Calling all teachers..

[ellasmum]

Hi..

Need advice about going back to teaching part-time. It is all up in the air at the moment but basically one of my old colleagues is going on maternity leave in February and I had thought about going in to cover her timetable.

I left the school when I had DD with no intention of going back but am now thinking it might be a good idea. She is now 6 months old and I think that maybe I need my brain to work again.

So, I have a few questions that hopefully someone can help me with.

1. Is it worth it financially or am I going to end up 'paying to go back to work?'

2. If I cover her timetable it will probably be for only a few lessons a day - she is head of KS4 so has a reduced teaching timetable. Is it worth it given the childcare implications?

I am also considering tutoring as an option - any thoughts?

I would love to go back if it was just for the teaching but am not sure about all the extra stuff if you know what I mean.

Sorry to ramble but as you can probably tell this is all in the initial 'thinking about' stages.

can you have an informal chat with the headteacher regarding things? This may clarify what she expects the cover to include. I went back teaching after mat leave in August- but I am full time. Yes I am still better off- even after childcare, but remember all the extra hours at home that you put in. I agree with what you say about all the extra stuff- it takes up so much valuable time.
Also if you were covering her class, all her systems will be in place- which should make things slighty easier.

Ellasmum - if you are working five days a week, but only teaching a few lessons a day (therefore being paid by the lesson - parttime) and have to put your dd in a nursery for 5 full days a week then I think you will be shocked at how little change you will get!

I worked two and a half days a week (exactly 50% pay) and my son went to a nursery for three full days (they didn't do half day sessions) and more than half of my salary went on childcare. I found teaching part time harder than teaching full time as I still put in the extra 'invisible' hours prep time and had to fit that in around my DS.

Luckily our circumstances changed and I am now a SAHM but it got to a point where the only way to make it financially viable was to go back full time - then childcare would be less proportionately but hten there was no way we could consider having two children in childcare!

It all depends on your circumstances - if you DP has a good income and going back to work is going to be a bonus then think about the financial viability of it. If it is a necessity to go back to bring in some money then think seriously about all your childcare options - does DD have any doting grandparents nearby that could take on some of it and save you some pennies?

Hope this rambling has helped a bit ...

Ghosty - DP does earn a good salary so I do not need to go back for financial reasons more for myself really. This is why I think that maybe I am being a bit selfish.

Grandparents not an option (thank god in MIL case) so it would have to be nursery / childminder.

Part of me thinks the only reason I am considering it is because so many people keep asking me when / if I am going back to work. Really deep down I am happy staying at home until DD is ready for nursery at 2.5.

I keep changing my mind on what I want depending on whether DD and I have had a good day.

I am going into school on Wednesday to suss out the timetable and see if it is viable. Also, not sure I really want to do too much A-level given the prep and marking involved.

Ellasmum, I don't think that you are being selfish at all ... you must do what is right for you and for your baby. I believe that a happy mum usually makes a happy baby ... I hated going to work and now love being a SAHM (although I do miss being 'ME' not just 'My mummy' all the time) but I have a really good friend who swears that she is a better mother because she has 'time out' from her children, she is able to give them more quality time and feels that they learn a lot more at nursery than she could possibly do for them.

I must admit, going back when my DS was 4 months was a good thing really as I needed to find myself again - it was only when he was 18 months that I found that for me personally I would be happier at home with him and not working. Funny how things turn out isn't it?

Good luck in your decision making ... why don't you check out this job but also check out other part time options in teaching where you can work full days (rather than 5 part days - which I think you would find really hard). Some boroughs do job shares and then of course there is always supply work - more money and little planning ... oh no, I am rabbiting on AGAIN!

Ellasmum
I teach full time and it is hard work, however I do enjoy it (most of the time) and would miss it. I wished I had gone for part time after the birth of DD1 (4 days a week would have been good).
I'm looking forward to my Mat leave soon with baby2. This time I will take all of my 28 weeks after the birth and will go back without any extra responsibilites. As for reducing my days I don't know if it is possble.
If you are wondering about going back this would be an ideal opportunity, reduced timetable and for 6 months max. If it doesn't work out at least you've tried and found out.

Ellasmum - I job share a teaching job - last year I did 2 days a week this year 3.
I too do it for ''selfish'' reasons rather than the money - I am MUCH happier working than I would be 100% SAHM, ( I just need to talk to adults and to get out of the house!)I am also happier 3 days than 2 as 2 wasn't enough to get all the stuff I had to do done in and I didn't see my classes enough to really 'own' them.

I think it really depends on a) how flexible the school can be with the timetable - eg you not covering odd lessons that ''mess up'' an other wise quite tidy/compact layout and whether you can find a childminder who will accept dd for the unusual times you might work. This year dd goes to a childminder an extra morning (she goes to nursery the rest of the time)from 9.30 as the chilminder has pre and post school children so is happy to have dd to fill in during school hours - and I use those few hours to do ALL my school work/preparation and also any boring home stuff that I can't possibly do whilst she is around. Dd loves it as the childminder lives on a farm!

I am going back to teaching very soon (ds is 2.5) and yes I am looking forward to it, I even got a buzz of excitement looking in the TES. I am going to try supply, before becoming a mum I was head of year and head of department at the same time, no way will I do that again. I do crave the stimulation from work and, like Ghosty, want to be more than Mummy.

Ellasmum, if you are covering a reduced timetable, are you free to come and go as you please or will you be expected to fill your timetable with cover?

Bunny2 - I am not sure what the arrangement would be as it is all still in the 'idea' stage. I have discussed it briefly with my head of Biology but not with anyone else. I am going in on Wednesday to have a chat with her and to look at the timetable.

To be honest, I only really want to do the Biology teaching and not do other odd bits of cover - ideal world I know. I do think that I am in a strong position to negotiate because I can't imagine the school is relishing finding yet another Science teacher to cover what is a realtively short period of time.

Yes I'd go inn very hard headed - when I was on mat leave they couldn't find anyone to replace me and ended up collapsing clases - the mat leave since had ONE aplicant - and she could have named her terms!