Switching from teaching to office?

[meandmine]

Has anyone gone from being a school teacher to a professional in a business or non-profit setting?

I know those holidays with the kids are really nice (no daycare worries) and the summers, but I am wondering if I would be happier if I had a year-round job where at the end of each day I could leave work at work and focus on my kids and my well being rather than being hounded by the expectation that I put in 1-3 more hours every night on lessons, etc. once at home.

Anyone else made the switch? Was it better or do you really miss those breaks/summer?

M

[LynnS6]

I haven't, but my brother did. He actually moved from teaching to corporate work and is much happier. His job is much more defined, and definitely much easier to leave behind. The 9-5 aspect of it trumps the lack of summers with his son. He's done at 5. Unlike me, who is posting this at 12:40 am because I just got done preparing for class tomorrow. Days like this, I want a 9-5 job. (And I'd last about 3 weeks; I know I'm in the right profession. But it's not for everyone.)

[Halfasianmomma]

Lol, I *was* a high school teacher and have been working in the corporate world on and off for 10 years, full-time now for 2 years. Maybe it's because my job right now SUCKS and is terribly boring, but I'm thinking of returning to teaching because I miss being in a classroom teaching kids. The definite advantages of working in the corporate world are:
- You're done at 5ish and your evenings are usually yours, unless you're in management, which means you'll have to take home some work or perhaps work late.
- The salary is good (sometimes awesome)
- The benefits and insurance are usually great
- Paid vacation every year (not a whole summer off, but I still get 3 weeks and I've only been here a year).
- Conversation with grown-ups
- If you choose your employer well and you work in the private sector, there are all kinds of office-related activities (bbqs, pic-nics, sugar shack, office parties) and perks (discount memberships at gyms, etc) that can make it fun.

For me, the downside of this choice is:
- Mind numbing boredom
- No contact with the public
- Little opportunity for advancement (in my field anyhow)
- sitting on my butt, 8 hours a day, staring at a computer screen.
- No summers off

[poorlittlefish]

There aren't that many industry jobs that have perks and that don't expect you to work into the evening or at least check your emails at night. These days I feel like companies take advantage of the poor economy and get by with treating their employees less than stellar.

I get 10 days off per year (total) and I it is expected that I work from home at night. I don't get a ton of perks and I pay a lot for my health insurance.
My best friend is a teacher and I am extremely jealous of her time off. She gets more off at Christmas than I get all year. She also gets at least 2-3 more hours per day with her baby than I get. Also, her school is very family friendly, she has had to stay home sick with her baby many, many times this winter and she gets no grief about it. I get tons of grief and have sent my DD to daycare when i shouldn't have a few times because I had no other choice. Ohhhhh the guilt.

not saying you shouldn't make the move but please know, the grass isn't always greener.

[blizzard_babe]

Well... I went from classroom teacher (elementary) to office work, but... I'm still a teacher, and still employed by a school district. I became a curriculum specialist. It's nice because I'm still on a school schedule (modified... I started earlier, took a longer holiday break so I could go to visit family in the Lower 48, and am working later in the year than most classroom teachers in our district). It's true that when I go home from work, I'm not dragging little pieces, metaphorical or literal, home with me... but I still am a little jealous when I go into schools and see all the teachers getting to do their thing with students.

So I've kind of stumbled into the best of both worlds... but I still miss being in the classroom.

[meandmine]

Thanks, y'all!

This was great input!

I think one of the challenges is now teachers (in my district) all have laptops and APs have blackberries and *everyone* is expected to be working, essentially, all the time. I think that expectation is carrying over (or carried over from) to all walks of professional life.

Pre- kids -- when I was a university librarian and worked in a government research library and worked for a non-profit, I was not expected to work long hours. I occasionally worked 50 hours in a week, but that wasn't common.

I am just trying to decide which life-style suits *me* better; they both have their pros and cons. I just don't like having work hanging over me when it should be my family time -- feels like I am short-changing the kids. Otoh, I love what I do and love the no day-care worries time off.

Your input is very helpful!

M