Managing your own small kids/Teaching

Lockedout

I have an 18 month old son. Just going back to work makes me nervous in terms of prep and correction. I wonder when Im going to get it done! Last year my wife let me do stuff 8-10 but this year I think I have to be more hands on for various reasons. I mind him half five to 7 to start with. He goes to sleep between 8-845. I think this year I would be lucky to be sitting down to start some work at 9. Which is tough after a day teaching! (cue violins)

Im lucky I dont have that many exams classes but I have 2 of 30 honors students each. (JC and LC) English.

Moody_mona

I know our free classes will be rare if mandatory S&s is implemented under HRA, but try to utilise them, not just sitting around drinking tea, do some corrections, photocopying, prep, if you can. Sometimes I'm surprised by how much tea I drink I'm school and I think about how much I could have gotten done in that time! Another thing I try to do during tests, is glance through copies, it means when I give feedback on tests I mention their homework and it's all linked.

Icsics

Hey, I too am an English teacher with 2 young kids. Going back after mat leave required serious changes to how I spend my day. You need to look at your timetable & plan when you're going to collect work, don't give it adhoc. All my free classes are spent on prep/correcting, before I would be chatting in the staff room! I bring nothing home, my time in the eve is for my family.

highly1111

Icsics wrote: »

Hey, I too am an English teacher with 2 young kids. Going back after mat leave required serious changes to how I spend my day. You need to look at your timetable & plan when you're going to collect work, don't give it adhoc. All my free classes are spent on prep/correcting, before I would be chatting in the staff room! I bring nothing home, my time in the eve is for my family.

agree with this. When I went back and was teaching full time with a 2 year old (I was also pregnant with number 2) and it's a completely different scenario. Basically I rarely set foot in the staff room - I used to go down for break-time but never for free classes or for lunch. I always brought my lunch in with me as even going down for a cuppa would involve a 20 minute chat so best to stay out all together. After my last class I would go through tomorrow's timetable and make sure I was well planned and prepared. I would give weekly tests and if necessary I could catch up on homework corrections then. another tactic I used was to get them to correct each other's homework. Again, it might depend on your subjects but it worked for me. I also had a lot of JC and LC classes and I give exam questions and then put up the marking schemes on the projector with the answers. It is busy - but very very doable. Don't bring home work with you unless you absolutely HAVE to. I'm sure some of my colleagues thought I was quite unsocial at times but my child needed a mum and my husband needed a wife and with a bit of good organisation and management you'll be able to fulfill the role of dad, husband and teacher!!

teacherhead

highly1111 wrote: »

agree with this. When I went back and was teaching full time with a 2 year old (I was also pregnant with number 2) and it's a completely different scenario. Basically I rarely set foot in the staff room - I used to go down for break-time but never for free classes or for lunch. I always brought my lunch in with me as even going down for a cuppa would involve a 20 minute chat so best to stay out all together. After my last class I would go through tomorrow's timetable and make sure I was well planned and prepared. I would give weekly tests and if necessary I could catch up on homework corrections then. another tactic I used was to get them to correct each other's homework. Again, it might depend on your subjects but it worked for me. I also had a lot of JC and LC classes and I give exam questions and then put up the marking schemes on the projector with the answers. It is busy - but very very doable. Don't bring home work with you unless you absolutely HAVE to. I'm sure some of my colleagues thought I was quite unsocial at times but my child needed a mum and my husband needed a wife and with a bit of good organisation and management you'll be able to fulfill the role of dad, husband and teacher!!

I really don't know how the mammies do it. Mine are getting a bit bigger now but we had 3 under 3 for a bit, the youngest is same age as yours op

Self assessment,.peer assessment and just being cuter about your use of time. My classes do a lot more independent work now and its for the better.

Dont worry, you'll find a routine that suits you

Lockedout

Thank you all. Will pass on tons of English stuff if you provide e mails. PM me!