Got the September School Struggle?
It's not officially recognised by the medical profession; but that doesn’t mean its not an all too real problem!
Did you get through the summer term by counting down to those summer holidays?
Then the summer came and went by in a flash (with not a lot of sunshine this year either!)
And now it's September and Christmas might as well be in 3 years time?
Getting to know new children, with new needs, with new members of staff and probably a load of new rules and procedures to follow is no easy feat. You think it will surely be easier each year and then, sure enough, you get to September.
And it isn’t.
The constant feeling of just ‘getting through’ is pretty crappy when you think about it.
September feels like a second ‘new year’, maybe even more so than new year itself. A point in the year to refresh, take stock and think about where you might want to be in a year’s time from now.
For me, it's now two September’s ago that I decided it would be my last year fully in teaching. I didn’t have it all figured out at all but making the commitment to myself that I didn’t want to be doing the same thing by next year’s September was an important starting point.
So, what thoughts come up for you when you start to think about making some career moves?
The ones I hear the most are the ones that used to ring through my ears:
“I can’t be anything else other than a teacher”
“I can’t afford to leave teaching and do something else”
“I feel so stuck, I don’t know where to start”
Sound familiar?
I am living proof that all of the thoughts above can be overcome.
Let’s have a go at helping you take steps to make your September next year look very different to this.
“I can’t be anything else other than a teacher”
Ever look at job adverts and can’t see how your teacher skills would ever fit what they want? Firstly, as a teacher you do have amazing transferable skills, it's just a case of repackaging them in non-teacher language. When you have made resources for the kids you teach you have designed user friendly materials that speak to diverse audiences. When you dealt with a disruptive class you have managed conflict, taken calculated risks, communicated confidently and used excellent negotiation skills. You get the idea, reframing what you do day in day out is key. We completely underestimate the skills we have because, as teachers, we get used to doing them without noticing. Have a go at listing what you do in one day and then adding next to it what skills you are using. I guarantee you will surprise yourself with how amazingly skillful you are!
“I can’t afford to leave teaching and do something else”
What we can and can’t afford is, of course, very personal to use and will vary depending on our circumstances. Firstly, don’t assume that moving into a new job or career will mean a reduction in your salary- there’s plenty of exceptions to this assumption! Work out what your monthly outgoings actually are so that you know what your minimum level of salary is. Consider what might change about these outgoings if you were to move into a different role. Would your fuel costs be reduced? Would childcare costs change? This made a huge difference to me. Create a ‘safety net’: an actual one in the form of a small savings pot or a psychological one by lining up some fall back options such as tutoring or supply.
3) “I feel so stuck, I don’t know where to start”
Address that feeling of stuckness head on and start thinking slightly outside the box. Start by writing down all the things that make you smile. Yes, I know that might feel odd but have a go. Next, what would you do if you had a whole day to yourself? This is the dream isn’t it - allow yourself to dream! What job would you do for free? Try to put aside any blockers here. What comes easy to you? These are the things that others might find difficult but come naturally to you. It might be a good idea to ask a friend or family member to help you out with this one.
Don’t sit in that September struggle too long. If you don't want to be in the same position next September, click here: Find out more