Am I crazy to consider returning to teaching?

[TalcumMucker]

I qualified as a primary teacher in 2001 and taught in two schools before leaving in 2007 for pretty much the same reasons that people are still leaving the profession now. I adored working with children and the actual day of teaching, it was everything else that wore me down and eventually drove me out.

Since then I have worked in a role very much related to teaching, and have kept in the loop with changes to the education system. I am under no illusions with regards to the current state of the profession

Now I have DC who are 2.3 and 3 months and I'm considering my future plans for work. I will be initially returning to the job I left before going on maternity leave, but thinking ahead to when DD starts school in 2017 I would love to be working in a job that means I can be with her during the school holidays (my current job doesn't), and as I'm qualified to work in a school I feel like I should at least give teaching a try again. Any other role in a school wouldn't pay enough for us to keep our current house.

I'd like to think that I would approach the job differently if I were to return. When I was a teacher previously, I was single and lived on my own. My evenings had nothing else to occupy them so school work took over. Now with a house, partner and two children my priorities are completely different.

So am I thinking about this with rose-tinted glasses and actually it's a really bad idea to try and fit teaching in with two children? And would a school even want me after such a long break from the classroom? I'm a maths and ICT specialist if that makes any difference?

Yes! Seriously, take a look at some of the posts on here. I'm biased in that I'm desperate to get out though.

My evenings had nothing else to occupy them so school work took over. Now with a house, partner and two children my priorities are completely different

Agreed, but sadly the workload has probably quadrupled in the last 4 years, so you have to work in the evenings and weekends or you will very soon be put on some kind of support plan. SMT won't accept that you have different priorities if you're not putting in the hours. I doubt you will recognise the job you left in 2007.

I actually found a lesson plan recently from a lesson I taught in 2006-it got an Oustanding from the head. If I taught that lesson now, I would be given RI and be subject to weekly observations-things have changed that much.

The main changes, I think, are-

Learning objectives and success criteria having to be devised and known by the children at all times. Children often have to write these in their books before they even start a piece of work

Targets-individual for the children in core subjects and again, known and regurgitated by the child at all times to anyone of importance.

Deep marking. No-one anywhere (SMT? Ofsted? God?) has said exactly how often books have to be deep marked, but if you were to ask, it will inevitably be more that you are currently doing! This takes at least 5 minutes per child per book (I'm in primary) and obviously some days there are 3 x 30 books.

Target setting-for each subject every half term. Has to be inputted onto a very complicated computer system that takes days to do.

PMR-incredibly time consuming, used against you and will stop your pay progression!

Abolition of levels: should mean things are easier, but in reality means that schools are inventing their own systems and nobody has a clue what they are doing.

The expection of all children to make observable progress within a 20 minute slot of 'an important person in a suit' walking into your classroom. Regardless of whether you are consolidating a previously taught skill or if a child's dad was put in prison the night before...

Climate walks, drop ins, book scrutinites, mock Ofsteds, lack of trust, being told what to put on your display boards, Talk Partners, AFL, 3 sublevels of progress, impact of intervention groups, unqualified teachers, moderation, phonic groups, forced academies-argghhhh!

I'm only surviving by being part time and plotting my escape route.

Actually-if you go back to teaching, can I have your job? ;)

Sorry for the diatribe. 2017 is a long way off-the profession might have imploded and started again by then-things could be fine!

No apology necessary roll, I appreciate your honest reply!

I have read the posts here about people desperate to leave teaching, which is why I posted I guess. I do have a great job now, it's part time and I would be looking for a part time teaching position if that's what I decide to do. It's just the lure of the holidays, is that enough to draw me back?

It will be interesting to see what happens after the election if Labour come to power again, what changes to the system might happen for better or for worse? 2017 is a long way off, I'm a planner and need to start thinking about my options now!

Actually it's more than the lure of the holidays, I do miss having a class and developing a bond with them, seeing them develop over the year.

The holidays are a big plus though!

Yep. Juggling teaching and kids drove me out. I felt like an awful teacher and an awful parent, at the same time, every day, and every night until after midnight, then every day when I would forget what I was trying to say in class because I'd been up till 2am writing reports, then every evening when I would snap at the kids because I was so tired, then every day again. It was untenable for me.

I'd stick with what you're doing - at least you had time to do the extra work before, even if you didn't want to. This time round, there will be extra pressure to do loads of work every evening, but you doubly won't want to do it, because you'll want to be with your own kids (or too tired from sorting them out after a hard day at work). If you stay part-time, then you only have half the school holidays to cover, and you'll obviously take all your own leave in the holidays as well, cutting down the time you won't see them. Is there any chance of working flexibly in your current job eg. Doing more hours in term time and less in the holidays? For the days you do need childcare, they can go to relatives, or childminder or out of school club. I know it'll be hard, knowing they're not in school and you have to go to work, but these days, you'll probably have to put them in childcare for some of the holidays anyway, even as a teacher. Going back to teaching may seem like the easier option! but it won't be. I'd perhaps at least try sticking with what you're doing for a year or two after they start school, and see how it pans out.

Morale is very low in schools.
I am a supply teacher and there are some schools I go to a lot because of staff long-term sickness. Today I was covering a class ( secondary) who have not had a French teacher since Oct 1/2 term - they are sick of worksheets, learning nothing.
I said to them, on a whim, - how about we learn Spanish today?
They were delighted, I dug out a powerpoint, we had a lot of fun and games, and they actually learned stuff.
At the end a group came up to me and said it was the first proper lesson they have had 'for ages'.
I only had the luxury of doing this because I am 'supply'.
No-one actually cared what that class did today except me and it won't count in any stats anywhere, but at least the DC did not waste a(nother) hour..
I will not become a caged bird again, love the freedom too much now.

I'm glad you weren't pissed off with my reply!

I know what you mean about planning-I am the same. I'm plotting my 'escape from teaching' route on a spreadsheet ;)

Good luck

Could you look for a job share?

Yes Fred a job share would be what I'd look for if I did choose to try teaching again.

Roll I LOVE a good spreadsheet!

In a word, yes! Listen carefully to how unhappy we all are, overworked, ill and feel completely shafted by the Government. Just don't do it!!!!!

Run as fast as you can away from.schools.....

Schools are great
Kids are great
Targets are shit
Pressure is shit

Yes.

Would your work give you leave to do a return to teaching course? I'm secondary but I cope. Our head is very concerned about work load and is very supportive. We don't get beaten over the head with demands for deep marking etc. I work 3 days a week - I arrive at about 8 and leave at 4.40. I rarely mark in the evening but do do some on my days off and weekends. I don't plan at home, I plan in school. I have the benefit of having worked their for 9 years and know the curriculum well. My priorities have completely changed since having kids and I see it much more as my 'job' now than a way of life. For me 3 days is right for me to be able to remain integrated into the department and also have a balance of home life.