The Long Game: How to Sustain a Successful Career in Teaching

Why do some teachers stay in teaching? And why do others leave? Why do some enjoy it whilst others find it an unrelenting slog? Answers to these questions are elusive but vital for new teachers, school leaders and everyone in between. Using research from wide-ranging fields and experience from real teachers, The Long Game examines how teachers can sustain and enjoy successful careers in teaching.

Divided into five parts, the book explores the persistent challenges of being a teacher by breaking them down into problems and solutions. The chapters unpack the factors that get in the way of our success or enjoyment of teaching and considers the different ways these problems can be tackled, addressing key concerns, including:

• How to maintain motivation as you juggle work and life
• How to manage intensity in a non-stop job
• How to embed effective, long-lasting habits to save time and mental effort
• How to reduce workload not just ’manage’ it
• How to teach successfully and have impact in a way that lasts

Teaching isn’t like a game because it is frivolous or simple. But it is an infinitely layered problem we can spend our careers trying to solve. To sustain a successful and enjoyable career in teaching, we need to embed strategies and approaches that will minimise the challenges and maximise our enjoyment. The Long Game will help teachers to hold onto the joy in teaching by facing the challenges head on.

Peter Foster is a teacher and school leader. He has worked in state comprehensives since qualifying as an English teacher in 2010. Peter currently works to support and develop teachers across a multi-academy trust in the South-West of England.