There are many reasons to have taken a career break from teaching. Whether it’s illness, travel, parental leave or a different career path that’s taken you away from teaching, it’s luckily a career that welcomes back its teachers. Around 8,000 people every year return to teaching after a break. The fact of the matter is that the experience you have is still valuable, and a return to the career can be a quick process.
Simply Education have been a part of helping countless teachers refresh their skills and return to teaching. With the right team behind you, you can return to teaching an even better educator than you were before.
The only hurdle to overcome when returning to teaching is showing potential employers that you’ve not lost the important skills that you had before your break. To do this, make sure you discuss the following options with your Simply Education consultant.
Returner Courses
Designed for people just like you, a returner course can give you a refresher of the curriculum and help get you prepared to return to the classroom. Take a look at the resources available on the Get Into Teaching site to see if there’s a course that suits your needs, or speak to a member of the Simply Education team today to book onto one of our highly regarded Introduction to Supply Teaching courses, which are perfect for those who are looking to get back into teaching!
Supply Teaching
The perfect way to regain an understanding of a school environment, gain an income and ease yourself back into the career without jumping straight in. With supply teaching on your CV, you're able to show your commitment to returning to teaching in a way that can fit with your life.
Research the changes in the National Curriculum
Depending on how long you’ve been out of the teaching career, things have probably evolved. It’s worth familiarising yourself with the national curriculum or your local syllabuses (whichever applies to you) and making sure that you’ll be able to follow it.
Speak to a current teacher and catch up with the way teaching is today
Technologies and techniques change quickly. The best source of information is an ex-colleague that knows where you were when you left, and what needs to be learned to catch up! It’s even worth asking to sit in a class to see the day-to-day that you might not know that you need to understand.
Get Mentally Prepared
It can be nerve-wracking to return to any career. It’s a good idea to think realistically and prepare yourself for what’s likely to be a bit of a culture shock. Remember the ways that you helped yourself deal with stress beforehand and make sure you’ve got those support networks in place.
The first step of getting back into teaching is understanding what knowledge gaps you need to fill before sending in an application. Speak to a Simply Education consultant who can help you on your path back to a teaching career.
