Any full time teachers here?

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

hi! I was just wondering if/how full time teaching is manageable with two little ones. I have worked ft before with one little one and a baby bump and it was HARD.

The thing is, I've learnt this time that I am no good at staying at home, therefore if I have to go to work, I might as well give it my best. With this in mind I'm considering applying for a position with tlr.

Am I mad?! hell yes

Is there anyone out there who can offer any experiences/advice?

Considering the same

I take my hat off to you. Pt is killing me! I suppose it depends on how much you'll have to do at home though - I'm secondary English so the marking is ridiculous.

Are you primary or secondary? I'm primary and personally do not see how anyone with 2 kids manages full time! I'm in work 7.30am...leave at 6 and continue with marking/app etc at home until 9! Guess it would depend also though if you have any TA's (I don't!) and SEN kids (i have wayyy more than my fair share so differentiation/lesson planning is awful)

Sorry to fudge, but it depends on what 'manageable' means for you as this means different things for different people!

It wouldn't have worked for me at all, but it works well for some people. Plus of course it will vary according to the age group/school/subject etc etc etc.

I am ft in secondary, with 2 and 5 yo. It is bloody hard. However, we manage and tbh, didn't have much choice. I went pt after dc1 but after a while, I found I was squeezing 5 days work into 4 and getting paid 1/5 less. We are lucky- DC1s school has a good morning and after school club, and nursery is open similar hours,so I can be at work by 8 and leave at 4.45. Any other work has to be done once the children are in bed, and at times when coursework, reports etc have to be done, dh takes the children out for the weekend pretty much.

Meant to say- I have become far more organised and use my non contact time very wisely, as well as working through my lunches. I used to chat-a lot !

Thanks for the replies! I posted on primary education too.

Olivio- do you feel resentful when OH takes your children out? I was thinking mine could do the same... But then I might be annoyed that I barely see them all week and at the weekend too...

Is it selfish to want a rewarding job rather than one in which I'm coasting along, feeling useless, for some extra time with the children?

It's so hard :-(

I'm secondary and am going back full time on July 2nd. I'm trying not to think about it! :)

Er that paragraph makes no sense (on phone so can't see it now!) but hope you know what I meant!

Ooh, and from your OP I have a TLR as a head of department. I'm fairly sure I'm bonkers but I asked school for 0.8 and they said no so needs must...

PotteringAlong- I had 0.8 after first baby and I felt I might as well be full time- the amount of effort involved in setting cover etc (yes I know- wasn't my job- Grrrr ) and things having been left in a mess/ not done etc meant that I went back ft pretty quickly.

I think I'm not thinking rationally as I've had a year off!

Yes, I do feel resentful that he spends lots of " nice" time with them. It also means I get zero me time, as I always have work to do, otherwise I'd never see them, dh would have to have them all the time.

I'd agree with olivo, really hard to find any time for yourself at all as you're either working or trying to squeeze in 'quality time' with the DC.

It's problematic though, as I'm part-time yet it really doesn't feel like it (friend said to me recently, "Your problem is that you're not part-time, you're just paid as if you are.......") and my DC do comment a lot on how much work I have to do in the evenings and weekends, which makes me want to throw it all in and live in a field or something.

Slightly different situation though, as I work for a LA rather in a school.

I feel awful admitting this but... I'm bored! I suppose I'm used to always have a million and one things to do; perhaps I thrive under pressure?

iwantsummer- are you going for it?

I work 4 days a week in primary and have 2 ds'. It is hard, but managable, there is pressure to go full time and i am in two minds. It would make WORK much easier, no-one to hand over to and no one to pick up the mess from ( due to major staff changes my 5th day has now been covered by 5 diff people during the year) BUT, I want to be able to do at least one drop off/pick up form y boy s(4 and 7).

As for the marking, prep etc. I work til about ten msot nights and DH takes the boys out on sat or sun pm for a few hours so I can work. I am currently trying to do reports, and normally DH takes dc to his parents for the weekend so I can get them done.

I couldnt be at home all day either though!!

I went back as HoF with DDs 5 months and 2.5, an evening job and a p/t PhD! It has been hard work, not unmanageable but DH is a SAHD, so much easier in that I don't do cooking etc.

I'm FT in primary and pg with our first. I have no clue how people manage to do what I do with children; long hours and constantly tired without coming home to more little people! I can't wait for my mat leave to start

Good luck with going back and hope it works out well for you.

I am full time HoD, secondary. Ds is 2.9 and am 28 weeks pregnant. Job wise it is easier being ft. I did 3 days for a year, and it was hard as I never had a clue what was going on, ended up doing extra anyway.

I have asked for 0.8 for when I return this time.

I manage, I work efficiently at school, I never work weekends (my family time is too important). I just take the attitude that I do what I can, and if I don't have time it doesn't get done. No one will die if yr 9 have to wait an extra week for their work to be marked.

I went back full time after my first, when I wasn't pregnant (which was only 1.5months of the year I was back - I was pg twice with a miscarriage of the first one) it was manageable. At crunch times I relied on goodwill of family to help baby sit for an afternoon at the weekend. I have been given 0.6 contract to return this time but... my immediate boss is due on maternity leave from September and I have an interview for her SLT role on Wednesday, still trying to decide whether I would be prepared to go back full time for this. I am soooo torn.

I am sooooooo torn too!

Well- I'm now going to be returning full time! How are your plans going, iwantsummer?

Ooh Joshlynam how was the interviw?

I'm full time secondary- head of dept and head of 6th form. I have 5 yr old twins. I went back full time when they started school. It's fine. I have to be quite organised but I actually find it easier to be organised now that I've got kids. I don't want to come across as glib but honestly, it's fine. You just get on with it. One of my colleagues left today, and four of us who are good friends had lunch together and were laughing about when we started, 8 years ago, we had one child between us, and now we have 8. We're all in positions of responsibility, and 3 out of the 4 of us are full time.

Thank you eviltwins!! That's great to hear. I'm doing full time now, so any tips fir getting organised?! Eek!