Twice a week we publish problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy’s own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?
I have been a French and German teacher in a secondary school for 12 years and am also a pastoral leader (head of year). This brings with it more money but also significant extra pressure.
There are many aspects of my job I love: working with young people, helping them to sort out their problems, the fact that no two days are ever the same, the rhythm of the school year, my colleagues. But I am increasingly worn down by the workload and target-driven culture. Most weekdays are 12 hours long, increasing to 14 when marking is at a peak. I spend part of every weekend either planning lessons or assemblies, or marking. Hobbies and interests fall by the wayside.
At the age of 50, I long for a better work-life balance. My youngest child is one year away from university and I want to make decisions about my future. I have always been in education of one form or another. I would definitely consider a move into another sector but feel overwhelmed as to where to start. Working with people, a varied work environment and not being desk-bound are important considerations.
As a younger woman, I worked abroad and I would love to learn Spanish and am considering doing a TEFL qualification, which seems to be a minimum requirement in Spain. I would like a high quality, well-regarded qualification which seems to rule out studying online. This leaves a four-week intensive (impossible with work) or 12-week part-time (equally impossible in a working week). So I feel the only option would be to quit the job in England with no job lined up, do the four-week intensive course in Spain and then start job hunting, a prospect which I feel very anxious about, especially as I have no savings.
And then the reality check kicks in: why I am I thinking of pursuing a career change which is financial suicide? An entry level English teaching job in Spain would pay less than half of my current salary. I still have 15 years of a mortgage to pay in this country.
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or to reply personally.
