HILTA or Supply teacher?

[mumnosbest]

I'm hoping to become one more of the many leaving teaching in the not too distant future but can't decide what to do next. Has anyone left teaching to become a HILTA? I've been talking to mine and she seems to be doing all the parts of my job that I still enjoy but works normal hours, leaves by 4 and has a weekend.

I know the pay would be a big drop so I'm also considering P/T HILTA and 1-2 days supply teaching.

Any opinions or experiences much appreciated please.

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I left to become an HLTA and it was the right decision for me - mainly because of no work at all outside my hours and no monitoring stress. Well, obviously, I am monitored to an extent, but not to the same micro-managed degree!

I am mostly small groups intervention so I am still planning and marking (but am given time to do that within my hours) but I have a fairly free rein on what I plan. However, if I get stuck, I feel I can ask for help as I am 'only' support staff - consequently, without the pressure, I find I very rarely do get stuck and have re-found my creative spark! Also, small groups means I get far fewer discipline problems and much more of the forging great relationships with the kids - I have gone back to driving home and thinking about all the things they say which make me laugh rather than all the times I had to tell them off.

Having said all that, I do think I have also found a school which has some really wonderful members of staff and my HOD is particularly brilliant. It's the kind of place that demands its pound of flesh and then some (although, where isn't, these days?) and I am probably doing more than my job role demands so they are getting their money's worth out of me - but I don't mind because I am happy.

The downside is the pay; I won't be able to do this forever but, while my children are still at home and demanding my time and attention (I am a single parent) it's essential.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Thanks, that's really helpful and pretty much what I hoped to hear. You say you can't do it forever. Why not? I worry about making the wrong choice as I can't imagine it would be easy to return to (if I wanted to). Do you miss anything?

I too wish I could stay in teaching of some sort, HLTA + supply sounds perfect.
I took redundancy last July and this year I have done 2 days a week in primary schools teaching my specialism and day to day supply on the other days. It's been absolutely brilliant and I've loved it so I'm gutted I can't do it forever. I've frozen my teachers pension and I don't/can't earn in the holidays so I'm looking for my next move. Probably out of teaching altogether.
It's a shame. I will miss the children but nothing else.

I won't be able to do it forever because the pay is so poor. At the moment I am managing because I am a single parent so I get some maintenance from my ex/ child benefit etc but eventually I will have to get a more full time job (as HLTA I do not get paid for the holidays, for example) in order to pay the mortgage!

Do I miss anything? No, is the honest answer to that question. I think my current role is the best of both worlds.