Is teaching worth the low pay and hard work? (UK)

I’ve always loved mathematics. It was always the only class that I looked forward to.

My brother died a couple of months before my GCSE’s, so I zoned out for almost all of my exams and even missed a couple of pages on some of them. Due to that, I got poor grades. I failed science and got a 5 (high C, low B) in English. What broke me was that I also failed maths.

Because I failed maths, I ignored my passion and just went for media studies in college, which made me the most miserable I had ever been. I was stuck staring at a monitor all day, learning nothing. The only exciting thing about college was that I had to retake GCSE maths and had one class every Friday, the only class I’ve ever looked forward to.

But now I’m on my gap year. I only got a pass in my extended media diploma and I’m looking to apply for uni in the next few weeks. However, I still have no idea what to do.

The only thing that sounds appealing to me is teaching mathematics, possibly secondary school, but I’ve been told by everyone not to do it. Firstly, I’m not even sure I could find a course to accept me in a maths course with such terrible grades. And most importantly, everyone has been telling me that it’s a ‘terrible job’. Most teachers are working 12 hour long days, working extra at home and on the weekends, all for £25k to £32k a year.

The idea of the job excites me, but the reality of it does not. My second option is game developing / programming, but then I’m just stuck staring at a screen all day, my biggest fear.

I’m worried. What if I get a job in teaching my favourite subject just to fin that it’s too much a not for me, like so many teachers do? The majority if teachers quit within the first 5 years. That’s my whole career down the drain.

I guess I could use a little help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!



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