Pros & cons of FT vs PT?

[FTorPT]

I have an interview for a job which will be 0.5 FTE. I currently work FT in a secondary core subject.

Any thoughts on the pros & cons of making the change to PT? Other than half the money?!?

[FTorPT]

Anyone?

[beatricequimby]

Pros - time for family, for yourself etc. That's it really.

Cons - the money, pension, unlikely to have any opps for promotion if that bothers you. Also its more than half the work of a full-time job IMO eg the amount of time spent liaising with your job-sharer, the fact that you still teach the same amount of pupils as a full-timer and are expected to know them as well as a full-timer. You may feel a need to constantly do a bit extra to 'prove' that job-sharing' works (or you may not!). It can be frustrating not being able to be involved with school things that you are interested in because you are not at school on the right days.

Despite my long list of cons, the time factor makes it worth it, for me at least.

[FTorPT]

I'm secondary, does that make a difference? Glad to hear it's worth it for you :)

[beatricequimby]

I'm secondary too. I think, from my own and friends' experiences, that some subjects and courses are easier for sharing classes than others. It is much, much easier if you and your job sharer are teaching 2 seperate parts of the same course, with seperate jotters and maybe assessments eg if its languages one does speaking & listening, one does reading and writing. You want to be able to do this with at least some of your courses otherwise the liaison is a nightmare.

[littlestressy]

I'm primary but work 0.6.

Pros: When I'm done, I'm done. I don't take marking home and the planning that I do at home is done in the evening taking no longer than 2 hours max. I simply won't spend all my free time working at home anymore, have better priorities.
Spending time with my son, my husband, enjoying my days off.
I have a good job share partner and we work together well, both tidy, both have similar ways of teaching.

Cons: You are still accountable, didn't achieve XYZ results? Tough, doesn't matter if you only teach 2 days, 3 or 4, you are accountable.
Depends how good your school is with communication, will you still go to staff meetings? I miss out on a lot because it is 'mentioned' on a Thursday or Friday.
If you are going to do a job share and you don't get on with them it can be hellish. If you're tidy and they're messy it's a nightmare (or vice versa!), it might be different for Secondary but as a primary job share we obviously both teach literacy and numeracy but divide the other subjects up equally.
If you job share you need to have a good system in place to handover notes to your partner. Email and dropbox are brilliant for this.

I have often thought about returning FT simply because it would make my stress in school less (because I would be fully in charge, responsible, would know what is going on etc). But my stress at home would be huge and no way am I willing to spend less time with my son than I already do. So, for me, PT is better than FT.

[olivo]

Is it 0.5 as two and a half days, or spread through a week? I have worked FT and PT - I teach A variety of subjects at secondary level. I have recently gone back FT after 5 years PT. I was doing virtually the same amount of work as everyone else for 4/5 salary. Saying that, it did give me a bit of respite to deal with my young family- I used Ft childcare but worked on my day off so we could spend evenings and weekends together. I have really notice dhow often I have t oaks DH to take the children out at weekends so I can work, since I went back to FT.

I was offered a job on 0.5 but it was across a week so would have meant full time childcare, not financially viable.

Sorry, big rambling, but maybe some thoughts!

[TwasBrillig]

I was looking at teaching secondary part time but it does depend how the school does it in terms of childcare needed. I'd still have needed almost full time childcare!

If. 5 really was 2 half days it would be more manageable. I can't currently see me coping with full time and family life in our particular situation. I'd rather do part time and use days off to work rather than evenings and weekends.

[FTorPT]

I got the job :)

Not sure re hours yet. Both of my children are at school & I have v.flexible childcare so that will be fine. Excited now!