Reception teachers - can I ask your advice?

[oxocube]

I am a reception teacher with 5 years teaching experience in U.K and Switzerland where we used to live. I haven't taught for 5 years as I left my job when we moved to Holland and I had another child who started school last October. I am considering going back to work for a number of reasons ....

1. My husband has been made redundant and I am extremely worried about the mortgage, bills etc
   
2. I need some control in my life - financial control would be a start
   
   The downside is ...
   
3. I have to be honest and say that if I had a choice, I would gladly remain a SAHM cos I love it, although I did really enjoy teaching
   
4. The only school I could teach in would be my kids' school (2 mins up the road and the only local international school) but obviously, this has its own implications
   
5. I have been out of the job market for such a long time that I am really nervous that things would have changed a lot , different teaching methods etc.
   
   
   These are just my initial thoughts. TBH I don't even know if there are any vacancies but maybe it wouldn't do any harm to have a word with the head and see what he says, possibly for the future. Any advice anyone?

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

oxo - I'm not a teacher - but having worked in an international school for a short while a few years back I'd say it's very common for teachers to have their own children at the school - the school I worked at every teacher who had school age children had them at the interational school!

[oxocube]

thanks HRHQ. Its just that school politics, as you probably know, are something special . Although I get on really well with the lower school teachers and have been pretty involved in helping out with being 'lunch mum', helper on school trips etc., I know that it could be a very different issue to have my own kids in a school where I would be working. This is soooo pie in the sky though as its just my initial thoughts !!

[cece]

Are you in the UK? Why is your child's school the only one you could work in? Personnally I woul dnot like to teach in the same school as my children.

[HRHQueenOfQuotes]

cece - I think she's in Holland (if I read her post correctly)

[twocatsonthebarricades]

I went to an international school for a while, and I think almost every teacher bar one had kids there! Given the circumstances, I think it's pretty normal and they almost certainly have ways of dealing with it.

I don't think you have anything to lose by having a chat with the head - but there may also be other opportunities, like tutoring children or adults in English, which may be worth thinking about.

[oxocube]

cece, yes, we live in Holland and my Dutch is not great, so my only options for working as a teacher are in an international school. We are lucky in that we live so close to my kids' school - the nearest other international would be in Amsterdam, about 20 km away but a nightmare in terms of traffic, differing holidays etc. The only practical option would be to teach at my kids' school, although only one of my three would be in the lower school building. Cece, do you have bad experiences of parents teaching in their childrens' school? This is kind of what I was worrying about. When we lived in Switzerland, I worked at intl. school but sent my kids to local French speaking school. Couldn't have afforded the fees for one thing!!

[cece]

I have taught several colleagues children. Usually it is fine but it can be awkward if there is a problem.

[cece]

When DH was at secondary school his mum was the school secretary. I know he hated it!

However, when I was in Year 6 We has the daughter of our teacher in our class. It seemed OK - or at least I don't remember any problems!

[oxocube]

I can see the problems already!! I'm going to be lunch mum (supervisor) for dd's class this year. She is almost 9. She told me that it would be 'kind of weird to have you hanging around me every day' . The early years unit is in a different building and I would be interested in teaching in Group 1/reception if a vacancy arises. Do you think I would have to do a refresher course or something similar with 5 years out of teaching? TBH, looking at the teachers they have now, I don't think I would be sub-standard but there's always that niggling doubt when you haven't worked for a while

[gladbag]

I don't think that huge amounts have changed in five years.

Are you trained in the UK's foundation stage curriculum, and is that what they follow? Because that's been around a while and hasn't changed much at all (the only bit that has a current focus is the transition into Y1, where the must recent guidelines say that teachers should try to make Y1 more like Reception in the first term).

In terms of teaching reading/general ethos/resources used etc, that will vary enormously from school to school anyway. In the UK there is generally a more phonic based approach being pushed at the moment, with many schools using Jolly Phonics or Ruth Miskin programmes, but again that varies and any school would expect to give a new teacher, whether with recent experience or not, a bit of time to get used to the programmes in place.

I think your best bet would be to talk to the Head and see. It might be possible to volunteer for a bit to see what you think (and to get "known" around the school). Part time and temporary jobs often go to people that the schools know, rather than through adverts, so it would be worth it from that point of view.

My last job was in a small primary, and two of the teachers had children at the school. One even taught their child. There were no major problems that I was aware of, although I know the teachers worked hard at getting the balance right between home and school.

Good luck!

[lexiemum]

i remember too well when my mum was dinner lady - she was responsible for my playground and one daay got a right telling off and had to "stand on the wall" for lunch - even though it was someone else that had done wrong.

from refresher view - a friend in UK has been out for 7yrs (she teaches 7yr olds) - she starts a refresher course in jan - gets paid £50 a day and gets £50 to cover any childcare required. I'm sure she said it wasn't essential but with some of the changes it was best to do. Think its 2 terms so she'll be back in the classroom for sept 07.

[cazzybabs]

I am teaching in yr 1 and dd1 is about to start in reception. Collegues have had children in reception when they have been in year 2 and it has all gone fine! I am looking forward to having dd in my school TBH - I can see friendships with other parents being a potential for trouble, espcially with the private sector! and also not interferring enough because the person teaching your child is a collegue!

[PanicPants]

DS will attend the same school as I teach and I don't see a problem at all. Many colleagues have had children at the school and there has never been a problem.

I wouldn't have him in class I taught obviously!

[LipstickMum]

Lexiemum, do you know anything more about the refresher course your friend is doing? I'm toying with the idea of going back to teaching and would certainly feel more confident with an update like that.

[Uwila]

Oi, Lippy... How the heck are you?

[LipstickMum]

Hi Uwila I completely forgot about this thread/MN for a while. How ya doin?

[oxocube]

Have just come across this thread and decided to update! I DID see the head a few months ago (it took me ages to pluck up the courage!) and he was very interested and supportive. I started helping in a few classes straight away and last week, I signed a contract to cover 2 days a week and any sick days for the lower school until the end of the summer term . I've worked a few days already in Reception and group 1 and it has been great and it looks like I'm going to be offered a FT job in September because one of the Reception teachers is leaving! So, just wanted to say thanks for all the advice and ........ HURRAY

[gladbag]

That's brilliant oxocube. Thanks for the update, and I'm glad you're enjoying it