Will any teachers own up to becoming teachers for the hours/holidays, rather than because they desperately wanted to teach?

[weddingdress]

When I finished my A-levels I was going to be a teacher, but I took a job in industry for the summer holidays (they didn't know I didn't plan to stay) and by Sept I was enjoying it, I'd been promoted and was earning good money, so I never went to Uni.

I am still with the same company 20 years later and have had a reasonably successful and rewarding career. They sponsored my p-t degree, so I could do a PGCE.

Since I had DS1 8 years ago, I've been working 2 days a week. 2 10/12 hour days plus commute and I enjoy it a lot, but there's no way I can do it full-time and unless I do, there will be no further progression for me. I just can't see a world where I am prepared to do those hours day in day out while I have a family at home and by the time they've gone, frankly I'll be almost retired.

I enjoy my job, but am a little frustrated when I see less capable full timers working above me and I can't see me doing the same job until I retire, so I've been considering having another look at my original career choice.

But, although I think I could be a decent teacher (have volunteered in school, with cubs and children's nature charity) I can't say I feel any desperate calling to do it. Before I get flamed, I really don't think it will be an easy option, My Mum and sister are teachers and I know the hours they put in, but they are at home in school hols and by around 5pm, even if they then work into the evening. On the days I work, I rarely see the DC's at all.

The OP isn't getting many encouraging messages because she's considering teaching for the wrong reasons. As she says, 'I can't say I feel any desperate calling to do it' and she admits her main motivation is to get a better work life balance. Many people have pointed out that teaching will not, unless she is very lucky / gets away with being very lazy, provide this.

I have seen the damaging effects on students of teachers who are in the job for the wrong reasons. Teachers have to want to teach to do it well. Would you want your dcs taught by someone who was in it purely for the long holidays?

If the OP had said 'I have a passion for French / art / science and want to teach' then the responses might have been different.

"My suggestion to the OP is to spend a couple of weeks in a variety of schools, and see what you think for yourself. Shadowing a teacher is probably as much data as you can get to help you make your decision. Don't just do one school and say yes or no - go to at least one contrasting one. "

I would say this is a very good idea. In my experience, the hours you are expected to work can vary according to where you teach. For example, in one highly academic state school I worked in, teachers regularly worked 60-70 hours, even 80 during the busy times. I calculated that I regularly did 50% of my work for no pay whatsoever! But then I changed schools and went to a lovely school, but much less academic, and so the work reduced dramatically. In terms of work life balance, that was certainly the best for me. I'm now back teaching in a more academic environment ('A' levels), so the work load has increased loads again too. But this is the environment I am happiest teaching in, so I don't mind the extra work. IME, there is often a balance between how challenging the kids are and the work you put in - often the better the behaviour in class, the more work I've had to do outside of class, but those schools where I taught where there were lower expectations on the teacher, behaviour never seemed as good - or maybe that is just my experience. But, it is important that you find the school which fits you. For me, that means more work but I'm happy to do that because I love the place where I work!

If you are really passionate that teaching is for you then don't let me put you off.

I think you have to decide what you like in life and what you are hoping to achieve. There are interesting skilled jobs which offer term time working which aren't teaching.

I do get to see my son's plays/ sports days and I also get term time working. My brain also gets stretched and I enjoy what I do. My job allows me flexi time, its perfect except for the pay.

If you want a better paid job than a TA then what about a speech and language theraphist. Some of those jobs are term time only. You can do a two year diploma to become a speech and language theraphist if you have a good degree already.

www.rcslt.org/aboutslts/courses

I think that it is a job you have to love. It isn't one that you go into because of the hours or holidays. Even simple things are difficult, my DS has regular visits to the orthodonist, they often have to be in school time, and DH has to take him-it isn't something you can do as a teacher.

If you just want the holidays and the hours become a TA. Many of our TAs are excellent, and make a huge difference to the children's education, yet there is no expectation that they will take home planning, marking, prep etc Most do not attend parents evenings or come in at weekends.

Otherwise get your teaching qualification and then join a supply agency.

Teaching with young children is terribly demanding and I spend much of the holidays trying to catch up on my short fallings during term time.

May have x post didn't read the entire thread sorry - too much marking to do

Teaching is such a personality led subject, you need passion and fire. If you don't have it, and just hold out for the 13 weeks holiday, you'll find the 39 other long weeks torturous.

You have to love teaching, it's not a job you can ever do half-heartedly. It takes everything out of you if you don't like it. Whatever people's reasons for going into teaching, they wouldn't stay if it wasn't what they loved doing. A teacher who doesn't like their job- well, it shows, and they usually leave quite quickly to do something else.

Scienceteacher you beat me by 2 hours today!

Kickass our situation is like you describe, dp works at home on reduced hours which are very flexible, it is as close to perfect as you can get. He picks up dd, takes her in, is able to volunteer in school, go to all the shows etc. I have the holidays with her.

I really hope we have out the OP off, you will have to work hard but you do have those holidays and although you put time in over the breaks it is hardly a 9-5 slog. Tbh most vocational style jobs require longer hours but the satisfaction you get makes that worth while. I could not think of a job I would enjoy as much and I have had other jobs.

This morning I went in knackered and grumpy (maybe I knew ST had beat me to her desk) but as soon as I went in I had a smile on my face. One of my tutees bought in some chocolates from their parents to say thankyou, I had an absolute hoot with my year 7s dressed up as a judge for our courtroom lesson. One of my naughty boys bought tears of sheer pride to my eyes as he has had such a good week so far. My comedy moment of the day was saying to my year 10s to hurry up with their cut and shit activity which resulted in shocked gasps and me collapsed at the front snorting and relief from them when they realised I found it funny.

To be honest if you do not want to work very long hours you can cut it back once you have the experience. Also as ST says if you do not want to get into middle or senior management again your hours will be less. I work many of my hours because my job is an utter joy and privilige and gives me the best legal non toxic high.

twinset- a French colleague in her first few days in her first job told her class to avoid the front table because it was "wanky". Cue gales of laughter and a little voice piping up: "Er, miss, I think you mean wonky?"

pmsl, my department tried to wind me up at the end of the day by saying there had been a parental complaint.

I struggle to teach about kumkum powder with a straight face.

yes, the holidays are great as a teacher. But the holidays are necessary - by the end of term most teachers I know are utterly exhausted and dead on their feet. It is such a demanding job - the teaching alone you always have to be on the ball - you dont get a break (in the classroom) and if you feel under par you dont ever get the opportunity to sit down and recuperate. Even in breaktimes most teachers work, as well as before and after school. As a fulltime teacher I would get in at 8, work straight through til 12.30, grab a 30 min lunch then carry on working after school til 4.30. And that is in primary. Dont even mention the extra planning and assessment at home, and keeping up with changes the government implements.

I have the best of both worlds, working as a part-time cover teacher - I dont have much prep as my subject is practical, and dont get as exhauseted as the others. And I get the benefit of the holidays without all the reports writing etc or as much planning and assessment as the full timers. I really dont know how people manage with young children to do both.

I think if you go into teaching for the hours / holidays, then you will leave the profession very quickly. It is demanding, mentaly and physically exhausting and you have to jump through endless hoops laid down by the government. I believe that there is some statistic regarding heart attack rates in retired teachers - apparently many dont last too long into retirement

ragged I do think that is unnescessarily harsh. I rarely work through my breaks, I am often out and about chatting to kids or maybe running a club but it is not hard work more of a pleasure. Obviously depending on the type of school you teach in you can take a step back in the classroom and give them something to do which means you are not the focus.

I think perhaps some teachers are in the wrong school, I have been in the past and the job felt like one long slog. Realising what your strengths and weaknesses are and choosing a school that matches them is half of the battle.

Sure by the end of a half term we often need the holiday, but noone needs 6 weeks!

God twinset- I can remember crying (and am emphatically not a crier) the day before I went back for my second year of teaching- I barely felt rested from the previous term after 5 weeks, let alone ready for the next term and a whole new set of classes and class dynamics. One of my very seasoned colleagues who'd been at the school for 23 years used to quip that he slept "like a baby the night before the autumn term started- woke up screaming every two hours", and he taught one of the most popular subjects ever (drama).

But that's just me. It is actually a wonderful job, just very, very demanding.

I have cried, I cried the other week as I was so tired I did not think I could go on. But that does not represent teaching as a whole, there are far more highs than lows.

I never sleep well the night before the autumn term part nerves and part excitement.

oh I agree teaching is very fulfilling, adn there are far more highs than lows. I love it and cant imagine doing anything else.

But even now I work through most of my breaks - even if its catching up on marking, or sorting out equipment / the computer. All to reduce my workload when I get home - I would rather work harder at school and have less to do at home.

All the extras might not be 'hard' work, but my point really was that its all go, go, go, which (especially when already tired, feeling a bit under the weather but not enough to be off sick) all makes the job demanding.
And loads of teachers tend to get ill in the holidays (why is that?!) and so the 2 week easter break is 1 week ill / working, 1 week off!

I used to get the ill in the holidays thing as well, although have just moved to anew school and had 3 bugs in my first term and been well since.

I cant do the working through breaks , althougb we now have a longer lunch hour and I used half of that to do admin which helps but I do end up doing a lot at home.

I suppose it can be go go go but I know my limits so if I am tired I will hide in the staffroom at lunch.

I always have my morning break, as do all my colleagues.

At lunchtime, I only ever have half the time as I have meetings, clubs and duties. But 35 minutes is ample time for lunch.

I think it is a false economy to skip breaks. It is an important time to have a breather and interact with colleagues. Stoicism can be taken too far.

I just become a bitch from hell if I dont have my break, not in anyones interest. i do have colleagues who work through their breaks and have less to do at home. I also like to have time to chat to colleagues , relax etc. Often by doing this you build up relationships that can become a support mechanism when you need help.

Chipping off 15 minutes of work at home is nothing compared with finding out what is really going on around the school when chatting with colleagues. It's a great time to find out about issues with individual pupils, so that you can act on them immediately.

It's also a time to offload, or listen to someone offloading.

And to go to the loo.

or eat cake, we have lots of bakers in our faculty so there is always cake.

In my last teaching job I rarely got a break time. My classroom was a good walk to staff room (in another building entirely) and I always had to sort out stuff for next lesson on the computers (taught ICT). By time you'd walked across to staffroom and made a drink it was too late to drink it. It made the mornings and afternoons last a very long time some days.

In my other teaching job I always took the break - used to go and have a drink and chat with friendly colleagues in the little careers office down the corridor. Was lovely and so beneficial to do.

Breaks??? In primary they are few and far between, 2 playground duties per week and then setting up for the next lesson, photocopying, writing a SMART to illustrate something.....

In KS1 there is a lot more classroom management, getting out equipment, books etc. I don't know a primary teacher who makes it to the staffroom before 12.30 and we train ourselves not to want a wee between 8.30 and 12.30

Yes, there are more highs and lows - that's why we love it but the day to day is exhausting!

That first situation would drive me mad. I love a chat and cup of tea. We have a lovely atmosphere in our office and often gather at the end of the day to share highs and lows over a brew.

I think OP is being a bit provocative and hate to jump in, but since you ask. If you think it's that easy, go ahead, train, get a job, do it. In secondary - 6 shows a day, 150 kids a day, plus marking, planning, contact with parents and other professionals mainly in your own time. And it's not sitting at a desk, planning your day on your terms. Stuff constantly happens. They are kids. Yes, I leave at 3.30 to get my kids, but I have to take everything home with me to do later, when I've finished cooking tea and helping my kids with their homework. Great, it fits in. I am knackered. Always. Of course I do it for love, or I wouldn't.