before you take the plunge.

 

[Brandane]

becoming a driving instructor (alrea OR ...dy interviewed)

This has set the alarm bells ringing.
Do you mean you are already a fully qualified ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) and you have been offered a post with an established driving school? OR .......
Have you been offered the "opportunity" to part with a large wedge of cash to a company who will train you to become a driving instructor?

If it is the latter, I can only advise you not to do that. Seriously; DO NOT! I speak from experience having parted with about £2000 in 2003 to The Instructor College, who claim that they will train you until you are fully qualified. It's a scam. My story is too lengthy to type on here *, but suffice to say you can do it for much less by going to a private instructor of instructors. No amount of money will guarantee you a pass anyway; and you only have 3 attempts at your main tests (driving test, and test of ability to instruct - where the examiner drives and you have to instruct him; it's a nightmare!). If you fall at the final hurdle, as I did, you will be time barred for 2 years from sitting again and have to basically start again (starting from the theory test).

Incidentally, The Instructor College went bust - but re-emerged under a new, colourful (mainly RED) identity.

*Basically it was a case of The Instructor College having too many pupils to cope with. They couldn't get me booked in for ANY further training between my failed attempts at the test of ability to instruct, and time was running out on my 6 month trainee licence which I was using to work as an instructor at the time. So I sat my test of ability to instruct 3 times and failed each one. Cost me a fortune as I had bought a car and fitted out with dual controls etc. when I was working as a trainee, which I then had to sell as I was out of work. 6 month old, ex driving school car with 18k miles on it wasn't in big demand.

 

[Piemaster]

Also bear in mind that in 20 year time, there will be no need for driving instructors as cars will drive themselves.

Some may be self driving, but at the recent CES in LA one of the car manufacturers there seemed to think it will take longer than that. I'm hoping to be chauffeur driven before then anyway.
I would have thought the number of younger drivers is decreasing would be more of a concern for the OP from this. Test seems tougher now than when I did it so learners may be with their instructors longer, plus now here are additional tests for the likes of trailers, which older drivers will already hold an entitlement.

Demography Over the long term there have been changes in the demographics of the driving population. In particular, there have been increases in licence holding for females and the older age groups. More recently, over the last 20 years, the proportion of young people with a full driving licence has decreased, from 44% of 17-20 year olds in 1995/97 to 31% in 2013.

 

[growingvegetables]

Go for it, Pikey. Sad, but telling, how the teachers above react to your dilemma. There is this to it ... with so many teachers leaving the profession, there'll be plenty chance to return.

Perhaps return to a completely different part of the system - change to primary? Or SEN?

Or look out for education officer jobs with the likes of Sustrans, wildlife trusts, RSPB, environmental organisations? Or ... dunno what they call them, but the outreach programmes that universities have to reach out to those students who traditionally found it harder to break in?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

If I could afford to get out of my bit of public service for much the same reasons I would skip out of the building with a song in my heart and never a backward glance. If teaching hurts and you have a viable Plan B, give it a bash.

 

[Drago]

Just go for it. I'm about to 're enter the job market for the first time in a quarter a century, and im relishing the prospect. Seen a few things, moderate money, not stuck in a chuffing office, convenient, zero responsibility. Right up my street.