I am a student educated to Masters degree level in mathematics.

Naturally, therefore, most people expected me to go out into business and earn lost of money.

I did 2 years in business before moving into teaching, which I had also thought about after university and felt I was missing out on my true calling.

I did a proper PGCE and my salary dropped to £21,000 as a starting salary for teaching the next year.

During my time I felt that there is too much "awkwardness" from staff - there is no team atmosphere - just a "fake one" in order to "show" that they are co-operating with each other. Too much paranoia from teachers and the kind of "back stabbing" that you may expecti in business. In truth, it felt like I was in what must have been the 1950's business world, but in teaching. The true business world is not like this anymore. But teaching felt stuck in the past.

My first expereince as a teacher who was rude and awkward to me simply becasue she has felt that I had taken her job. They couldn't offer it to her as she didn't have a PGCE. How was I even to know what was going on?

My second experience was with a teacher who seemed nice but then turned so dramatically when she saw my BMW. I had bough most of that from my 2 years in business but was still paying it off. I am by no means rich, I think it was pure jealousy. She was fine up until that point with me. But how dare I suggest such a think, right?

The head of department was a "tick box" person. We do a load of work all year to improve things, but then at the end of the year never use it and it is onto the next thing which will improve things. It was all play to "be seen to be doing something".

We were given useless work in the holidays "to keep us busy" as even with the stresses of hte job they didn't want us to have a nice time off, in holiday we deserve.

The head was more important with "tick box" and getting all those stamps (maths with computing etc) that you put on the letter paper.

It was easy to get promoted. All you had to do was agree. I found it unchallenging to therefore further my career.

But the salary was also a problem. No way to advance yourself above the rest. It was M1, M2, M3 no matter how you do. In companies, you can ask for a raise or move companies to gain more money - but here it is all the same dependant on TIME within the job.

My experience comes from 2 schools on my PGCE and 2 being a full time teacher - a decent sample.

I estimate that had I stayed in teaching I would have been on about £27,000 now, with pay freezes and all and a pension that you have to contribute too.

I left and went back into business. Now, 3 years later, I now work in London on a salary for £54,000 plus bonus and a non-contributory pension scheme (i.e the company put money in even if I don't) and the most important of all,,,,,, I am much happier.

I wanted to explain all this not to gloat about salary as some may think I am. I am simply making a point that someone like me with a 1st in a BSC and MSC in mathematics gives the teaching profession a try, and leaves due to the above.

The well educated among you will recognise the errors and understand that the best people will not choose teaching and the people who will be in it with be in via the many "cheap" alternative entrance schemes

The ones amongs you who are like those in my school will have the attitue "get lost then" and see this for me having a moan.

I wanted to share my expereince to help headteachers improve the profession and how they can retain staff like me. Some won't care who leaves - my school didn't - they lost about 10 people a year - but perhaps one, just one, may make a difference to their school, and in that, I will have succeeded.

Thank you for you time

curlygirly:

The well educated will recognise the spelling and grammatical errors and wonder how on earth you passed the literacy test. Unless, of course, you are a troll.

You are absolutely spot on! Sorry to say nothing has changed. Its a shame that the only comments made have not addressed the points you raise. I wish the head teachers could see through the staff who tell them what they want to hear rather than the reality. The SMT that reports on the performance of others but manages to escape the same levels of scrutiny. Bullying is rife, be it very subtle but it does exist.

Thanks Popples.

As I said in my post, there will be those that read about the money above and become, dare I say it, jealous, and so perhaps have a pop at something  - the easy target would be poor spelling I threw in as bait - and others like yourself would be here who are good who actually agree that none of the three of them above "addressed the points in my main argument"

I came to the headteachers forum so that perhaps I could get more reasoned arguments and perhaps even feedback on what I may have done or handled better - not one of those three even attempted that.

Oh dear, I hope they are not actually headteachers!

They just went for the poor spelling and ignored the who point of the case.

I guess in knowning someone may do that - I am well educated after all :-) :-)

Thanks again popples - you do see my point and why I left. I find people in business to be more grown up and less like the children they teach.

It could be the environment - and I make a serious point here - in business we have to be professional and so that "rubs off". Whereas perhaps the childrens attitude rubs off on some teachers who cannot shied themself to it.

Just a thought (?)