Any TEACHERS with that back to school feeling??

[noonar]

I have been teaching primary for 10 years, 4 of which have been p/t , since the arrival of dd 1 and 2 (now aged 2 and 4). At this time of year I always dread going back and really resent the time I have to spend planning and sorting out the classroom. I think it could be time for a change. I love my job, but the 'out of hours' workload is disproportionately high compared to the 2 days I'm paid for. I've got to carry on working p/t, for sanity's sake, rather than financial reasons. I also think that if I left teaching I'd regret it, longterm.

Hhmm, what should I do?

Anyone else with similar experiences?

I bought myself a new pencil case today

I'm knackered!!!!!!!!!!! and it's only been two days with kids. How will I cope until the Sept weekend?

Back tomorrow . Have got a collection of the fluffiest, pinkest pens for the boys who inevitably forget them. Yes even at 16!

blackandwhitecat that sounds just like something I'd do. How nice of you to buy pens for the little darlings you teach. They will be soooo grateful!!!!!

I feel sick thinking about going back to work. Like many of you I love the teaching but hate all the admin etc. I always feel like this this time of year but know when I get back I'll be fine and loving it! I have to reapply for my job this term though as two schools are amalgamating. Scary prospect. Also my DH has been offered a post in Canada. Anyone out there moved from UK to Alberta? Would I have to retrain?

TitanRed my friend taught out that for three years. If you want any info let me know. Off the top of my head she didn't have to re-train. She loved in BYT. She said that the system was great and the CPD was marvelous. (Have I mentioned a sweary word sorry.

Do all you teachers use the TES website? There's a great bunch of teachers over their, obviously has it's probs/trolls just like this site, but if you want support, advice, a sympathetic ear to bend etc re teaching then the staffroom is great. The 'personal' forum is a good place to start, it's like general on here

Thanks MTA! I actually think it would be good for us to start again somewhere else. Will get in touch if I need more info.

I've never tried it schnapps but I may give it a look see.

I find this most interesting. Before I had children I had always assumed that teachers work 9-3.30 (DON'T AIM AND FIRE AT ME YET PLEASE) then I realised that they can't just arrive and teach and leave until the next morning. So my question is this...... how much do you reckon you spend preparing for just one subject? I know it's not that simple but roughly how much? I really am interested. Another thing I always thought was that if it's the same subject year after year do you re-use most of the preparation from the previous years or again is it not that simple. (please don't shoot)

Sometimes you can reuse stuff but more often than not there will be policy changes, so that you have to redo or adapt things. We spent the last year trying to get as much planning as possible onto the intranet, so hopefully nothing will change too much. That said, I get into work at 7am and leave at 5pm and still often have to bring marking home! Don't worry about asking questions!!

Firstly - noonar - are you me?!
Secondly I have been landed year 6 on a jobshare after five years in class R. Have spent entire summer with that back to school feeling when I'm not on the flipping qca website and hamilton trust trying to make head nor tail of it.

When I work out how much I earn an hour, I'd be better off with a bloody paper round.

bmn I get into work at 7:30 and leave about 4:30. I don't like taking work home becuase I want to spend time with my dds.

I start my first teaching job in September after PGCE last year. V nice school, 10 mins from home so am kind of excited but keep having loads of back-to-school dreams about me being 11 and starting comp all over again!

Since children I do less work at home than I should and would like to. Am at work by 8 am and start teaching at 9 am. I work through break and lunch-time so I bring less home. I have been to work 3 times over the 'holidays' and have done quite a few hours work at home. Even so I do much less than most of my colleagues (with no kids or grown-up kids) who do an hour or 2 most evenings and spend a large part of Sunday working. And we don't finish teaching till 4.30!

Since I work at 6th form level we have 4 different courses in the Eng department and I sometimes teach media too. So you have to prepare for a different set of assessment objectives for each course. Yes, we do re-use stuff but we're still building resources on texts and courses that were introduced 2-5 years ago and next year it's all change again. Also you have to change stuff to suit each class and then there's the marking (can take 30 mins or more for each essay), report-writing, letters home etc etc

This is my second September, without having that feeling. Not been in school teaching since Easter 2005 now. Still using my qualification, but in a new setting and with noa ctual teaching - more advisory role now. Enjoying it. Have to say that the 12 weeks holiday when I want them, and the fact that I cannot work from home are hude bonuses.

Good luck to all those returning.

bmn, how much you have to prepare alos depends on which classes you are teaching. I am a secondary school teacher. This year will the the third time i have taught a particular set of lessons to year 8 children. So you would think that I wouldn't have anything to prepare by now. Don't you believe it! You see, the first time I taught it it was to a 'top' set who needed masses of extension work. then I taught it to a 'bottom' set with lots of special needs, I had to prepare work sheets that could support those children who have problems reading and writing. I also had to address 6 different IEPs each lesson, with no additional support. This year I have a middle set, so different resources are needed. In the past I have had to translate written work into Arabic for a child, using a free online translation system

This can even happen in the sixth form. I once taught a class where one of the kids was a kinesthetic learner....he needed to physicaly 'do' things to allow him to learn. I ended up making models of the Krebs cycle....a series of chemical reactions that happens in the body to release energy, out of play dough!

I work through all breaks and lunchtimes, when I can I pitch up at 7.30 (when dh can take the kids to school about once a week). I always leave on time unless I have an after school detention with a child ...about once a week. I do some marking in the evenings, and work on sunday afternoon. I only work an 80% timetable, and tend to stay in school when I am 'free' to get planning /marking done.

WOW there is even more to teaching than I thought about! Different levels of pupils and even language differences are something I hadn't thought about.

charmkin, I actually teach yr 5, so it was always the little ones that scared me! now that dd1 is starting in reception, i've got a new sense of perspective with the little ones, iyswim. good luck with the year group change!

pointydog, does that mean that my dd, who was 4 in march, wouldnt start school til '07 in scotland??

ps did anyone see the 'secret life of the classroom ' last night? made me cry, as dd is that age. They're bonkers at that age aren't they?! but so sweet!

That's right, noonar. Up here, kids start school between 4.5 and 5.5.

I have that feeling!! Bloody hate it. Ive got year 6 when we go back how the hell i'll manage is beyond me. Dont get into school til 8.30 at the earliest to start at 8.50 and have to leave by 4.30 to miss the crappy motorway traffic. I have succumbed to the fact that i wil have no live and dd is gonna have a manic mother Really need to find a job closer to home. Just spent the day doing labels, planning etc and going into school tomorrow to get organised. Should be spending time with dd and not putting her in nursery during my hols aargh it drives me up the wall!!