Teaching-not compatible with own kids?

[Ella1980]

I'm needing to get back into teaching ft from a financial pov. Problem is, don't know how I can work teaching hours e.g. realistically at least 8-5 when I have a child in primary and one in secondary. No before/after school club provision for youngest and eldest attends a school 10 miles from home with no direct bus routes. Moving them schools isn't an option.

A childminder for the before & after school bits - same as other parents with full-time jobs.

The killer is all the rest of it. Evening planning & marking, parents' evenings, meetings, inset days, residentials...

The question you’ve posed is the same one all working parents face I’m afraid. It’s tough but it’s not just an issue for teachers.

I couldn't afford a childminder. Struggling to pay the rent as it is!

And also doesn't solve the issue for my eldest as it's a geographical issue. If he used public transport that would mean at least four buses every day 😯

I don’t think this is an issue with teaching. This sounds like you have a specific issue which would be a problem working anywhere.

Is there any way you could get support from friends for the older one at least?

Pretty much everyone who works needs childcare for primary age kids. You need to pay for a childminder.

For your secondary age child you’ll need to take him to/from either his school or another place he can get to his school from at your start/finish times. I assume you chose your home and schools based on the idea you’d stay at home throughout? That’s a very long time. Personally I’d actually be looking to move house. School journeys were one of the most important things we considered when house hunting.

I sympathise as I think teaching is a shit job, but your problem isn’t teaching-it sounds like where’s you live/the schools your children are at.

I could use before/after school clubs or childminders here for my kids or the older ones could be home alone until I get in. Do you live in a remote area? Childcare is going to be a problem no matter what job you do.

The main problem I find with working as a teacher, is if your kids are ill. We are not allowed time off for this unless it’s a serious situation which is approved by the governors-eg emergency appendicitis!

Virus, chickenpox vomiting etc-would be seriously disapproved of and if granted (and you wouldn’t be popular afterwards) would be unpaid. Things like snow days, Inset days, your own kids’ assemblies/parents appointments, hospitals appointments, sports day etc are a nightmare.

Luckily my DH can work from home and my parents live locally and are retired and never mind helping out; I couldn’t have done it without them.

Is moving to an area where there’s breakfast club an option-I can’t see how you’re going to work at all, in any job- if you have no childcare? If you can’t afford a childminder (and to be honest-I don’t think breakfast club/after school club is particularly cheap either) what is your plan?

Get a job near your son’s secondary school? Then you can take him en-route.

Childminder for your younger child?

I took four buses a day to school for part of my secondar y schooling. Lots of my friends did too.

kids attend to make things do-able my excuse of an ex shares 50:50 care and deliberately would refuse. So my boys attend schools 20 miles apart. Actually, ex took me to court as we disagreed re my eldest's son's secondary and won. I was working at the time but judge said it was reasonable to expect a summer born 11 yo to catch four buses daily. Son got in to said elective school as he sat aptitude tests in music and DT and the smart cookie (love him) was in the top 10% for both!

However, as the school I worked in then was specialist provision we were able to leave at 4pm. My son finishes at 3.35pm but is then able to go to a learning zone until 4.30pm so that's how we worked it.

It wouldn't be like this working in a mainstream though.

As for getting a job nearer his school, as an MPS6 with zillions of NQTs just qualifying, it's proving a nightmare for me to get any teaching job!!

I took 4 buses a day too and I was fine. I enjoyed it, travelling with other kids.

How many more years is the youngest at primary? Making the schools closer together would help make it an easier puzzle to solve, if possible.

Just to pick up what @holidayshoppings says about children being ill, we have 5 days in a calendar period paid for this (so it usually covers first day of child being ill so you can sort out arrangements). It does go unpaid after this although if it was major illness there is also compassionate leave as an option. Depends on the type of school and the type of leadership!

Thank you, it may be on our only option. I did discuss it briefly with son before but he said he would find it difficult because he suffers quite significantly with anxiety, has done for quite a few years. Not helped by the fact that after court his dad (after pretending to agree with the judge re the buses) told him I was being "abusive" if I expected son to get four buses and that he "wouldn't allow this to happen." In essence, it may cost me losing my son for even more than 50:50 as his dad will play the usual tricks of manipulation he always does eg. Stay with your dad and he will take you in and pick you up at drop off and pick ups like "every normal parent." This naturally terrifies me.

@Heyha

Youngest is Year 4. Can't move schools for either due to ex husband 😡

I was just thinking if youngest was year 6 there might be a way round it but year 4 prob too long to wait.

So looks like live near one school and work near the other? If you lived near the secondary school is eldest sensible enough to let self in while you and youngest travel home? You don't have to stay at school outside your directed time, plenty don't here.

I would also consider the working environment in the school you choose to work in, lots of parents at my school do 8:30-3:30 and then work at home after the kids are asleep. Can your ex do pick ups or drop offs?

Or can you work part time and top up with exam marking and/ or tutoring?

I find teaching is the best for having a family. What other job do you get good pay and school holidays off? Get wraparound care with a childminder. Mine are much younger than yours but I leave school by 4, then work when they are in bed.

Agree with everyone else though - this isn't a problem with being a teacher, it is a problem with your ex, and your schools choice and your worry about him getting 2 buses each way (not that unusual).
Anyone who WOTH needs to sort childcare.

Would it not be frowned upon to leave at 4pm though?

I'm struggling to get a job anywhere as an M6!!

Yes, it would be frowned upon to leave at 4pm regularly in any primary I’ve ever worked in.

My DS’s secondary maths teacher however, seems to leave at 3.45 every day as he drives past me on the school run!

My dc have always caught 4 buses each day to school. never considered this an issue plus one of them has severe anxiety and been seeing camhs for a good while.

I'm a teacher too

Yes, in Primary, you wouldn't be able to leave at 4pm in any school I've worked in. Sometimes, yes, if you prefer to work at home, but not every night.

Can I ask why in primary you aren't trusted to leave when it suits you and do your work at home around your other commitments? I know many secondary colleagues choose to stay later but we certainly don't have to as long as we do our directed time and are keeping up with our workload. Why is it so different in primary? Genuine question btw there's no way I could change phase, all credit to you guys! I know the workload is different but why is it crucial that you do it in the school building?