To leave a teaching job after 3 weeks?

[nocontactforevermore]

I am ready to break:/

I left a very stressful head full time of department job in the October half term. I decided to go part time, without extra responsibilities etc and my DP is supportive of this. I had originally felt so bruised by it all that I wanted to leave teaching altogether but was approached by a very local school to me who offered me part time and I thought I'd hit the jackpot. On paper it sounds amazing - 3 miles from my house, working only Tuesdays and Thursdays. The trouble is....I've inherited a department that doesn't have a leader (it's very small anyway) but also is in a big mess. Kids have been entered for wrong exams, haven't completed coursework and to top it off, they've been wild in my lessons:/. I started just before Xmas and within the first day I was sick with anxiety. It built up all over xmas and now that I'm back, it's worse than ever. I am only contracted two days, but the workload means I will have to work at least another 2 from home. They also schedule me for meetings that are the responsibility of a head of department, but that was not the deal. I've pointed out that they are asking too much of me and pushing the kids to achieve too high a level of the qualification that I will never get it gone in time for summer. All I keep getting reminded of is that I was a former head of dept and 'can handle it'.

I can't though. Well I could, if I didn't sleep or felt resentful that I left a full time job for a part time one only to realise I'll be working just as hard. The reason for this is purely and simply because the department has been left to shit. I am on a temporary contract (suited me fine) and feel like they are simply going to 'milk me' until summer, while I'm sent over the edge.

How bad would it be to walk? I've an unbroken 15 year employment history. I am not flaky, but I didn't sleep at all over Xmas and this isn't the fresh start I envisaged.

Has anyone had any experience of a head making it difficult to work elsewhere?

Well a head is hardly likely to be too enthusiastic if asked to comment on a teacher who has walked out, regardless of the merits of the case.

IloveSooty is right, I meant safer recruitment procedures. When I've applied for a job recently the application form stated that you must not leave any time unaccounted for. And in teaching it's pretty easy for future employers to check, so it's probably not worth the hassle that 'losing' the job would cause.

Please talk to your union first.

Then say no to the additional workload that's being dumped on you. This SLT member wouldn't be the first to try dumping their responsibilities on someone lower down. If you can cope with just teaching the classes you teach for now, then concentrate on just teaching, preparing for and marking for your classes. You can say no to all this extra stuff.

You do need to speak to the Head, ideally, about exactly what your contractual responsibilities are and how that ties in to your pay point. It would be worth saying in that meeting that you took this job on the basis of being a classroom teacher, not a HoD , and your pay point reflects that. If they are expecting you to fit these extra roles into 2 days, which classes will they remove from your teaching timetable to accommodate these management responsibilities?

It sounds as though you are a really dedicated teacher who stands a good chance of pulling those classes round and getting them on board. Unfortunately some SLT members are experts at spotting the teachers who will shoulder their burden for them and pile on the work until you break.

I think the long-term repercussions for your career would be worse if you left without working the notice period , or pretended you'd never been there, than if you worked out your notice but refused the meetings and extra work.

I can't imagine why you would go to the meeting this afternoon.

You're setting yourself for far more difficulties if you do.

You have had some really good advice here.

However, I would consider posting this in the 'staffroom' or 'education' as even more teachers will reply and will be able to help you decide the best course of action and what problems it might cause you or not.

Frankly, I think you should resign today. It's a shower or shit and not what you signed up for. They are treating you badly and that's without the classroom nightmare - which is understandable from the kids really, but not what you need right now. However, I don't know if that is a good career move in 'education' and if there is a better way 'out'.

Your mental health is important - staying there will not be good for you, you just (IMO) need to work out 'how' to leave', not 'if' to leave.

If I was you I'd either not work for a while (if finances permit) or take a job doing something totally different for a while to give yourself a break from it all - then reassess whether you want to go back to teaching or not. Pretty much every teacher I know is stressed to the max :(

Explain you finish at lunch so can't go to the meetings.

Personally I would leave, cut your losses it has only been 3 weeks and you can get other work via supply which is less stresful

which classes will they remove from your teaching timetable to accommodate these management responsibilities?

IIRC OP said early on that she left her previous job because she didn't want to have management responsibilities. In this case, indicating she'll accept them and turning herself an informal sometimes HoD on the cheap wouldn't be such a good idea.

Get a copy of your contract immediately and see if there is a probationary period, usually there is so check this out. Then get onto the union and to any employment lawyer in this area- repost in Education to get some recommendations.

Finally, you don't have to attend these meetings- at this one, if you go, say to the teacher- I am only available on XY days and will not be able to attend on other days, sorry.

They are absolutely taking the piss as well as probably breaching any contract you have- protect yourself, resign if you can, or at least give notice to get out.

Don't risk your own mh because you feel sorry for the students, you are being set up here and will be made accountable for their inevitable failure.

apply for the college job, get it , then leave.

Oh OP you're a mug for staying for those meetings!

Resign straight away, you don't need this job. Ask for a reduced or zero notice period. Say you're finding it extremely stressful and are going to see your Gp about work related stress. Hopefully that will push them to agreeing to a zero notice period.

"I will be contacting my union..... "
You need to get a move on with this and if the school rep is no good, get on to the regional office.

Op this is silly. If you don't put your foot down then what do you expect? If you act as though you are ok with this they will carry on doing it. You must tell them it is unaccpetable.

Why are you doing the things that you aren't paid for?

Bugger all that hassle! You are being taken advantage of. Yes to union. Either leave if if they make it difficult for you, point out as pp have said that you have not been contracted to do this job, as it's effectively HOD stuff .
They are also behaving deceitfully if they are putting kids in for stuff they shouldn't.
If they refuse to let you go with good grace, perhaps the words 'constructive dismissal' may do the trick.
I wonder the other person left mid year, or why they haven't been able to fill the position before you arrived.

TeAching is one of those things that is difficult to ring fence, but this is different. This isn't down to your inability to cope or that you find it too much. This isn't a weakness in you. This is inefficient management and it's extraordinary that 3 weeks into the job you are being asked to do things very very clearly out of yr remit.
You owe them nothing. Walk and chalk this up to experience.
Good luck

They CANNOT justify making you stay for meetings that are not on the contracted day/times that you work.

Thanks all. I appreciate the advice.

Well I've just left the last meeting and said I needed to go and collect my do and wouldn't be staying for the one they'd schedule from 3-5 (cheeky fucks). No one said anything to be fair. I've been in touch with my DP this morn by email and have decided to send an email tonight to the SLT member who is asking so much of me, and setting out clearly (by way of leaving a trail) what state I find the department in. I will also be asking her to confirm what she is asking me to do. I've realised I have let so much of this be handled off be record that I have no protection.

When I bullet point my observations of the dept- such as kids following wrong exam board etc, she cannot possibly deny it. I will also express my concern at the fact they are expecting me to to rectify these mistakes in such a short period of time. I actually can't believe I've not done this. I'm an idiot.

Good luck . Leave the bastards!

OP you've only been there 8 days! Don't be so hard on yourself. You are doing it now. Well done you and well done for not staying for the other meeting. Great job.

You're not an idiot! You're a darn sight mnore proactive and observant than any of the other previous teachers they've employed, or the SLT member. Think of it that way!

Yy to ragusa

Thanks you guys! I've left a message with regional NuT rep as well xx

You're not an idiot, you've had a shock at ending up in a situation that wasn't what you wanted and that you've felt a bit powerless about so far. You're a dedicated and experienced teacher that unfortunately is working in what sounds like an unprofessional and badly managed workplace.

You're right to put everything in writing now about the inadequacies of the course so far - call it an initial review of the class.

Then also put in writing what you understand your tasks to be - your timetabled classes, and admin in relation to those being marking and preparation.

There are academic workload charts that should give you evidence of how much prep and marking you need to do per class.

If there's any time left over on your two days, then you can identify those as admin time, but name those hours - eg 10-11 tuesday, and say these can be for meetings or prep for meetings or whatever. But draft it up in almost an hour by hour, week by week basis from here until the summer. Say that there seems to be some confusion about your available hours.

Then stick to it as rigidly as you can until summer, and refer to it every time you're asked to take on what seems to be a lot more.

And best of luck

"there seems to be some confusion about the hours I'm available"

That is EXACTLY what they need to hear. Thanks! I feel like I've been in brain fog for weeks, shell shocked to a point and my mouth has ceased to work. Well these words above will form part of my email!

I've seen too many people shafted when they go part time, especially in teaching whether primary, HE, FE. On paper, your hours might look as if they're halved in terms of classes to teach, but its the fogginess around admin time that can be exploited so you end up doing more and more.

You are available to do all your work on your specific days/hours, and not at any time outside that. End of. Best of luck, you must feel like walking. Oh and I wouldn't go in saying you're stressed because that would make out it is your problem/weakness. There has been a basic lack of clarity (maybe teeny bit on both sides), so now you need to assert what you can do in your work hours. Really best of luck, I've been there and it can be really awful.

Sounds like you are on the right path OP.