It is wonderful to hear about the lived experience of teachers who are using the skills from teaching in their new careers.

We caught up with Jen Pierce, former Primary Teacher and now Community Engagement Lead at Maths Circle. If you work in a Primary school or have young children at school you are probably very familiar with Maths Circle’s exceptional and additive products: Times Table Rock Stars & NumBots

‘Maths Circle is an internationally trusted EdTech company who create award-winning maths programmes, dedicated to helping children acquire fundamental numeracy skills. Our expertise in maths mastery, combined with enticing gamification and design, make maths fun.’

Read about Jen’s journey from the classroom here:

Impact Of Education

In 2010, I became a primary school teacher, a path I hadn’t initially planned on. My dream had been to become a tennis player, but a sudden injury shattered that aspiration. Nonetheless, I’ve always had a passion for working with children and witnessing the profound impact of education on their growth and confidence. Becoming a primary school teacher in London through the Wandsworth SCITT program felt like a natural fit.

Relocate From London

Teaching quickly became my calling, and I adored my first school in Putney under a wonderful head and supportive close-knit team. At that time, I enjoyed the freedom of living life to the fullest in London without any significant responsibilities.

A few years passed, and I earned a promotion at my school and fell in love! My life took another turn when we welcomed our first child. The desire to be closer to family and to purchase our first home led my husband and me to relocate from London to the Home Counties.

The Joy Of Tutoring

During my maternity leave, I discovered the joy of tutoring, but I missed the classroom. When my son turned 18 months old, I decided to return to teaching. However, the school I joined presented unique challenges, and achieving a work-life balance became increasingly difficult.

Recognising that this environment was not sustainable, I opted for early maternity leave with my second child.

Period Of Reflection

During this period of reflection, I explored alternative career options outside of teaching. It dawned on me that my confidence had been eroded over time in the teaching profession, making it challenging to envision an escape into a role I would be proud of.

I considered tutoring, but the timing didn’t align with two young children. I began exploring various admin roles, whether related to teaching or not, in hopes of simply supplementing childcare expenses.

Fate Intervened

Fate intervened when I met Nicola and Bruno Reddy, the founders of Maths Circle, while on maternity leave. They were actively seeking a part-time teacher to support the NumBots launch. While the decision to accept the role wasn’t easy, with my daughter being only nine months old at the time, I recognised the tremendous opportunity to work for a dynamic edtech company on a term time, part-time contract.

I officially joined the team in 2019, and it has been a fulfilling journey ever since.

Integral Part Of The Team

Then… COVID-19 emerged, leading to my husband’s job loss and an exponential growth in demand for Times Tables Rock Stars and NumBots. Consequently, my role evolved into a full-time position. I began in customer services, but during the pandemic, I expanded into a more community-focused role.

Now, four years later, I proudly hold the position of Community Engagement Lead and am an integral part of the Maths Circle Enrichment Team.

Around The UK & Worldwide

My daily work involves a diverse array of tasks, from project managing initiatives such as our TTRS mini mock MTC (the OUMTC) to hosting webinars, coordinating case studies around the UK and worldwide, managing the teacher ambassador program, and even supporting our in-house author in the recording studio for our NumBots audio stories.

Every day at Maths Circle is different, which is especially fantastic for someone like me who values creativity and social interactions. Recently, I returned from Australia with the team, where I coordinated school visits and exhibited at EduTech.

I Appreciate The Flexibility

While I miss the classroom, I have grown to love my current job and everyone who works there. I appreciate the flexibility of working from home two days a week and the creative, impactful role I have. 

I wish that I had known about Did Teach when I contemplated leaving traditional teaching. It would have been empowering to know other teachers left the profession and moved successfully into other industries. 

Teachers Are True Rock Stars

Teachers possess a multitude of superpowers that extend beyond the classroom. I genuinely believe they are the true rock stars, and I have immense admiration for everything they do.

I am incredibly proud of being part of the education industry, and I will always be thankful that teaching paved the way for my career in the EdTech industry.

Thank you so much for sharing your journey, Jen and we wish you lots more adventures with the Maths Circle team!

If you would like to use your teaching skills outside of the classroom but still make a difference in education, visit our job board for organisations who are actively hiring teachers.