Part-Time Teaching: My Experience and Lessons Learned

Are you considering going part-time as a teacher? As someone who has been part-time for a number of years, I have learned a lot about the benefits and challenges that come with it. In this post, I will share my experience with you and provide insights on what to expect if you decide to make the switch.

Firstly, let me provide some context. I wasn't able to go part-time after having my first two kids as I was a head of department at the time. I needed to be full-time for financial reasons, as I was only on the main pay scale and had just a small top-up for the added responsibility. But after seven years, I decided to leave my HoD role and move to another school where I could work part-time. I stayed like this for about six years, but when I became pregnant with my third child, I found myself having a crisis of identity. I ended up taking a head of department role at an inner-city school and returning to full-time work. After the initial two terms, I reverted back to four days a week. Then, COVID hit, and I had time to reassess my career and started a business while teaching part-time.

Here are some of the things I've learned about being a part-time teacher:

1. Timetabling can be tricky, and you may not get your preferred days. Additionally, you may be asked to teach subjects outside of your specialism, and you may not have a classroom of your own.  I have found not having a classroom particularly difficult!

1. Training and CPD is often an afterthought. If you miss a training day, you're often still expected to complete it in your own time. This is especially true if the training is related to new software or an initiative.
2. TLRs (teaching and learning responsibilities) are difficult to come by, and if you're a HoD, you may be expected to do the full role in less time. There can be a grey area when it comes to TLR payments, as you may only receive a percentage of the full TLR reflected by your part-time status.

Don’t forget the obvious - going part-time will impact your pay and pension. While I'm not exactly sure by how much, I do know that I may end up working longer than originally intended to make up for it. However, staying full-time could have its own drawbacks. The stress and demands of the job can take a toll on your health and wellbeing, potentially affecting your ability to work until pensionable age. 

There are also significant positives to being part-time. For me, being part-time has given me more time to be there for my family and pursue other passions, such as starting a business. It has also given me the mental space to take things slower and have a more nutritious lunch. Additionally, having fewer classes to teach means that I have less marking to do on a weekly basis, which has been a total game changer for me.

Ultimately, being part-time has given me more structure in my week while allowing me to be there for my family and pursue other interests. If you're considering going part-time, I encourage you to think carefully about the challenges and benefits before making a decision. And if you do decide to make the switch, I'll provide some tips on how to make the most of your time in a future blog post.

It's time for the education sector to acknowledge the need for greater flexibility to address the ongoing teacher retention crisis. In my experience, offering job shares and part-time arrangements, along with guaranteed PPA lesson every day, would go a long way in retaining talented educators. As professionals, teachers deserve to have a work-life balance that allows them to thrive both in and out of the classroom. By providing more flexible options, we can create a more sustainable and fulfilling career path for those in the teaching profession.

Thanks for reading.  I'd love to hear your thoughts too.

PS - I love nothing more than supporting Geography teachers as we are a pretty awesome bunch.  

So here are five ways that I can help you….

• The GTB Vault - Classroom-ready presentations and worksheets so you never need to feel guilty about showing a video in class again! New pick up and go lesson resources added every month.
• Changing China - a set of 10+ classroom-ready lessons for students aged 11-44, with homework activities and an assessment PLUS a set of Youtube lessons that you can provide for absent students.
• The Geography Teacher Box bookstore - boost your subject knowledge while supporting local independent bookshops
• Tote-ally Geography - A newly created store with tote bags designed specifically for geography teachers.
• Connect with other like-minded Geography teachers and share resources (suitable for teachers of students aged 11-18) - The GTB Facebook Group