Struggling to gat back into teaching-catch 22.

[toptramp]

I got pregnnat at the beginning of my NQT year. I know; disasterous career move. I also had issues with my mentor on that placement due to the fact that I was up the duff and single and my mentor didn't pass me. I resigned and took 18 months off. I went back to work; in a jewellers which I loved but the money was shite and I wanted to get back into teaching. I eventually got a job as an iontervention tutor but I want to get back into classroom teaching. I went for an internal but didn't get it as I was up against an ex head of department etc. I got another external interview today and didn't get it was up against a deputy head of department. How the fuck do I break out of this catch 22. I get and interview but lack the experience. aggggrrr!

[toptramp]

get back into teaching.
pregnant.

Mabe it's my spelling!

[mumnosbest]

persevere! can you do some supply or temporary contracts? don't know if you can do your nqt year like that.

[toptramp]

This was a temporary contract. The trouble is they want someone with a lot of experience to cover maternity and they can hit the ground running rather than requiring additional support. Oh well. I am there or thereabouts it would seem so will persevere.

[toptramp]

You can do the NQT year as a temporary contract.

[toptramp]

Also one thing that made me think is a question that the interviewer asked me which was; 'How important do you think consistency is?' I wondered what context she meant but thought in the end that she may have been referring to my woefully patchy cv.

I'm about to have an it's not fair! rant. Everyone who I have been up against and lost out to in teh past has had a husband on a good wage. I am a single mum and I really NEED a job and I want to get off benefits. grrrrrrrrrr.

[mumnosbest]

what about supply? i've fallen into jobs by making myself known/ proving self on supply first.

[toptramp]

can't do supply until i get nqt. thank you mumnos best. i apprechiate the support. i just feel a bit disheartened.

[mumnosbest]

hopefully someone will come along soon with some useful advice. just don't give up. having a baby doesn't have to be the end of your career. imo having a child makes you a more consistent and responsible person.

[toptramp]

Trouble is most women who have children plan them after having fiorst established a succesful career. Mine came at the beginning of my career and I am a single mum. This sounds odd but I sometimes feel that having a Ms or Miss in front of my name insteadv of a Mrs counts against me when looking for teaching jobs.

[roundtable]

I did supply before my nqt year and a teacher at my school did supply for nearly a year before her nqt year before getting a maternity contract and then a permanent contract. She completed her nqt year in August.

Good luck, try not to take it personally. There are far more applicants than jobs at the moment. :)

[HappyTurquoise]

In an interview, by law, they have to ask every candidate exactly the same questions. So perhaps they had been let down by someone unreliable in the past, or just wanted a question which might reveal weaknesses, or get people talking enthusiastically.

Apply for the NQT jobs and then you won't be up against the heads and deputies! (Good experience though, well done for getting an interview).

Have your childcare and back up worked out and consider volunteering it in a posative way. They're not allowed to ask about it, but you can volunteer information. Be careful not to make promises you can't keep though. They have to ask why you left your last post, and get a reference, so will probably know you were pregnant.

I am wondering myself now though, are you planning any more children? If not, is there a good way to bring this up in the interview? ( or even on the CV).

[toptramp]

Hi again. Not planning any kids as I'm single but I don't really want to bring that up at interview.

[HappyTurquoise]

Hi.

It's up to you if you want to avoid mentioning it, but what is left unsaid can sometimes be louder than words in these circumstances.

What I meant was if one interview panel has employed you in your first year and then had to employ someone else to cover your maternity leave (a lot of schools can't afford to do this and it could mean split classes and shared teachers) then there's an elephant in the room with you at any interview. Just because they are not allowed to take about it, even without you in the room, doesn't mean they won't think you want a better salary so you can get better maternity pay and think you are a risky option. terrible I know, but from their perspective it is something they have to consider, as the education of the whole class (and potentially other classes in the school) for the best part of the year is at stake.

[corlan]

Have you thought about applying for TA posts if you can't do supply?

It might be a way to get your foot in the door.