Mike and the miseries – he nearly quit teaching

Meet Miserable Mike. When he first contacted us, he was in the doldrums! Compared to Mike, Victor Meldrew is positively cheery and Moe the Bartender might be merry.

At least that was then. You see, Mike was stuck in a rut. He was teaching English in a state-funded secondary school and came to us with a familiar story:

• I feel I’ve gone stale.
• I’m frustrated by policies and procedures.
• The students don’t care.
• Behaviour is abysmal.
• I’ve stopped trying but lack the energy to change.
• I’m thinking about leaving the job I once loved.

Sorry if that rings a few school bells. Unfortunately, Mike is not alone. Are you a Moaning Melissa? Grumpy Gary? Despondent Danielle? Forlorn Fiona?

If you are, there would be no surprise. Figures from the Department for Education (DfE) show that...Continue reading