Not ambitious?

LegacyUser

Hi, just wondering if anyone can help or offer advice as I sit here wracking my brains..

I am a qualified teacher. I used to work full-time and had a permanent job and I loved it. However, that place closed down and I now have a contract job that is not permanent or full-time. I am very lucky because I do have a lot of hours but I also do not get paid for holidays, mid-terms etc and every September is very stressful as I try to get enough hours to pay my bills.

During summers etc. I work in an office - Monday to Friday, 9-5 and have every evening free (I don't when I'm teaching). I enjoy this job and I enjoy the stability of it. I feel like I go in to do a job and then I have my life outside and don't have to think about work at all. I am thinking of giving up the teaching and doing the admin full-time but some people have told me I'm mad to go from a good profession. I love the actual teaching of people and making a difference in their lives but I hate the insecurity of it and the hours and hours of preparing that goes with it, unpaid. I also hate that I can't stop thinking about it when I'm not there, the work is never done, the manager contacts me a lot when I'm not working and there's meetings that go on outside of my teaching hours.

I am at a serious loss at what to do. Would I be mad to give up the teaching?

lavinia hathaway

Hi, Can you definitely get the admin job full time? I have some teacher friends and they all have to supplement it with other restaurant jobs etc. Sign of the times unfortunately! Only you can decide but if it's causing you that much stress then maybe it is time to venture into pastures new. Bear in mind though that you'll always be a qualified teacher and can keep applying for permanent jobs such as they are and also advertise for tutoring/grinds. You say you love the teaching but it's the other duties that are the source of your discontent. Just a thought can you take a year out on sabbatical or do you have to be permanent? It might be an option for you to have a good think.
Best of luck anyway and stay positive.

Pawwed Rig

I would be of the opinion that you should do whatever makes you happy. That said insecurity exists in every job so making a decision on that basis may not be advisable.

It sounds like the admin job is not too challenging and does not require much effort. Are you sure that is what you want long term?

Rubberchikken

at the end of the day it's your life and you have to decide where you are at your happiest for the moment.

if you stop teaching for now, does that mean you can never teach again? sorry for the stupid question but i don't know the rules on teaching in Ireland.

If you're able to work in admin full time, live on the wage/salary/have a life outside work and most importantly, be happy with yourself, then i, for one, would go that route.
but only you can truly decide.

best of luck.

LegacyUser

Thanks all for the good advice! Pawwed Rig, that's exactly what I was thinking - would I be happy for long in the admin role. I will just think about it over the summer and hopefully to a conclusion before September. I spoke with a colleague yesterday and she said she feels exactly the same way as me - no structure to the job at all which is hard. It's sad because, at the end of the day, it is a very rewarding career.

But at what cost....

Thanks again.