'I interviewed 21 teachers to find out what their jobs are really like'

At the end of June 2021, I was asked to interview a selection of teachers. The brief was simple - find out how they got into teaching and discover what it's really like to be a teacher today.

I spoke with 21 teachers in total and all the stories are featured on the Love It. Teach It microsite.

Before I started, I have to admit I was cynical. It’s not a secret that teaching is a challenging career, so is it really possible to have a work-life balance?

But then, after my first, second and third interviews, I started to realise that my perception of teaching was changing. Teaching is varied, sometimes challenging, but always rewarding. And what surprised me was how teachers are achieving incredible things in and outside of the classroom.

When I finished interviewing the final teacher - six months later - I was left with the overarching feeling that anything is possible.

And that final interviewee was Gruffydd Evans, a 29-year-old history teacher from a small village outside of Pwllheli. He currently teaches at Ysgol Bro Idris, which is a bilingual comprehensive school for pupils aged 11–16. Teaching was always part of his plan, as he admits from an early age he knew it was the profession for him.

“I was about 13 when I decided I would be a teacher,” Gruffydd explained. “I think it was because I had a good history teacher and I quite liked the idea of doing something I enjoyed as a profession."

However, before settling into the profession, Gruffydd wanted to explore the world after completing his teacher training. He said: “I saw a Facebook post looking for teachers to go to Patagonia for a year. It looked like a great opportunity so I applied and ended up going in 2019 - thankfully the year before lockdown. There are a