I was a teacher - secondary, comprehensive, English, ended up in senior management. I loved (nearly) every minute of it.
Which is why I thought I could not be bothered to take part in a discussion which, as so often happens on GN, seemed quickly to have descended into the usual personal anecdotes linked tenuously to generalised statements.
However, as usual with GN, I have to add my two penn'orth. But I'll stick to what I think, and not try to make it a universal truth!
My job was extremely challenging, very stressful, and I worked at least a twelve hour day, if I count an hour's commute because we couldn't afford to live in London. BUT, every so often there was a semi colon, if not a full stop - a break (half term, maybe) in which I could catch up with all the admin., marking etc. The knack was to try to keep on top of it all - getting up at 4.30 a couple of times a week instead of 5.30 for example. It worked!
Now, if I had got things really wrong, I would have been in trouble. But getting rid of me would have been a long process, unlike the position of some in the private sector. (Yes, I know things are changing now - I am the mother of a clutch of teachers - obviously taught them nothing!)
I honestly never thought much about the pension until my fifties, but am very grateful for it now. I look back on my career, and my students with enormous affection but with no yearning to return to it.
So many people work so hard, in such difficult and often underpaid jobs, in precarious circumstances, that we cannot compare or criticise, but we could sympathise with each other and maybe vote to change things. (Ducks beneath parapet.)