What hours would you rather work?

[Imsosorryalan]

I've just done my first week of teaching after about 6 years off it's been great but tiring. I am working five mornings until 12. I thought this would be good as I can still pick up dcs after school and have some time at home. However I'm now wondering if working 3 days and having two days completely off is better. It still feels like I'm there full time ( mainly as I don't leave at 12 and go straight to pick up dcs so essentially not walking in the door until gone 4 ish.

What would you prefer- five half mornings or 3 full days. ( I should add that although my mornings come to 2.5 days, I'm being payed for 3 as it includes PPA.

[Icedfinger]

I used to work 5 half days and hated it, felt like I was thinking about school everyday. I now work three whole days, having two whole days off means I get more done and feel more relaxed.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Oh bugger. I was going to ask to just work mornings when I go back so that I can collect dc from school. Terrible idea?

[HamAndPlaques]

Three full days, every time, mostly because it liberates two extra evenings.

[HamAndPlaques]

Truth five mornings is much easier to timetable, especially in primary, so more likely to appeal to HT if you aren't already part time and want to make it more appealing to your school!

[Imsosorryalan]

That should be *paid! Sorry

Yes although three days means late evening and meetings I guess.

[Icedfinger]

I have a colleague who works 5 mornings and is contracted to still do meetings every other week. She hates going home to DC at 12 and having to come back at 3.30.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Secondary. Head of English. Negotiating any kind of part time is going to be hard so I was hoping that mornings would mean I was still in school each day and that I got to pick the boys up most days (except for meeting days, which I accept I'll need to stay in school for)

[Imsosorryalan]

I guess I'm lucky then that I dont have to attend staff meetings. Silver lining I guess! I'm also allowed to have my PPA at home..

[ismellonehugerat]

I'm not a teacher but I would say 3 days. Only 3 days to get up and get ready rather than 5. If you can't get out of the door on time it's 3 days rather than 5 too.

[2kidsintow]

I'd go for full days every time.

You have days that you don't have to go to school at all and can completely switch off. And you can't be made to work a meeting etc on a day you don't work. But if you work part of the day (mornings for example) then you can be required to work a parents' evening on the same day.

I have 3 and a half days and it's been easy over the years for different job share teachers to be employed to work with me. The half day is important as it means we are both there at lunchtime to have a proper handover chat rather than leaving notes or texting each other.

[2kidsintow]

I'd go for full days every time.

You have days that you don't have to go to school at all and can completely switch off. And you can't be made to work a meeting etc on a day you don't work. But if you work part of the day (mornings for example) then you can be required to work a parents' evening on the same day.

I have 3 and a half days and it's been easy over the years for different job share teachers to be employed to work with me. The half day is important as it means we are both there at lunchtime to have a proper handover chat rather than leaving notes or texting each other.

[PandaNot]

I work 2.5 days with two full days off. Because I have a flexible arrangement, sometimes I had worked five mornings instead and it was awful! Go for the full days. In secondary it might not be quite as simple because of timetabling issues.

Oh and if you work mornings but have to attend a meeting after work then the afternoon hours are 'trapped time' and have to be included in directed time.

[HamAndPlaques]

Truth your HT would probably love that but it sounds awful for you. Would you stay in school on meeting days or do you live close enough to go home? If not, then you need to be paid for the afternoon.

Think also about when the 'morning' ends. I'm also secondary and two-thirds of our day is before lunchtime. Finally, what about your HOD responsibilities? The job doesn't get any smaller because you're part time. It's unusual, but some people do manage to negotiate full-time TLR + part time salary point.

[ImTheOneThatKnocks]

Three full days no question.

I used to work 2 1/2 days a week. All day Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. It was flipping fantastic. I never tired of the thought that my weekends started on Wednesday lunch times. . I had one DC at the time.
I found it easy to be really enthusiastic about work.

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

Thanks Ham. Realistically I think I'd end up staying in school for full days, leaving just before the bell (school finishes 20 mins before DS's primary would), but hopefully getting the majority of the work I used to do between 3.30 and 5.00 between 1.15 and 2.45 instead iyswim. That would allow me to pick dc up and spend time with them before bed. The risk is that I'll just be stressed and rushing, but the alternative is missing out on the school gate stuff , which the SAHMs I know say is really important. I'd forgotten about the full time tlr thing; I'll definitely add that to my list of things to discuss!

OP - sorry for hijacking your thread!

[NeedaDiscoNap]

Three full days would be my dream (secondary). My friend has just gone from four days to three and says it's the best thing she's ever done - she now properly shares all of her classes, reports, parents' evenings etc. rather than before on four days where she did everything, including teaching it all, because the one period for each class was farmed out to random useless teachers.

I don't know if it would be as advantageous in primary, but I think for me the mental distance of not being in school every day would be fantastic.

not in the least bit bitter that I can't go down to three days after mat leave

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

This thread has made me think I need to discuss finances with DH. Working Mon-Wed might be a much better idea!

[NeedaDiscoNap]

Atruth would there be anyone who could job share with you?

In a previous school two of my colleagues did this - the HoD worked Mon-Wed and a colleague did the HoD stuff on Thu/Fri. It worked well for them because they divvied up all the jobs so that the person who worked three days wasn't coming back each Mon to loads of stuff to catch up with. Crucially though they had some handover time (the job sharer worked FT but only did HoD Thu/Fri) and SMT were supportive.

I've thought about this (I'm also secondary English HoD) but it wouldn't work for me or my school - plus I'm very controlling so not sure how I'd handle it!

I'd think if I did mornings I'd just be picking up all the crap from the afternoons (mainly thinking of admin tasks and behaviour stuff) the next day but for less pay and less time to deal with everything.

[Applejack2]

3 full days is better in any job. I tried 5 mornings in the NHS but it felt like I was working full time. I changed to 3 full days...a lot better x

[RinkyDinkyDoo]

I was 3 full days, Mon, Tues, Wed, doing a job share for 8 years. It was great, sharing the work load and having the 2 days off, although 1 was school work and really feeling like I'd had a break and was refreshed when Monday came around.
I started in Sept doing 5 mornings a week. I handed my notice in at the end of half term. I am exhausted. I finish at 12.15, and try to leave by 1, come home and do some more work, my son comes home, then I'm mum, and if I haven't finished my work, it's back to it when he goes to bed.
This happens Mon through til Thursday, Friday I walk out at 12.15.
There is no let up and you have to remember, it's for half the pay.
Don't do just mornings.

[teacher54321]

I do three full days and it's much better than having to go in everyday. I work Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and have Mondays and Thursdays off. I check my emails on my days off and respond if urgent and I write notes in my planner to action on my working days. I do sometimes go in for extra things but my head is pretty good about paying me for extra time.

[Imsosorryalan]

I do actually like finishing at lunch. And I only have lit/num to teach so no running round at lunchtime to sort the aft lessons. Doesn't help that school is half an hour away so that eats into any prep time before and after.

I think then, the ideal is working three mornings! (Rubbish pay though)

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

DiscoNap - no one to job share with unfortunately. Luckily there are not many behavioural issues in our school so I won't tend to have those sorts of things to deal with, however I fear my day may end up like Rinky describes - busier on less pay. DS1 starts school in Sept though and I so want to be able to do pick ups. Hmmm, I have some thinking to do.