Why I Kissed Teaching Goodbye

One of the most common questions I have been asked since announcing my departure from the classroom has been "Why?".  So I thought I should dedicate this post to answering this common query.

I never intended to become a teacher.  In fact, with two other teachers already in my immediate family, I was desparate to do something different.  However, due to a range of various circumstances, I found myself on a teacher training course and loving it!  I told myself that I would only stay in the profession for 5 years and then move on, but as I progressed from student teacher to NQT (newly qualified teacher) I found myself loving the profession even more.

I'll be honest!  I tried to leave the profession a few times but for the first 7 years of my career - I loved it!  It was hard work but I loved working with young people.  However, very early in my career, I became aware that in some ways it would appear that I had drawn the "short straw".  Whilst my friends were embarking on their new careers and enjoying the delights of having enough money to socialise (after student poverty!), I was turning down invites to stay at home and mark books.  I cannot express fully the sense of dread I would get as I headed home to mark 64 books (2 class sets) in one night.  But ultimately, I had a real sense of purpose and I wanted to make a difference.  I loved seeing a young person finally get to grips with a new concept and enjoyed being able to encourage them to believe that could do anything they put their mind to!

However, as time progressed, I began to get tired.  Teaching is an extremely stressful job and really drains you emotionally, physically and mentally, leaving very little room for anything else in your life.  A common misconception is that teachers waltz into the classroom at 8.30am and back out at 3.30pm, as well as, "lolling" about during the long holidays.  It was a regular occurence to have people ask me why I'm stressed when I have "all of those holidays".  It was a statement that maddened me then and continues to grate on my nerves now.  It shows a complete lack of understanding what life as a teacher is really about.

Most teachers start their working day between 7 and 7.30am.  At my last school, some teachers would arrive at work at 6.30am every day.  A typical morning for me would be setting up my classroom in preparation for the lessons that day - this may involve photocopying, collating worksheets, rearranging the room etc.  A check of my email box would usually provide at least another 5 tasks to add to my to-do list and then it would be time for briefing, where you get a synopsis of key events happening that day and reminders of impending deadlines for reports, grade cards, responses to parent requests etc.  The bell would ring at 8.30 to tell you that it was time to register your form.  From 8.30 you would usually have continuous contact with students throughout the day.  You expect this during your lessons, but people forget that it overflows into your breaks as well.  At break time, a student who missed your lesson may turn up to ask for a copy of the worksheet, whilst another student arrives to tell you that they didn't understand the homework.  By the time, you have arranged a time to meet with the confused student and got a copy of the worksheet, you've lost 10 minutes of your 20 minute break.

Now comes the dilemma:

Do I get a cup of tea or go to the toilet?  

A cup of tea would take the rest of the break but the toilet break would only take 5 minutes, which means you would have time to quickly review your next lessons before you have to teach again.  You opt for the toilet break because you realise that if you don't go now, you won't be able to go until lunchtime as you'll be teaching the whole way through.

Lunchtime is not protected either - it's the time when meetings are booked, additional help is given to students, supervision duties are allocated, and extra curricular activities are run.  I had many days in my teaching career where I would actually forgot to eat because I simply didn't have time!

After school, you may have a department meeting, a meeting with a parent or an after school club for the students.  By 4pm, my brain would be completely frazzled and I would be packing my bag to head home.  However, there are many teachers who stay in school until about 7pm (yes that includes the ones who get in at 7am too!).  Whether we were at home or in school, we all were doing the same thing, marking and planning for the next day.  It was not uncommon for me to get home to complete another 2 to 3 hours of work at home in the evening.

Weekends would be affected too!  My normal Friday afternoon ritual was packing my bag with the work that I would need to complete over the weekend.  Likewise, last days of term, where I would pack the work to be completed over the holidays.

I don't write this to sound bitter or ask for pity but I write it for people to have a more realistic idea of what a teaching career can be like.

Once I got married, I found it difficult to find the balance between the two - my new responsibilites at home and my overwhelming teaching career.  I know that there are many teachers out there who are managing to juggle the two, but for me, it was a real struggle.  I began to resent the work I brought home and I vowed that I would never stay in the classroom and risk becoming a resentful, bitter teacher.  So, by the time, Babygirl came along, I knew that it was time to seriously consider making a change - and I did!

In a nutshell, I loved teaching!  I still do but I left because I was tired and I needed to find something that would allow me to find the balance between home and work for this current season in my life.  Would I ever go back?  Possibly - but I know that right now, I'm in the right place.

The story of how I left teaching is a story in itself so if you're interested, I'll cover that in my next post.  Please write a comment and let me know if you'd be interested in hearing how God took me out of the classroom - it involved some "walking on water" and quite a few sleepless nights!

Until next time,
Cece xxx