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I was a teacher for 10 years and felt that it was time to leave. This was 4 years ago and I've never regretted the decision.
I was however quite fortunate in that my degree (Chemical Engineering) and a few connections gave me an opportunity to move to a new challenging technical role.
I really enjoyed the teaching aspect of education.
The treadmill of changes in expectations, shifting demands, changing policies, faddy schemes that seemed to be introduced each year to improve learning, etc. were not so enjoyable.
I was observed 7 times in 10 years by OfSted (not in a failing school or special measures - just frequently inspected) and in that time I received quality constructive feedback that could improve my teaching once. From an HMI that was of the old inspection system and had not changed his practises. He offered advice and then came back the next day to see if my implementation of the advice would be effective. He was right. This is the only positive interaction I had with OfStEd in 10 years. They are a large part of the problem when they really shouldn't be. They are used as a blunt instrument of judgement instead of a service of improvement - the way HMI used to work.
Anyway, I digress. Teaching is being steadily eroded as a valued profession (in the state sector) and it is a crying shame.
It is worth considering part time but you are right, it tends to mean you are working normal hours rather than long hours and only getting paid for the 3 days contact time.
Has she got contacts that she could gently nudge for opportunities whilst perhaps working cover and picking up some industry relevant PD training?
I guess what my rambling nonsense above meant to say is:
Go for it, there is life outside of teaching - and it can be great!
My wife and I are primary teachers. We moved to the Middle East a few years ago and haven't looked back.
- Less stress, the school day is 7:30am-2pm, but you have loads of specialists taking lessons (music, PE, languages, local studies, swimming) and so you can get most things done before the end of the school day. No Ofsted.
- The children. The kids are generally expat children and are fantastic. Very few behaviour issues and plenty of motivation
- Money. Goes without saying when your accommodation and bills are paid for you, and you pay no tax, that it works financially.
- Sunshine. It's the middle of winter here and it's sunny and 26 DegC outside. Yes, the summers get hot, but you'll spend that time travelling back to the UK, on a beach in India, trekking the himalayas or, what we did, house sitting in Europe for 9 weeks last summer.
I wouldn't teach in the UK.
I quit teaching and head for Canary Wharf a couple of years ago.
I have a physics degree so stats was part of my unit anyway and critical analytics problem thinking skills lol.
My masters was mainly science so I did an MBA while working for HSBC.
I went back to teaching for a while but realised how it was so £hit.
The money was crap and 60+ hour weeks only to rehabilitate during holidays and then planning the year?
Went back into finance and it was ok then management switch and I was the last original staff member to be pushed out. I quit while I was job interviews and start next week!
I would rather work, enjoy it and have a work life balance than teach 60hrs and have stupid kids who can’t write or count but accountable if they do not have A grades lol.
Tell her to go back to agencies in finance and while working, do an MBA in the evening.
It’ll be a doddle and she’ll earn 2-3 times more than a teacher.
F’ the education and schools and the lazy kids. Hello life.