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Carol, 58, and Chris, 55, have found passion and purpose after retraining to become teachers in later life.
Both Carol and Chris completed their teacher training as part of Now Teach – a UK charity providing two years of one-to-one support to those wanting to change careers and become a teacher.
Having met on their first day of teacher training, Chris and Carol have remained good friends since and continue to support each other in their journeys.
In this article, we’ll hear from Chris and Carol about their experiences of retraining as teachers later in life; including the difference the Now Teach Network has made, and what they’d say to anyone else considering taking the leap.
Carol – “I started to think about what else I might like to do with my life”
After going to university later in life, mother-of-three Carol did a PhD and became a research scientist. She’d previously lived in the Middle East for 12 years for her husband’s work and returned to England in 2010. After spending a few years caring for her grandchildren, Carol began considering a career change.
She says, “I’d spent a few years looking after my grandchildren, but after they went off to school I just found myself feeling really bored. So I started to think about what else I might like to do with my life.
“I began to feel like everywhere I looked there was an advert for teaching. And one day specifically, I remember sitting at my desk and a little pop-up appeared from Now Teach. I clicked on it, ended up going to one of their meetings, and then it all just fell into place!”
Carol qualified as a teacher in July 2020 and currently teaches chemistry to children aged 11-16 at Hethersett Academy, West of Norwich. In her spare time, Carol enjoys walking in the countryside with her husband and two dogs, spending time with her family, and looking after her grandchildren.
Chris – “I wanted to put something back into the community”
In 1990, Chris graduated with a degree in electronics, working through the ranks to become an Offshore Operations Manager within the oil and gas exploration industry – specifically seismic exploration. Then, after taking early retirement at 50, just one year passed before Chris decided that he was ready for another job.
He says, “Retirement just wasn’t quite as glamorous as I’d expected so I thought about what else I could do.
“My previous career was all about exploiting the world’s resources and not being a particularly nice person, so I wanted to put something back into the community. I knew there was a shortage of teachers and after seeing an advert on the back of a bus about teaching I started to consider it.
“Now Teach offered me a way into teacher training where I could do four days a week instead of five, which was very appealing because I didn’t want to immediately drop myself from retirement into a full-time job.”
Chris started teaching in September 2019 and currently teaches physics to children aged 11-18 in Great Yarmouth. When he’s not at school, Chris enjoys going out with his kids and caring for the family’s many pets!
“I didn’t think they’d want an older guy who’d come from an entirely different career”
Both Carol and Chris described the initial worries and anxieties that they had around retraining as teachers later in life. However, these were soon put to rest.
Chris says, “I was a little bit anxious at the beginning because I thought I’d be too old to go into teaching – I didn’t think they’d want an older guy like me who’d come from an entirely different career.
“But then I met someone from Now Teach and they told me how teaching later in life is actually a great thing to do. And even when I got to the school, I thought I’d be made fun of for being the old man but it wasn’t like that at all – everyone just assumed that I was a seasoned teacher.
“There were also plenty of others on my teacher training course who were a similar age, including Carol, which gave me more confidence that I wasn’t the odd one out. We were able to encourage and laugh at each other’s failures (in a supportive way!), and Carol and I still regularly catch up.
“She was actually the first person I called for advice when I got offered a new role. As a new teacher, I wouldn’t have this big a network to rely on without Now Teach.”
Carol also described a similar experience. She says, “I was in my mid-50s – I didn’t think I could go back into teaching. But Now Teach were so friendly and supportive, and welcomed me with open arms. Even after I was set up, they stayed in contact with me and would always check in to see if everything was going alright.
“My teacher training course also gave me a good set of friends who I still see from time to time. Chris and I met each other on the first day of training and we clicked as friends do. It was nice to be able to run ideas past or ask advice about career decisions from a friend who you know will be really honest with you.
“Being an older trainee comes with difficulties that many younger teachers may not always understand, so it’s great to have a network of people going through the same thing.”
Beyond having both of their anxieties eased, Chris also explained how valuable he’s found his previous experiences in life and work in his role as a teacher.
He says, “In my previous career I was very used to challenging behaviour and disciplining people. Dealing with children’s behaviour can be tricky sometimes – they might call you names or chat in class, for example – but I think the older you get the more resilient you are.
“I’ve also enjoyed being able to provide the children with stories from my previous career that apply to what I’m teaching them. For example, the importance of working safely around gasses.
“I also invited a friend who works for EDF Renewable Energies to come in and speak to the children recently, which they really enjoyed. It’s nice to be able to bring what I’m teaching them to life and demonstrate how what we’re learning can be applied in real life.”
Interested in becoming a teacher with Now Teach?
“It’s the most rewarding role – I wish I’d started 20 or 30 years ago!”
When asked what they enjoy most about their roles as teachers, both Carol and Chris explained that seeing the difference their work makes to children’s lives is incredibly rewarding.
Carol explains, “I just love it, it’s hard work but also the most rewarding role. I wish I’d started 20 or 30 years ago!
“I teach a lower ability class chemistry, which isn’t the easiest topic to learn anyway. But when they all got great results in their exams, it just made me want to shout out to everyone, look at what my class did! I was so proud of them.
“I also had a girl in my class who used to stand outside the classroom crying because she didn’t want to come in due to anxiety. With some perseverance and time she eventually came in, and then I received a Christmas card from her thanking me for being her science teacher. It’s the little victories that mean so much.”
Chris adds, “It feels really nice when children come up and say thank you for teaching them, or that they now understand a topic they didn’t used to.”
“I’ve had to learn to set boundaries to maintain a work-life balance”
Both Chris and Carol were keen to displace the common assumption that teaching is an easy-going job where you get lots of holiday.
Carol says, “I’d say my biggest surprise is how hard I work. People think teachers get so much holiday, but it’s really hard work and each class is different. I was very lucky to be offered an 80% contract, meaning I don’t work Fridays. I use that Friday to do all my preparation for the following week so that I can have the whole weekend off.
“Every year since starting teaching my work-life balance has gotten a lot better, which I think is because I’ve got used to it. Obviously at the start of teaching there’s a lot to learn; you need to learn the curriculum and exam papers so you know what to teach. I’ve had to learn to set myself boundaries to maintain a work-life balance.”
Chris adds, “Full-time teaching is quite full on. I started off working four days a week but then decided to do a year of full-time and I’ve put all of my energy into it.
“People think teachers do a 9-3 job, but in reality I’m there around 7am and leave at 5pm and my weekends are taken up with lesson planning! It’s definitely time consuming so I’d recommend anyone coming into teaching to consider going part-time first.”
“I told myself I’d do five years of teaching and then retire. That was three years ago, so I think I’ve started another five-year plan now!”
When asked about the future, Carol and Chris both explained their plans.
Carol says, “When I started teaching, I had a five-year plan; I told myself I’d do five years and then retire. Well, that was three years ago, so I think it’s safe to say that I’ve started another five-year plan now! Perhaps I should just start calling it a constantly rolling five-year plan…
“My goal would be to teach sixth form or to become Head of Chemistry at my school. I feel like I can teach my class well now (obviously I’m always building on that) but I feel capable and excited for a new challenge.”
Chris plans to continue teaching but revert back to part-time, to enjoy more free time to himself. He says, “I’ve already gone further than I originally planned. I just thought I’d become a classroom teacher and leave it at that, but after a little while my school offered me the opportunity to become Head of Physics and to set up a new sixth form! There’s been a lot of opportunities for progression.”
“The best thing you can do is take yourself outside of your comfort zone”
Teaching can be an exciting career change option, and Chris and Carol are both prime examples of how valuable life experience is and why it’s important to go after your goals.
Chris says, “You’re never too old and it’s really fun to learn a new career. I’ve been a fully trained teacher for two years now and I feel like I’ve been doing it forever.
“Life experience counts for a lot in this role and I now know that there was no need for me to be anxious about starting.”
Carol says, “To anyone considering making a career change later in life I’d say absolutely go for it. I think in your 50s it can sometimes feel like life can become a bit stale – like you’ve done your career and you’re unsure where to go next.
“But the best thing you can do is take yourself out of your comfort zone. I royally did and it’s given me a new life – I’m a different person because of it. It’s scary and challenging, but it’s also so great and rewarding. It makes me feel younger.”