Teacher mums chat thread

[Jchihuahua]

I would refer to both your classroom experience and your professional experiences as a solicitor. As HG says is it a primary or secondary course? i am a primary/early years teacher so if it was primary you were applying for I'd be able to help.

 

[Lu28]

Are you applying for primary or secondary?

That would have been helpful information, sorry! Applying for primary

 

[anna matronic]

Hi girls! I am introducing myself a little early here as I am not a parent yet, but thought I'd get it out the way before the baby comes and I don't feel like a stranger!

Well a bit about me: I finished my NQT year in July, getting pregnant in February was not planned and made the last part of the NQT so hard, especially with Ofsted in June (they were kind to me!!) I teach Humanities in a smallish secondary school in SE England. A very tough, national challenge school. But I love it! I qualified as a History teacher - I note a few on here But jobs were scarce and this is what I ended up with and also teach Geog and RE.

I've been signed off since the start of the new term due to PPROM over the summer hols and a nice stay in hospital. work luckily have been fab about it

I plan to go back after May half term, obviously depending on money! I am gonna be a single parent so double hard for me. But amazingly I am so scared about it.

I look forward to moaning with you and will introduce my LO in the next 6 weeks or so

Also makes me laugh reading about squishing the kids under the table like a slave ship - I do that in my lessons too I also love a bit of Roots here and there

 

[Miss Wright]

Only just come across this thread. I've just recently started my PGCE in Secondary Citizenship with Humanities. Starting my first school placement on Thursday - eek.

 

[Jchihuahua]

Lu28, I hope I'm not too late to help with your form. I meant to reply earlier but have had a very busy week at school this week. Wet play all day today and lots of hyper and noisy 4 year olds !

I would definitely refer to your classroom experience but your previous experience in your other career would be important to talk about too as you will have had many skills that are transferrable to teaching -dealing with people (parents I'm meaning, not the children) who are sometimes very difficult people or very anxious people or people who need reassurance. Also working to a deadline and under pressure is something I'm sure you'll have had lots of experience of. Liasing with other agencies (social services, nurses, speech therapists, ed psychs etc) is something we need to do quite frequently in teaching and maybe that is something else you'll have had experience of. If you have people that you manage in your present career that can relate to teaching because if you become a line manager (I have 8 people I line manage) that would be an essential skill. If you have any particular interests such as music, drama, cooking or sport I'd mention those because schools are interested in having people with skills in those sort of things for after school clubs and the like. I would also mention your experience as a parent and in child development. I hope that is some help and I havent sounded patronising as I didn't mean to! What key stage are you interested in teaching?

 

[Lu28]

Jchihuahua, that's really helpful and not patronising at all! It was wet play for us today too, they were all more than a little hyper by the end of the day! I finished my last day of experience today so I'm hoping to do the application over the weekend. I was so sad to finish up, the thought of going back to my real work in a week is killing me!

I'm leaning towards keystage 2 at the moment.

 

[Nimbus]

How do you ladies cope - job, baby, house to manage...? I feel like i'm sinking here.

 

[Jchihuahua]

How do you ladies cope - job, baby, house to manage...? I feel like i'm sinking here.

Hi Nimbus .

I agree totally, it is so hard. My hubby looks after Daisy during the day and works evenings and he's great as he gets the housework all done so I don't have to think too much about that. I do find it depressing that I only see Daisy for a couple of hours every evening but I always make sure we have quality time and play and read and have fun together. As for work, I certainly don't feel as dedicated as I always have. I have always loved my job and given 100%, I have been an AST for years and loved it, but since I went back I feel like it is really hard to keep on top of everything. I don't feel like I'm doing as good a job as I did before. I'd LOVE to give up my TLR and just be a class teacher but I just can't afford to do it at the moment as we have loads of debts after maternity leave and hubby going part time.

 

[Nimbus]

How do you ladies cope - job, baby, house to manage...? I feel like i'm sinking here.

Hi Nimbus .

I agree totally, it is so hard. My hubby looks after Daisy during the day and works evenings and he's great as he gets the housework all done so I don't have to think too much about that. I do find it depressing that I only see Daisy for a couple of hours every evening but I always make sure we have quality time and play and read and have fun together. As for work, I certainly don't feel as dedicated as I always have. I have always loved my job and given 100%, I have been an AST for years and loved it, but since I went back I feel like it is really hard to keep on top of everything. I don't feel like I'm doing as good a job as I did before. I'd LOVE to give up my TLR and just be a class teacher but I just can't afford to do it at the moment as we have loads of debts after maternity leave and hubby going part time.

Thank you. I knew that it would be tough, but this has been more of a shock than i had ever imagined. I must seem like a right complainer to my collegues too as i can't help but say what i think, and i seem so sensitive recently. I'm struggling and not enjoying it and i know that i have to take one step at a time, but it's so hard. I'm certainly not doing as good a job as before, and i just know that the kids deserve better. I feel alright in front of the kids, but it's the management stuff again that's the pain. We had a sixth form parents evening and in a spare moment i went to chat to one of the SMT who is a teacher of the subject i manage and she just had a right old complain about me, so was so rude. i feel lousy as i hardly stood up for myself and then once out of her presence i had to leave to cry for 15 mins, only to return to give more reviews. I would have never done that before. I can't even complain about her as she's the one you complain to! ok, rant over. Thank you for reading on the plus side.... half term... couldn't come any quicker!

 

[history_girls]

How do I cope? don't really. I just prioritise now - how important is it? how long do i need to do it?

We are facing flack from SMT as a department (I'm the head on only 4 days a week) and to be honest every free last week was dealing with that rubbish not marking or planning or anything. Add to that a parent sobbing down the phone for 15 minutes and that was my week!

I love the kids but I hate the rubbish that goes with it. I just survive and put baby first then the school kids then the management stuff.

Hang on in there Nimbus!

 

[Lu28]

I have my primary PGCE interview next week, any advice?!

 

[becstar]

Oh Lu, so sorry I only just saw this - how did it go?

 

[becstar]

How do you ladies cope - job, baby, house to manage...? I feel like i'm sinking here.

Hi Nimbus .

I agree totally, it is so hard. My hubby looks after Daisy during the day and works evenings and he's great as he gets the housework all done so I don't have to think too much about that. I do find it depressing that I only see Daisy for a couple of hours every evening but I always make sure we have quality time and play and read and have fun together. As for work, I certainly don't feel as dedicated as I always have. I have always loved my job and given 100%, I have been an AST for years and loved it, but since I went back I feel like it is really hard to keep on top of everything. I don't feel like I'm doing as good a job as I did before. I'd LOVE to give up my TLR and just be a class teacher but I just can't afford to do it at the moment as we have loads of debts after maternity leave and hubby going part time.

Thank you. I knew that it would be tough, but this has been more of a shock than i had ever imagined. I must seem like a right complainer to my collegues too as i can't help but say what i think, and i seem so sensitive recently. I'm struggling and not enjoying it and i know that i have to take one step at a time, but it's so hard. I'm certainly not doing as good a job as before, and i just know that the kids deserve better. I feel alright in front of the kids, but it's the management stuff again that's the pain. We had a sixth form parents evening and in a spare moment i went to chat to one of the SMT who is a teacher of the subject i manage and she just had a right old complain about me, so was so rude. i feel lousy as i hardly stood up for myself and then once out of her presence i had to leave to cry for 15 mins, only to return to give more reviews. I would have never done that before. I can't even complain about her as she's the one you complain to! ok, rant over. Thank you for reading on the plus side.... half term... couldn't come any quicker!

I had this problem last year - and I couldn't even go above her head as she is the head's close friend and every time I've told her something in confidence the head has then known, and vice versa. Once I made a comment that we weren't gelling as a new yeargroup team and the deputy set up a team meeting but first told this woman everything I'd said in the staff room in front of the other team member!!!

Your baby and your pupils are what matters, the rest are just unfortunate things that come with the job. Do enough to keep them off your back and no more.

 

[Nimbus]

Thanks hun. you're becomming a bit of a support for me on here and the bf-ing beyond 6 months page! Yeah, so i've been signed off work and waiting for my next drs app to check my progress. Then i guess i wait for the occupational health and then look at ammended duties. It'll be odd for the kids but again, i need to sort myself out and get to a place where i can look after me and my babe, and then with luck i'll get to the other kiddies in my life! I do miss my tutor group!

 

[Cattia]

HI everyone! Long time no see! Gosh, I've been back at work for over 6 months now and it's STILL so tough going back after the holidays I am not looking forwards to tomorrow at all, I have so enjoyed spending every day with Abigail for the past two weeks.

At my college they are having a re-structure which will take effect when I am on maternity leave (I go off again in April). If I wanted to keep my Head of Department job, I would have to re-apply for it, but it won't be the same job as they are effectively scrapping the HOD role and replacing it with fewer 'learning mangers'. It is a higher grade job but I'd be in charge of more than one department as well as having a lot of extra pastoral and admin responsibilites. It would be more money, but full time and very full on, so I have decided not to apply. That means that when I return from my next maternity leave, I will just be going back as an ordinary teacher. I used to think I would miss the responsibility, but now I think I will be very glad to see the back of it. What's making me nervous though is how we are going to manage on significatly less money.

Hope everyone else is doing OK and looking forward to the new term more than I am!

 

[history_girls]

Cattia - I am sat here with the normal end of holiday blues. I am grumpy, not talking to OH much and nothing is going right and the reason - school arghhhhhhhh!!!! I took a 7 grand pay cut to go 4 days a week - and to be honest I don't miss the money as much as I love my day off! I am a HOD and I am tempted to jack it in at the mo as they are picking on us for not getting enough kids A* to C (we have a tough catchment and the school offers loads of 'equivalents' to gCSEs so no wonder the kids can't do history) so if I had the money I would have another to have another year off!!!!

Have a good term.

 

[Jchihuahua]

Hi Cattia. I'm dreading tomorrow too. It just doesn't get any easier at all.

How did your work take it when you told them you were pregnant again? I'm TTC and I know that if it happens, as I hope it will, within the next year my boss is not going to be very pleased about it!

I would love to get rid of my TLR. I was just saying to New2Bumps that I'd love to just be an ordinary class teacher again with no management responsibilities but as you said Cattia the loss of money would be difficult. I have loads of debts to pay but as soon as they're paid off (about 5 years time) I'm going to get rid of my TLR!

 

[Jchihuahua]

I have my primary PGCE interview next week, any advice?!

Hi Lu28, sorry I missed this. How did you get on?

 

[Cattia]

Glad it's not just me that has that Sunday night feeling (even though it's Monday night!). JC - they were fine about it, although I think they were a little shocked! They can't really say anything much though as it's your right, so they should not make you feel uncomfrtable about it. Good luck with TTC - I hope it happens quickly for you!

I have already taken about a 5K pay cut to work four days a week and I think this is going to take me down a further 3K so heaven help us! I just cannot entertain the prospect of applying for this new job though. My husband is going to start looking for something else once I start my next mat. leave, as his current work is pretty unreliable and badly paid. I am also thinking of taking on an evening class or a bit of tutoring to help make ends meet.

Hope everyone has a good day tomorrow! Maybe once we get there it won't be as bad as we think....

 

[Nimbus]

I definitely have the first day back worries... i'm back tomorrow with ammended duties and i've no idea what they'll be. I feel like i'm starting a new job again. I'm scared. As you said though, perhaps it'll be easier than i think. i'll let you know tomorrow night x