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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel put out about pregnant teacher?

204 replies

SoChangingMyNameForThis · 15/11/2010 13:04

I'm more after a reality check from your lovely ladies than a rant, honest. DD1 is in year 2 and her teachers have a job share, one Mon to Wed and the other does Thur to Fri. No major issues there but we've just learned that the teacher doing Thur & Fri is pregnant, baby due in April. I can't help feeling a bit put out because she knew she was pregnant when she started the job, but at the same time I feel IABU because such is life and teachers are entitled to have children too!!! So, whilst I battle with the different thoughts in my head, could you please help me put this into perspective? I mean, they're going to have a new part time teacher for just three months at the end of the year, it is SATS as well, what value can the children extract from this? Can this change affect their learning negatively?

OP posts:
ParanoidAtChristmasTime · 15/11/2010 13:15

OK, speaking as a Yr 3 teacher I wouldn't worry AT ALL about SATS or any (lack of) academic progress. At that age I think it's helpful for their emotional wellbeing to have consistancy of some sort which she will still have.

belgo · 15/11/2010 13:16

How on earth can anyone on here reassure you? None of us know the teachers.

ChatTime · 15/11/2010 13:16

So far the responces that u have had have not been very supportive. Just to reasure u i don't think this will affect your childs education at this stage, i also have a child currently in yr 2 and they seem to adapt to change well. So long as the current teacher is giving her all and your child is happy thats all that matters. Save your worrying for when they are older, thats when the grey hairs kick in. Keep smiling

BonniePrinceBilly · 15/11/2010 13:16

FFS. Why not post this in the Feminism section where you can really get torn to pieces? Cos with this attitude, you need a stomping by a few feminists......

winnybella · 15/11/2010 13:16

Ok, then. DS has a new teacher for next 2 months. It hasn't sffected his school performance- actually, it's better, if anything, as the replacement is quite severe.

Seriously, you don't need to worry about SATS.

SleepingLion · 15/11/2010 13:16

You MUST know by now that you don't post on AIBU for support and reassurance...

coldcomfortHeart · 15/11/2010 13:17

It's only two days a week and the other teacher will remain a constant. Try not to worry- better she's off for an extended period and they get a supply teacher to cover it all than sporadic days here and there due to illness when they might get a different supply teacher each time. Everything will be all right! I don't think it's too bad a thing for the children to have experiences of new teachers.

Original poster
SoChangingMyNameForThis · 15/11/2010 13:17
Sad
OP posts:
TrillianAstra · 15/11/2010 13:17

Year 2 SATs do not matter.

If it was your child's A-levels you would still BU.

titchy · 15/11/2010 13:18

When your dd is out with her first boyfriend/at a dodgy night club/doing her degree finals/having her first job interview/getting married/having her first baby etc you are SOOOOO going to go Blush about this!

She is 7!!!!!! Non-one cares about SATS!!!!! She could be taught by Donald Duck for 2 days a week for a term - I guarantee you it will not make one jot of difference long term.

Save your worry for things that really do matter!

Greythorne · 15/11/2010 13:18

I think you are getting the reaction you are because the situation you are talking about is just everyday life. kids need to get used to everyday changes and everyday events, such as women having babies.

Anything can happen in life. The teacher (god fobid) could be diagnosed with cancer and have to go on sick leave for three months, in which case your DC would have to get on with it, just like he will during her maternity leave.

It really is no biggie. The positive take out is that your son will learn teachers have lives and families too and (hopefully) despite your reaction to this news, he will learn that women have a right to maternity leave.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/11/2010 13:19

Sorry, but YABU. I would wait until you see what the replacement teacher is like before worrying. One of the teachers at our school has been off sick for the past few months- it hasn't jeopardised the children's learning at all, as the replacement teacher is perfectly competent. Some children even prefer the replacement. It's just one of those things

Littlefish · 15/11/2010 13:19

I am a teacher.
I teach 2 days a week.
I teach Thursdays and Fridays.
I teach in Reception.
I am covering a maternity leave.

The teacher will come back at Easter (ish). The children will be absolutely fine. Their teacher for 3 days is staying the same. Everything else in their school life is staying the same. I will have meetings with the permanent teacher.

Your DD will be fine. You are panicking for no reason at all.

sitdownpleasegeorge · 15/11/2010 13:20

Your profile says you have no children so I wouldn't worry if I were you Wink

Realistically though, given that she only works Thurs/Fri I suspect she already has a child, hence the part-time position and not many families stick at just one child so the whole school must have known it was a possibility.

IMHO, your child is in a better position than they would have been if she was their only f/t teacher as they'd then have to adjust to a completely different teacher part way through the school year.

booyhoo · 15/11/2010 13:20

if teh baby is due in april that means in september she was at most 2 months pregnant. not all women find out early on in their pregnancy. but regardless of that fact. you are still BU. why the hell shouldn't she take a job when she is pregnant? she has to eat you know. would you rather she remained jobless and couldn't afford to feed her baby?

ChateauDeLaShite · 15/11/2010 13:20

She's only 7, it really doesn't matter

And SATS are BS

PaisleyLeaf · 15/11/2010 13:22

I guess that's the good thing about the job share for this class - they'll still have their mon-wed teacher who knows them well.
DD's teacher went on maternity leave last year and I really appreciated the TAs consistency throughout that time as the class a couple of replacement teachers.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 15/11/2010 13:22

The OP is asking for reassurance that having one of the two class teachers go on mat leave close to the SATS isn't going to have a negative impact on the class, isn't she? I don't think this is an unreasonable thing to ask.

OP - I would say that the fact that the teacher knew she was pregnant when she took the job ought to reassure you, because she and her job-share colleague will have known from the word go that she would be going on maternity leave before the SATS, so they will have had plenty of time to plan around this.

You might also find that the cover teacher they get for the last 3 months makes a very positive contribution to the class.

ClenchedBottom · 15/11/2010 13:22

I agree that SATs are not important in the wider scheme of things!

Also, you say that the teacher would have known when she started - don't forget that she was probably interviewed for the post in May, when she really would not have known! - So was she supposed to not have sex from that point onwards, then, in case of an 'accident' or just fit her family planning around your requirements?

Sorry if that sounds snippy, but honestly, do try not to worry about it.

BaroqueAroundTheClock · 15/11/2010 13:23

I really wouldn't worry about it.

It was only by sheer luck of being put in the only male teachers class in YR2 that meant DS1's infant school education wasn't "disupted" by a teacher going off on maternity leave each of his 3 years at the school.

Reception - his teacher fell pg very early in the school year

Yr1 - she came back at the start of the school year pregnant

YR2 - he had the only male teacher, but the other YR2 went off on maternity leave part way through the year

EricNorthmansMistress · 15/11/2010 13:25

You are being precious and sexist. Your little darling will not be affected as long as they get another equally qualified teacher in to cover the leave. How dare you presume to have an opinion on her taking the job knowing she was pregnant? So what? She's supposed to remain unemployed for 18+ months is she, drawing state benefits rather than maternity pay? For all you know she may only intend to have one child and will spend the next 20 years working in this school without a break. Get over yourself.

spidookly · 15/11/2010 13:26

I'd be pissed off about the job share.

Teachers going on maternity leave not so much.

SkyBluePearl · 15/11/2010 13:26

Good for her - it's perfectly legal and she can't live her life round her job. I'm sure the class will be very excited about a new baby.

scurryfunge · 15/11/2010 13:26

OP, can you answer the question about whether you have ever been on maternity leave?

ADreamOfGood · 15/11/2010 13:26

You're wrong- she couldn't have known she was pg when she took the job if she was new to the school in September... teachers have to give half a term's notice, so she would have been interviewed/appointed in May- 2 months prior to getting pg.

If you wanted help and reassurance why start an AIBU? Hmm