To feel that this email is intrusive

[Thornyrose7]

I am due to start a new teaching contract at a new place of work in September. I am not new to teaching, I have been doing it on and off for 15 years with breaks and maternity gaps.
I have my new timetable and some details about the coming year which I am planning to look at the week before my contract starts and do some planning then. My summer is taken up with children's activities, weekends away etc etc.
I have just received an email from a teacher who is also due to start the same time as me. I believe that she is an NQT. We will be sharing responsibility for one course. This teacher wants me to send her my planning and scheme of work and wants to discuss next year.
AIBU to feel really intruded upon?
I believe that teachers holidays are sacred and if you want to work over summer that is a personal choice.I am also annoyed that she has got hold of my personal email, when we have never met.
I don't want our working relationship to get off to a bad start, but I am not sure how to respond!

[Iggi999]

So, does a bare bones sow look like a blank calendar then? Because unless it does, it will take work from someone.

[SandyPantz]

No, Sandy, the other person's planning isn't her responsibility. She is not dictating to the NQT when her work should be done, she just isn't helping her out

Yes she is if she is refusing to divide up the program/work until the last week of the holidays.

[SandyPantz]

A NQT cannot plan a terms worth of work in September. It is not possible. In fact it is not possible for most experienced teachers.

Teaching involves planning in your own time outside of your paid hours. That's the reality. It might not be RIGHT or fair, but that is how it is.

The NQT cannot wait until when the OP is suggesting to start her planning. It just won't work and will make the whole term a nightmare for both of them.

It's a false economy on the OPs part, leaving it all until the end will cause unnecessary stress that'll overshadow the whole term. The OP is making extra work for herself here by sticking to her principles at this point. Cutting her nose off despite her face. She will have to work with this NQT who will be unprepared and flustered, even though the NQT is trying to be prepared and organised now.

It would be so easy to just give the NQT a few pointers to get cracking, easier than posting on here!

[Chinnychinnychin]

In the time you've spent here OP justifying yourself you could have just replied to the poor woman! Give her a break and stop being precious.

[GrumpyMcGrumpFace]

it's interesting how different life is in school teaching from university teaching. For FE, the expectation is that planning will happen in the "vacation", plus of course this is prime research time. The "vacation" does not equal "holiday". The contract reflects this - there is 4 weeks paid holiday, like many other jobs. Although you don't get bank holidays if they fall in term. Very different T+Cs.

[gonzo155]

All the OP needs to do is tell the NQT which topics each is doing e.g.

• Electricity
• Cells

That takes a few minutes and the OP should be aware of the topics and which she wants to teach. I'd suspect the NQT is likely to contact mentor/HOD if she doesn't get such basic information. No one is suggesting that the OP provides a detailed SoW or lesson plans.

I'm in the 'as little work as possible during the summer camp', will probably do a few days at the end BUT I have let our new starters in the department know they can get in touch if needs be despite not being HOD because it's the NICE thing to do.

[teatowel]

So because her contract hasn't started yet she shouldn't do any planning for her new classes until she walks through the door at the beginning of Sept? That's not actually how it works !

[Iggi999]

How is the OP going to know whether she's doing cells or whatever either? She hasn't started the job yet!

[teatowel]

Must have been doing it wrong then for the last 30 years.
How do you stand in front of a class with no preparation at all I wonder?

[monkeymamma]

Perhaps she has been reading mn and is (understandably) under the impression teachers spend the long holidays working?
Sorry teachers but you can't have it both ways - either you all work through all holidays, or your holidays are actually sacred. Which is it?!

[Iggi999]

Yes I forgot teachers are an amorphous blob, not individuals with a job in common.

[Xmasbaby11]

I don't think she's done anything wrong. Presumably someone gave her your email address and she is preparing and assumed you would be. Maybe not meet up but exchanging a few emails would be kind. All my teacher friends do some work in the summer, even those who've been teaching 20 years.

[teatowel]

No the op didn't say that at all Pearlman ,but you implied it by saying that until schools provide adequate planning time staff don't have to use their holidays to work. If you take that to it's logical conclusion we would all go in totally unprepared . I don't know any teacher at all who would do that. Anyway the op has said she will contact the NQT so all is good

[StealthPolarBear]

Holidays are precious in all jobs

[gonzo155]

Iggi999 - If she doesn't know that then someone has dropped the ball. Most teachers moving to a new school will either go in for a day or at least have e-mail contact and will get things like a topic list and which specs are taught in July. Some schools will also provide student lists and timetables then and any shared SoW.

Even though technically you don't start work till Sept. 1st you will have had contact with the new school and will be expected to at least know this stuff even if you will not plan till September (although most teachers I know do plan a bit before September even if new in post).

[Thornyrose7]

Pearlman thank you. As you are a HOD your comments mean a lot.

As I said before, I haven't started this contract yet.
Although I have some experience, I have not taught this particular course, so I am not sitting on schemes of work and plans while lording it over an NQT. They are not yet done! They will be, but in my time.
I will email her, I want to be friendly, but she will have to wait for any detailed planning and collaboration as this is precious time with my child.

[RevealTheHiddenBeach]

I'm working with an nqt next year (primary). She text me today asking me to send her my planning so she knew where to start. A quick phone call saying I'm focusing on my classroom (in between actual holidays) and that we would plan together after inset has made her feel a lot better and didn't take much effort from me!