Secondary Teaching Career change

[ricktee]

I have been working as a I.T. support technician for more than 10 years now. I'm thinking of changing careers to Secondary Teaching. Any one here switch careers to teaching? Maybe teachers in this forum can tell me some of their experiences in teaching in NZ.

[GrumpyGoat]

I have no NZ teaching experience (and doesn't look like I am going to be getting any either).
However, I was a second career secondary teacher in the US.

It is a very difficult transition, IMO. Going from dealing with adults to dealing with children. My biggest complaints were the LONG LONG hours required (planning. grading, etc) to do the job well. Since I went into teaching to REDUCE my workload (time for babies!!), this did not work out for me. It is not the 9-4 job that many mistakenly believe.
(I taught maths for about 4 years after going back for a postgraduate diploma. )

Here is a story about starting over as a teacher I saw in the NY Times yesterday which might be helpful to you considering a career change. However, it is set in the US so doesn't directly address the NZ aspect of a career change. But gives you a bit of an idea.

Additionally, I left the profession (and have been hesitant to return) because of my experiences in the US which shouldn't reflect on NZ education system but I couldn't convince myself to go back.

I am sure others will come along with happier experiences.

[Kalla]

Not me, but my OH. He changed careers a few years back and decided to become a secondary school teacher in the UK. He complained all the time about the marking/work load. After putting in a long day at school, he'd come home with heaps of books to mark and stay up late into the evening (after midnight some nights) just getting up to date. He said the kids were disrespectful and he said it was pretty soul destroying sometimes because of the structured curriculum and little room for creativity in teaching. The long holidays were great but he used to get bored because I was working, same as all his mates, so he would just sit home and watch day-time tele. That was UK experience, not NZ. I have no idea how they would compare. But he did 5 years as a teacher before giving up. Said he couldn't handle it anymore, too much work, not his thing. I guess what I'm trying to say is, you should try it out first. Go spend a few weeks in a school (if you can), get as much research as you can before starting your training. It's a pretty full on job with little thanks (in my opinion) and you really have to be 'born to do it'. I think if it's something you are passionate about, you'll do well. My OH wasn't passionate about it and failed to 'reach' the kids, it wasn't his ideal career. He's happier now back in an office. But thankful for the experience.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Big decision.