I spend more time with other people's kids than my own

[user71017]

That's just fundamentally wrong.

I took dd2 (3) to a party yesterday and was so upset because I didn't know a single other mum. Why? Because I've never been able to take my youngest to preschool.

Dd1 (7) had her first netball match on Friday. She was the only team member not to have mummy watching.

I know the parents of the kids in my class more than the parents of my friends kids. I see the kids in my class more than I see my own.

This is all with being part time but being screwed over with working 3.5 days over 5.

[DanicaJones]

I saw this in Active. I'm not a teacher but i think if Staffroom is going to be a place where teachers feel they can discuss stuff with each other and share concerns it should maybe be set to not appear in Active. Otherwise it attracts non teachers who whine on about school holidays and having it harder. I imagine this may just lead to teachers finding an alternative away from mumsnet where they can chat in peace.

[DanicaJones]

I remember someone posting about struggling with their children and getting little support from their husband who was always working. Because she mentioned he was a teacher, people started banging on about how they had it worse instead of supporting her. Ridiculous.

[Karak]

I don't think most people have been whining on or having a fight to the bottom. It's perfectly fair to say that she needs to consider whether her alternatives are any better. This isn't a teacher bashing thread but the reality is of someone working part time who can do three school pick ups a week who still feels they don't have enough time with the kids. That's not teaching's fault - there is no miracle job that allows you to regularly attend school events in the middle of the day, gives part time hours, that the OP is qualified for and that pays 30k+ a year pro rata.

OP maybe you could look at whether a job share would be an option in another school?

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

Totally understand what you're saying OP.

Of course other people spend more time with clients/customers/animals/whoever they work with than with their children too but it makes it more obvious what you are missing when you are surrounded by children. You can't help but be reminded.

That said, I find teaching part time pretty flexible and have done in every school I've been in. If your school is totally inflexible, maybe it's time to have a look for something else?

[noblegiraffe]

It's the same for me in secondary, OP. Because I teach a core subject, I have to be in every day, or pretty much every day even though I'm 0.6ish. It's so bloody annoying when you see other part time teachers going on about how they have Monday and Tuesday off or whatever, and you know that they're being paid the same but have a far less hectic week.
You could switch to state primary and probably be able to get blocks of time off, but do you want to leave the prep? Are you holding out for reduced fees or something?

[SweetSummerchild]

OP I truly get it. Based on your salary and 0.7 contract it sounds like you are on the same pay grade as I am. I also work 0.7 over 5 days.

My kids are now 11 and 7 and I've worked in the same school since before either were born. It's a dead-end job with no possibility of career progression and gets harder and harder every year.

I've done with the job and am leaving at Xmas. It probably means Aldi beans on toast for live and becoming a SAHM but I really can't live with this life any more.

The competitive martyrdom and 'everyone else in the world has it so much worse' is a bit of a strawman argument and doesn't address your valid points. You have my sympathy.

[Changerofname987654321]

OP calculating 0.7 of the avaerage teacher working week you are probably working 38.5 hours a week. So the equivalent of a full time job. If you are on M6 that is for 21k a year.

It is a shocking wage for a professional.

[user71017]

Sorry to hear others have similar. Being in every day really negates the whole part time thing. I'm suppose to finish at 12.30 on three days. Do I ever?! There's nothing part time about it.

[user71017]

I'm M6 on Surrey fringe allowance. Full time would about £34k, I get circa £24k but to be in every day anyway.

[Changerofname987654321]

I am in a similar situation. 24K to work the same as everyone else full time in a job the government says is the second most stressful in the UK.

No wonder we have a teaching crisis.

I am seriously considering quitting. I love my job just not the volume of work and I need to put my family and my health first.

[user71017]

Yep. I've decided. I'm handing in my notice. I got shingles in my last school, thought a school change would be the answer, ha I was wrong. The profession is nothing but ridiculous beurocracy. I'm writing my letter tonight.

[Changerofname987654321]

LEMtheoriginal a typical full time teacher work 60 hours a week for £30,000 a year. Most newly qualified teachers which their huge student loan to qualify and get the job are working per hour for well under NME.

Do you really want life to be a race to the bottom?

[TheFallenMadonna]

I spend more time with my children than my DH does, because of the holidays. I think you cannot overestimate the benefit of having school holidays with school age children.

[TheFallenMadonna]

60 hours was what senior leaders reported. 55 ish for classroom teachers and middle leaders.

[TheFallenMadonna]

But that's in term time.

[SweetSummerchild]

These threads seem to go round and round in circles debating who has the most difficult and low paid job in the country. As I said earlier, it's a straw man argument. Do other people have worse T&C of employment than teachers? Undoubtedly that is the case. Do other people have better? Yes, also true. The question here seems to be more about whether the job of a teacher is manageable and whether it's maneagable and reasonable on a part-time basis and with a family. I suppose the answer to that depends on who you speak to.

The statistics on teacher recruitment and retention sort of speak for themselves. When I first started teaching in my current department 13 years' ago all of the teachers apart from three had 20+ years teaching experience. This is in a department with a FTE of 9.

In the last 18 months (up until this Christmas), 10 teachers will have left the department. Other than the HOD and the deputy HOD, the combined years' teaching experience of all the other permanent members of department teaching staff combined will be 2. Yes, that's 2 in a department of 9. Everyone else is either an NQT, teaching outside their department, supply or Schools Direct. There will not be a single member of staff who has taugh one subject to GCSE or A level in the school/ever/in the last five years.

No one applies for the teaching vacancies. This is an Outstanding school with very good results. I have no idea what the local RI schools do about recruitment.

Personally, I don't give a shiny shite how non-teachers 'explain away' the teaching recruitment crisis. I'm leaving the job and if I never work again I couldn't care less. I have other circumstances to consider, but they don't form part of this discussion.

My biggest concern is that I have a child in Yr6 and one in Yr3 and they are going to spend a significant number of years in education in schools that I would argue are noticeably worse places than they were a decade ago.

[illuminousopptomist]

I get you OP. I always think about teachers with young children and you have my upmost respect and kind wishes.

[Uokbing]

Meh if teaching was so cushy they would be beating off applicants with a shitty stick and everyone would stay in the job for life. I mean, you get 13 weeks holiday a year for Gods sake!

Instead the government is having to come up increasingly creative ways to entice and keep people in the profession. It's a really shit job these days.

[LEMtheoriginal]

I earn half your wage OP but you know what it's not about the money. I agree with you -itsa croc of shit and yet again I walk in at 7.30. I think life is too short and I'm considering my options and think you are right to do the same

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

One of the hardest things for me was not being able to take my DD to pre-school on her first day. It broke my heart. If I had been in any other job, I would have taken holiday for it but, in teaching, my DD’s first day is my first day with a new class. Leave would never have been granted.

I accept that, whilst working, I will never be able to drop off and pick up from school but missing that first time nearly broke me.

[parrotonmyshoulder]

I secretly love not having to do pick up and drop off as I hate the school playground, but for the rest of it I’m with you.

My oldest (8) understands pretty well that we’re never at assembly, sports day etc. Our family live far away but try to time visits around various events so that Grandma or Nanny can go to the odd nativity, swimming gala etc.

My career progression is definitely buggered. I make the most of this by leaving at 5 at the latest everyday (we have a 60 minute commute including childminder). I do 6 hours at the weekend and a lot in the holiday (although yes, it’s still holiday).

The biggest difficulty for me as a parent is what the OP realises. Spending all that time, emotional effort and WORRY about other people’s children. I’m sure many other professions share this (social workers for example), but I’ve never spent nights awake worrying for the lives of my own children, yet I have for many others.

I find I’m pretty drained emotionally by the end of the day - my own children definitely get the worst of me. I have never shouted in school, very rarely even feel annoyed with a child. But I can be horrible at home.

[user71017]

I've emailed my resignation. Life's too short. My children are far more important to me than other people's and yet I invest more time in them. Why? For career progression? Nope, that ship sailed the second I requested part time? Oh but part time's a piece of piss? Nope, I still go in every day, and work evenings and weekends, and yes, I work in the holidays. I can't imagine that there's that many other professions (medics, social work discounted) that genuinely keep you awake at night. From now on, my children and family are coming first.

[parrotonmyshoulder]

Sounds like the right decision for you. I found part time much more awful than full time, for the reasons you describe. You can’t do any parts of your life properly!

Good luck. (Ignore vitriol)

[ElfrideSwancourt]

Well done OP sounds like the right decision for you and your family.
Two teachers at our school handed in their notice last week- both leaving teaching. It’s a really lovely school but we had Ofsted last year and very unexpectedly went into RI and the pressure since then has been massive.
All the best for the future OP

[RavingRoo]

Imagine how those of us without 13 weeks off a year feel? Most working parents raise their kids on 4-5 weeks holiday a year. It’s tough but teachers have it far, far easier.