I have decided that full time classroom teaching to teenagers really isn't good for my health. In the long term I know that I will be healthier if I avoid situations which seem to trigger off manic and depressive episodes. In a way I feel gutted by this as I do enjoy a lot of aspects of the job but it really makes me too unwell. So.... on to the positives, I've decided to use my education and skills to do something which will give me a more stable mental wellbeing. Obviously it may too go wrong but we can but hope.
In no particular order this is what I am doing:
- I've signed up to do private tutoring and have been shocked by the response. Fortunately it's gearing up to exam time and I live in an area with a demand so I can earn a lot of money between now and the summer with it.
- When that dies down in the summer I've just accepted a contract to be an examiner and moderator for the national exams so that will cover me over the summer.
- My longer term goal is to get a job as an education cooordinator at a nature reserve. Planning the education activities and working with school groups as they come round. It would mean a slight pay cut from teaching in a classroom full time but as long as I earn enough to cover bills and sponsor Mickey through the Visa process I don't care.
So in order to actually achieve this I've started volunteering at my local nature reserve during the week when I'm not tutoring. I've also just started an online diploma in environmental science which I'm realising I actually know a lot of already. When I look back the environment and ecology has always been my biggest passion, I'm far happier outside covered in mud and looking for insects. As a kid I would find dead animals and keep their skeletons to learn about them! Weird I know
I feel at 32, I need to finally work out what I want to do with my life before I get too old to change careers again but I think (hope) this will work as it's not too far from my current job. If it all fails I'll still have my teaching certificate to fall back on.
