Starting to panic

[Verycold]

I am going back to teaching next week after aeons at home. It's all starting to creep up on me and I'm panicking slightly how I will cope with the workload, that my children will get completely ignored... Keep thinking "what have I done?", while at the same time pleased and proud to have been given this opportunity... Please could somebody calm me down?

I'm planning on getting home, doing dinner, bath bed with them and then doing marking and planning in the evenings. I'd really like to keep my weekends as free as possible. On the 2.5 days I'm not working I'll have my youngest with me so hardly any chance of getting anything done then, so will have to be evenings instead. I haven't worked since I had the DC so this will be a really big change for all of us I think.

I went back full time 3 years ago, after 4 years part time. I now have quite a tight home/school timetable so that I get DS to everything on time and with the right stuff.

I don't work at all between about 6pm and 8pm so DS and DH get some attention, I get to work a bit later than others as I do the school drop off at 8am but I often reply to emails/ prepare stuff while juggling breakfast. I think that just makes me feel better if other people know that I am working in the morning!!

I am taking on a new role in September, less teaching but more whole school responsibility, I am starting to worry a bit about it.

I'm sure you'll be fine Charlotte - it sounds as if you're really prepared already. 2.5 days is OK - make sure your work doesn't eat too much into your days off.

Very, mark like a mad woman in any non-contact time you have. If you are reasonably experienced, the planning will come back to you very quickly, so the time on that will go down quite rapidly.
I'm secondary and we have a two week timetable. If I have a group twice on the same day, I mark half of the books in class the first lesson, and then the other half in the second lesson - a great way to get the marking done, and ensure I give verbal feedback too.
I eat school dinners, but collect them and eat them in my room while marking/planning. I go into work quite early and stay an hour every day after school. I rarely have to take any work home.
(I also write all of my planners up - dates, classes, meetings, etc in my released time at the end of the summer term and plan my initial lessons so on my return, I can deal with the practical side of collecting exercise books etc.... It's a real pleasure to know I've done as much as I can before I turn up for the PD day at the start of the autumn term.)
You'll be fine! Just pace yourself as you'll be knackered the first few weeks!

The first few weeks are always a killer but you will be fine. Like others have said you need to be as efficient as possible in the time you have but also accept that your not super woman and sometimes things just have to wait.

Im primary (and a single parent) and I work full time. You become very organised in a short space of time! I always leave school as early as possible and I very rarely stay late if there are no meetings etc. I do all my work either in my PPA or in school (i.e. lunch/before work) and then finish up when my DD is in bed.

It is manageable because of the holidays!!

I have my planner organised with the first terms meeting already in it along with other events I have to attend, my HOY welcome assembly sorted and two weeks worth of lessons with worksheets will be finished by Wednesday. I plan to do no work on thurs - sun but will flick through it all again on Monday. It will be fine just remember the kids will be more nervous than you

How is everyone? My panic has suddenly increased to DefCon 5. My new job is at an Independent School, so our INSET days are on Thursday and Friday, and the kids aren't back until Monday. However the school is open from tomorrow so I can go and explore my lab and see what resources and things are available.

This is suddenly very real!

Watching this with interest. Had 6 years out, returning as a HLTA in primary, with a view to swapping from secondary to primary. I will be watching to see how you do, ladies! Best of luck!