Part time teacher, full time stress

[Aladyinsane]

Please help me!

I work 3 days a week in a job share. I work incredibly hard those 3 days, get in early, mark through break and lunch etc. I also coordinate a core subject single handedly. I am finding the teaching fine and the job share is working well, but I am really struggling to keep anxiety at bay. I basically feel like a full time teacher, with full responsibility and expectations but doing so on less time means i barely have time to think because there are just so many tasks I have to get through in the day.

Perhaps it is naive of me to think that a job share would mean a stress share too?

Being a full-time teacher would be even worse - you'd have two more full days to plan and deliver, and no days off at all during the week to catch your breath. Your weekends would be totally taken up with planning for the following five days, as well as keeping the home fires ticking over.

I agree with clam! You've just described my working days, but I have 5 of them to endure every week instead of 3!

At 3 days myself I share your pain, half my time is spent picking up the pieces after 2 days of chaos. I believe job shares can be great, but the hell when they are not is more stressful than FT ime.

I feel the same. Expectations for pt are the same as ft with less ppa and before and after school time to get stuff done.

What do you mean expectations are the same? You have two full days off a week that you are not planning for or getting marking from.

Part-time is not proportionally less work. I wish I could explain it, I totally understand what you are going through. I think it's because teaching is lots of jobs rolled into one. And not being there two mornings or evening a week does make a difference.

Thank you for the empathy Guilliana, cherry and Trendy. It's nice to know I'm not alone!

I know what you mean clam, fudge and giraffe but I do feel like I work harder now than when I was full time (only last term). Yes I have two days less at the chalk face and therefore two days less marking but same expectations in regards to curriculum management, performance management, and commitments such as parents evenings, duties, assemblies. I do the same now as I did then, only now it is proportionally more of my working time.

Anyway, thank you for responding all.

You shouldn't have, your school is taking the piss in that case. Whatever a full time teacher does in terms of assemblies, duties, parents evenings should be split between you and your job share.

Aladyinsane, you have just described my role and feelings to a tee. It's tough isn't it?

I still feel like I do the same work and losing 2 before and after schools is huge. Is one of your nights a staff meeting? Mine is, and affects the time I have greatly.

A colleague once described teaching for 3days as 'full time work for part time pay'. But she said at least she had her weekends free .
I sympathise, sounds tough.

Yes I can totally relate to this and part time teachers do get quite a rough deal. It definately is 5 days work paid only for 3. In my experience people always forget you are part time as well and so really take advantage.

I am full time (or full time and a half as I say) and on stress leave. I am looking to reduce my teaching hours to 3 days. I have a colleague who does three days and she says much more manageable than 5 days. Maybe you are putting in TOO MUCH effort? Part timers still do a playground duty and an assembly if it falls on their day AND coordinate a subject but how much is done is all pro rate iyswim.

Yes melonribena, I do lose one evening to a staff meeting! I also can't now get in as early or stay as late due to picking up DC from CM so I feel like I have a lot less non contact time.

You have a fair point junkfoodaddict, my year group partner doesn't seem to stress anywhere near as much as me. She has a much more laid back attitude. I think I want to be viewed in the same way as a FT member of staff therefore I feel like I have to work twice as hard to prove myself. I don't want people to think that because I'm part time that I work half as hard. So yes, it is very likely that I could do less and worry less. (I'll work on it!!)

And yes JubJubBird I do get a weekend, and I do work less than when FT as I have more time at home to do the odd bits. I am overall grateful for being in a position to be PT for now.

I'm 0.6 in a primary school. I have recently changed from 3 whole days to 5 mornings a week.
With 3days, I obviously worked in The evenings and had 2 full days to work/catch up/keep in top and Rarely worked at the weekends.
With the 5 mornings, I'm in effect 'staying after school' after I finish at lunch time, going home and working til my child arrives home from school and mostly doing a bit when he goes to bed, and spending an afternoon working.
It's not working for me and it is becoming more like full time.
I'm handing my notice on on Friday with nothing to go to, I've had enough.

Oops, ' spending a Saturday afternoon working'.

Oh and I have 2 subjects to coordinate and have been told ' I need to do more to earn and maintain my ups3 level'.