To think that YES, you can have reasonable hours and a good work/life balance as a teacher

[WistfulForTravel]

I'm 22, a 3rd year Primary Education BEd student, I love my degree and every assignment and placement cements the fact that teaching is my vocation and is what I want to do as a career.

However, I've been getting a lot of negative comments from my aunties and neighbors about how I'll never have a life again, how most of my waking hours will be consumed with thoughts of work, how I'll never even have one day to truly relax during the 13 weeks off, how it'll be a 7am - 9 pm job, etc.

I know teaching is more full on than some jobs, but is it really this intense? I am friends with a few teachers and they seem to have a healthy work/life balance (time for guys/sports/hobbies, at least one full weekend day off, out 1-3 nights a week) They have no kids though. I imagine it would be very different when you have kids.

Is it possible to practice effective time management + work very hard during the week so you can have the weekend off?

As much as I've enjoyed my course and look forward to my first class in September (eek!) my philosophy is more a 'Work to Live' not 'Live to Work'

I bet 'senior corporate roles' get paid more than me.

Gennz Thank you for giving an example of a job when people do similar type hours. As a teacher it is always good to hear that other people in other jobs do similar hours. I hope that doesn't come across as sarcastic as it's not meant to be.
I think it's not the work load so much but that everyone thinks they know what you do and moreover having the government changing your job all the damn time. That and the OFSTED inspections.
Do you get paid more than the average teacher Gennz? Again, just curious, no sarcasm

Gennz,

Why do you keep saying you only get 4 holidays instead of the normal 5.6? Do you not get your legal entitlement...?

This is from the. .gov.uk website:

"Almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday per year (known as statutory leave entitlement or annual leave). An employer can include bank holidays as part of statutory annual leave."

I'm on 12 weeks (not 13) which is just over double the average person. Of course, that is unpaid, but is often spent working, and not just an hour or two either. For example, over my Easter holidays, I spent two full days at work. Today, I've done 6 hours of work. That's just the way it is.

What's always got me is why it's ok for other professions to tell everyone how much they work when they feel they have to, but not teachers?

kim From 3.30 onwards. Thats what most court lawyers do.

I have to be ready for work at 8.30 every day, I'm not sure what your point is?

To someone's earlier point, I think accusing me of calling teachers liars is a bit OTT, but I think many are so mired in how hard they have it (this thread would seem to prove my point) that they don't see the wood for the trees. Yes full time work is hard. Assuming you need to work full time, teaching is not such a bad job.

Actually I doubt I do get paid a lot more than many senior teachers. Probably a bit, but not a huge amount. I graduated from university with a loan the size of a deposit on a London flat, which I am still paying off.

359 messages when I saw thisso apologies if I duplicate anyone's responses.
I'm pleased there are a lot of people out there who appreciate that 'us' teachers do work damned hard and the perception that we only work 9-3 and have 13 weeks holiday a year is FINALLY being recognised as a myth.
I will say that as someone with 14 years educational experience and 13 years LIFE experience above that of the OP, it is naive to think you can work 'reasonable' hours and have a work/life balance. This person is in training, which yes, is hardwork - I have been there myself. But being a fully fledge teacher with your OWN class and OWN responsibilities is massively different to being a student teacher with a mentor to fall back on! For a start, trainees do not have the 'pleasure' of writing annual reports! Also, your ability to have a 'reasonable work/life balance' will depend on the school you happen to be in on your first appointment.
Consider yourself lucky if your HT puts your work/life balance at the top of his/her agenda.
Seven years ago, I had a HT who was shit at controlling the behaviour of our 'strays', terrible at leadership and management but brilliant when it came to the pastoral care and well-being of staff. The HT after that was excellent with his people skills, parents loved him, kids loved him but he eroded the standards and didn't once appraise us. he was ousted by the LEA. The third (current HT) is lovely. She cares about the childen and really wants them to succeed but is blinded by Gove and his croonies and gets bogged down by the paperwork, targets and yet more targets that she fails to realise that she is killing her staff!
I REALLY want to leave teaching but the damage it would do to my family's financial stability means I can't. My wish would be to leave the profession as a paid member of staff and work within schools on a voluntary basis that does not require me to work the 6+ hours a day after school, be accountable for impossible targets set and basically have my life back; that is, my life with my DH and DS like any other 'normal' worker. DH and my friends work in the 'manufacturing' industry. Their pay and conditions are better and they don't bring work home.

Hi sarinka!!

I'm in NZ leckers we only get 4 weeks. Oh for my London days, 30 days' leave!!

oops lechers

Gennz Teacher pay starts at £21k and goes to £31.

Can one of you with a nice life work balance mark my mental maths tests and finish planning myfoundation so I can go to bed please?

I agree with earlier posts. Without children it is do-able. Although you won't have time or energy for much else outside of teaching. One thing you have to bear in mind is that you are a 'sage on a stage' the whole day. You cannot have a bad day and hide behind a PC - you are constantly on show. As a former Head of Department in a very big secondary school (12 form entry) I could have face to face conversations (however brief) with over 200 people every day. That is mentally and physically exhausting. I couldn't make it work (and still be an outstanding teacher and a dynamic HOD) with small children. The marking load is also huge for subjects like mine - History. I would say as a young, free and single person - go for it but be prepared to have a career re-think when children come on the scene.

Sorry, phlebasconsidered I'm seriously avoiding marking the rest of my KS1 writing SATs, then I can go to bed. I've marked the easily readable ones, so you can imagine the "decoding" of the ones left! I think bed may be a long time off.

I've only got 11 weeks left! I can't wait, and neither can my family. I am going to supply, as well as exam mark, bit of tutoring. Weekends, I can almost see you.....

11 weeks of mad SM scrutiny and fight club to get through first though.

I always put off my most unreadable Gruffalo, then blearily try to read the work using magic eye techniques. I have one child who actually writes in mirror writing, like Satan.

Gennz I think people often think of a teacher's 'work' as being the actual teaching, and wonder why they complain they have to be doing that work all day. It is as though you, as a lawyer, were in client meetings/court all day. AN important part of your work, I assume, is reading up, preparing, writing stuff for clients/court and you have time in your working day for this (even if it sometimes/often spills over). Well, teachers' work includes marking and prep which we have very little time for in the 'working day' - and none many days. This means if any planning etc. needs to be done for the next day it has to be done at home. This will be the case every Tuesday (or whatever) for the whole school year. For example I have no non-contact time from Friday week 2 until Friday week 1 (two week timetable) so any planning or marking that needs doing for any lessons in those 5 teaching days must be done out of work hours. DO you see the problem now?
For what it's worth, I think I've read that teachers do the same hours as everyone else over the whole year, but much more during term times. And as others have pointed out, holidays are not paid so working in them is a bit annoying.

I agree with the being constantly 'on show'. I used to work in an office. If you were finding it all getting a bit much, or you were bored then you could go and get a cup of tea or a glass of water. Even in retail you can go for a wee.
There is no picking your knickers out of your bum time in teaching. You are constantly 'on', including lunch breaks.

I'll decide what's a good work life balance for me thanks kim!

So according to you if you work in the evenings or weekends that means you have no work-life balance? Right. You are being very precious.

Gennz
I outlined my working hours pages back. I wasn't moaning about them, just trying to give my experience of the job of a secondary English teacher.

I love my job! I even (don't tell Gove) enjoy being in a high-pressured environment. I worked in a 9-5 job before PGCE and I got very bored (though was much better rested).

I have a balance of sorts, but it means less sleep than I'd like. I wouldn't swap my job for any other. I still spend QT with DH and DS. I run a girl guide unit. I see my friends and occasionally have a night out. It suits me fine.

I wouldn't dream of telling a lawyer that they had it easy or that they were moaning when outlining the pressures of their job!

. The one saving grace is I'm pretty pleased with that I've marked so far. Mostly 2A/3. [yeah]. I'll try the magic eye technique - those pictures usually give me a headache, but does a glass or two of wine make it better?