To think job-sharing for teachers of kids 8 and under is selfish?

[blowingBubblesinABreeze]

My kid is in Year 2. There are 30 kids in her class. She has teachers who job-share (monday-wed morning, Wednesday afternoon to Friday).
We had a parents meeting and it was very clear to me that the teacher barely knew my child, and was just making up things to say. Other parents said the same.

Do I blame her? Yes and no. No because it is impossible to know 30 kids in a class if you are spending half the time with the kids in the class that a normal teacher does. A full-time teacher with 30 kids in the class already struggles to know all the kids in her class well. (understandably).

Yes because she has chosen to do the job share. (In the case of the teachers in my class, I know that they are both well-off). I know that this is not the case for most teachers. But again I would argue that many teachers that would choose to job share are not on the bread-line.

A teacher should know the kids in their class. That is part of their job. The kids are LITTLE, LITTLE people. They are in school for most of their waking hours. Alot of them really struggle to go into school at a young age. So to be left in the hands of a person who barely knows them is simply not fair on them.

We are prioritising the desires of teachers over the NEEDS of children. Which is where society seems to be headed as a whole. The desires of adults is our focus, neglecting the basic needs of our little people.

Perhaps wonder why there is such a teacher recruitment crisis.... There would be even more of a shortage if you stopped teachers working part time, they'd walk away from the job altogether.
And for the utterly uninformed saying what an easy job it is then come and join us, there are plenty of jobs going.

I've seen brilliant job share arrangements... Both teachers playing to their strengths, fresher and more energetic etc.

You are being entitled and silly OP

My son had different teachers for English, maths, science and sport in Yr2. They probably didn't all know him that well but he was happy and found it more interesting to have a variety of teachers. I think he got a better education because of it and his main teacher knew him well enough even though she probably only saw him part of the time.

Do you also think teachers are selfish for going on maternity leave and moving jobs?

I taught secondary science. I taught 18 different classes of between 15 and 32 pupils. It wasn't easy, but I was expected to know them all by name well before Christmas. If I'd only had one single class and seen them for two and a half days every week, you bet I'd have known them all. So, YANBU to find this aspect of your experience at parents' evening disappointing.

But the idea that job sharing should be outlawed and primary school teachers should have to be full time is silly, for precisely the reason that 2.5 days a week is plenty of time to know the pupils adequately. There's enough of a shortage of people willing and qualified to teach without driving everyone with a family out of the profession. Overall then, YABU.

Oh you're forgetting policing the parking outside school, refereeing parental scraps, listening to marital woes, being expected to reply to moaning emails at whatever time of day they're sent, often at gin'o'clock on Friday night, the list is almost never ending.

I have worked in childcare settings where I had 122 children passing through my remit and I knew enough about them to make comments in general passing to parent evening
That teacher just sounds rubbish

You are all that is wrong for teachers right now, OP. And why we continue to leave in droves, why recruitment isn’t what it could be and whilst our schools are full of young teachers without the support and guidance of experienced colleagues.

and teachers are entitled to the same rights as any other worker.

My kids had a job share for year 3, one did mornings and one did afternoons. The morning teacher did literacy and maths. The afternoon teacher did Forest School, art, science experiments, PE and drama. It worked well.

Neither of mine have ever had two part time teachers on full days though as you describe, although aware it is common.

You get two teachers for the price of one, (more or less). Two teachers who can share their talents with the children e.g. one might be musical, the other artistic. Two teachers who are not worn out by the end of the week. Two teachers who will share planning and assessments of the children’s progress, Two teachers who can cover if the other is ill, avoiding employing a supply teacher. So many benefits I don’t know why you are complaining.

This. It really is bizarre. I’ve taught for over 20 years and experienced this a lot. How dare I have had my own family and needs as a human being. How could I not prioritise little Annabelle and Florence in Y3 over my own children at home. I don’t teach anymore. I’m done with a broken system and entitled parents. And since leaving, I’ve never been happier.

Unfortunately for this poor child, their parents didn’t do the research when looking at the school and ask the questions about teachers job sharing!
goodness me, I would really think about reporting such a parent.

joking aside- I hope this is a joke. You sound like a knob!

A theme running through many MN posts about school is what seems to be a belief by the poster that state schools are there to provide a personal service to them. Although I trained as a teacher years ago, I didn't make my career in mainstream teaching because I was poor at classroom management and didn't want to be swallowed up by a huge state system. The endless demands from government, unreasonable parents, and pupils behaviour make me certain I had a lucky escape.

Just hoping you are being sarcastic here???

You are being utterly ridiculous.

Some teachers can't work full time hours. Because full time hours for teaching typically start at 50 hours per week and can be far more than that.

I would rather my child has two teachers than no teacher at all. It's often the case that those are the two options.

It doesn't sound good that they didn't know your child well.
I completely understand that teachers are people with their own lives and giving them good balance will make them better at their job, but I do think that the very youngest children do better with one teacher (if they are good) one of my children had a job share situation when she was only 5, and it was really hard because one teacher was amazing and the other...wasn't and it was a lot harder on the days when it was the other teacher. Now she's 10 and copes absolutely fine with job share so I think the school should put the teachers who only do 2 or 3 days with older children just for stability but I'm sure the school has a different and more accurate perspective than mine.

It depends on the teachers! If they are good enough then a job share is fine. They will also have a better work life balance so will be less stressed. They still should know the children so I think you’ve just had a bad experience.

Selfish? 🤣
It's a job, not fucking servitude! You don't have to send your child if it doesn't work how you want.

Admittedly I'm not a teacher but I do work in education and have a class of early years. I have worked full time and part time and knew the children and families like the back of my hand. This is a specific teacher issue and yes unfortunately you do get some who are not so great just the same as you get amazing teachers. If it's a serious concern ask to swap your child's class, I have done this before with an issue. Now onto the uncomfortable truth - many people working in education have their own young children and our own children are the number one priority in our lives, above those we work with so yes, we arrange our jobs around our family not yours.

Is this a joke?
Sincerely,
A part time teacher

Seriously, you are being very unfair here. Teachers are human beings too, so what are you proposing? That they train all those years as a teacher, get student loans and then when they are ready to have kids or maybe they have health issues or other responsibilities (i.e. elder care of grandchildren care issues) they have to leave? Are you for real??? Do you know that there is already a shortage of Teachers in the sciences etc!

Yes it will take two teachers longer to get to know the children than one, but once they do, there are lots of advantages for both the teacher and the child.

Lots of parents work part time why can't Teachers - are they not allowed a better work life balance. Teachers can reduce workload and stress while still staying in the profession and it supports those with caring responsibilities, health needs, or other commitments. It may also mean that their improved often translates into more energy and creativity in the classroom.

The kids get two skillsets for the price of one. the kids benefit from the strengths, expertise, and teaching styles of two professionals. One teacher might excel in behaviour management, another in curriculum design — together they create a richer learning environment.

If one teacher is absent, the other can often cover, reducing disruption for students. Planning and problem‑solving are shared, which can lead to more consistent teaching.

Job‑share partners naturally engage in regular communication and joint planning. This can lead to stronger lessons, better assessment decisions, and more thoughtful approaches to pupil needs.

Job share can keep experienced teachers in the profession who might otherwise leave. Schools become more attractive workplaces when they offer flexible arrangements.

Teachers can learn from each other’s methods, feedback, and perspectives. It can be a stepping stone for those returning from leave or transitioning roles.

One embedded, two teachers can bring different rapport styles, which helps reach a wider range of pupils. Students see positive teamwork modelled in real time.

And before you ask, I am not a teacher!

As a teacher, I can promise you that there has never been a bigger imbalance between the needs and wishes of kids/parents and the needs and wishes of teachers. Just not the way round you think.

Ha ha ha ha

Is this for real?
You are being completely unreasonable and very entitled. Quite frankly, you’re lucky they haven’t got an endless stream of supply teachers or an unqualified teacher. Whatever would you do then?

it’s almost like you’re suggesting that employment law and employment rights shouldn’t count for certain members of society.

The only potential downside (and even then it wasn’t much) is when DS was in reception, he had job share teachers and the one who did Mon/Tue had a completely different opinion of him than the one who did Wed-Fri. We reasoned that because he was barely 5yo he was just a bit tired by the end of the week and the teacher who saw him then only got the worst of him.

You're hilarious.

Why should anyone be forced to work full time, and what would you know about their personal circumstances?!?!?

joker 🤣🤣🤣