‘I wanted to make a positive difference in the world’
Helen Riddle, 35, worked as a corporate lawyer before retraining as a history teacher. She lives in south london, and now works at an all-boys grammar school.
sometimes, life gives you the gift of a moment that changes everything. For me, that came on a flight home from Houston in January 2009. I was a solicitor, specialising in corporate law in oil and gas projects. It was as mundane as it sounds and I’d grown to hate my job. It involved a lot of paperwork and a lot of flying to america, China, angola and Kazakhstan. If you love your job maybe travelling is fun, but when you don’t, it’s exhausting.
becoming a lawyer was accidental. I loved my school but it was competitive and students were destined for a good university, then a graduate scheme. that was the track I was on. I studied history at Durham university, then started a training contract with a great law firm who paid for me to do my post-grad conversion and law exams, then offered a well-paid job in london.
I thought becoming a lawyer sounded glamorous and I earned good money, but that just made me feel trapped. I wanted to make a positive difference in the world, but had no idea what else I could do.
on that life-changing flight, I was in business class – another perk of the job that had lost its appeal. I felt homesick and sad. It was the middle of the night and I asked a stewardess to bring me a hot drink. When she came back, I started crying. Hugging me, she said, “I don’t know what’s wrong but if you’re crying in business class, then you need to change your life.” those words had a profound effect on me. I couldn’t carry on in a job that made me so miserable.
after much reflection, I resigned 18 months later. I wasn’t sure what path to take next, but the last time I’d been happy was when I was studying history, so I studied for a masters degree in history at King’s College london. My friend sophia, a teacher, kept telling me I’d love teaching. I offered to help her on a Duke of Edinburgh weekend and loved every second. Her kids were great and her colleagues visibly loved their jobs. a seed was sown. I contacted four local schools and arranged to observe lessons. schools are special communities where everyone is encouraged to learn and develop, and I knew that ethos was rare in the corporate world. Plus, if I became a teacher I could talk about history all day!
by then I was 29 and reluctant to take another year out of work to get my qualifications. but a school near me was offering a school Centred Initial teaching training scheme, a paid placement specifically for someone changing careers. It was an amazing opportunity to be paid a small salary as an unqualified teacher while
I studied for my Postgraduate
Certificate of Education (PGCE).
No amount of planning would have prepared me for my first day as a teacher. It was stressful and daunting, but as I became familiar with the curriculum and students, I relaxed.
Five years on, I’m head of department and head of higher education and careers. the kids I started teaching five years ago are now applying to university. Watching my students develop is so rewarding and results day makes me burst with pride. although teenagers are a different breed, they make great company. they see the world in a different way and
I find them hilarious on a daily basis.
I work long hours – 7.30am to 5.30pm – but it doesn’t drain or bore me, it ignites me. as a lawyer I could get to lunchtime without doing much more than checking emails and making coffee. In school, by mid-morning I’ve spoken to 90 students. It’s busy in and out of the classroom – there’s planning, marking and extra-curricular activities in term time and during holidays.
I used to dread the thought of becoming a more senior lawyer, but
I’m so positive about the opportunities teaching can offer. I earn less now but I feel richer in so many ways. Every single day, I feel excited to go to work. >>
‘If you’re crying in business class, you need to change your life’