Mums working in education sector----are you on hols when your kids are?

**loveshack** · 28-10-2009 10:03

I'm looking at working in the education field,like primary schools or preschools,in any post suitable,so that I'll be on holidays when my kids are.It's so that I won't have to put them in before/after school care and school holiday care programs.Is that the way it works?Do people who work in schools get holidays the same time as 'school holidays'?

**Electric Rodeo** · 28-10-2009 10:12

Yep in a primary school you don't have to go into school on holidays(so 12 weeks a year).
You may have to do some prep in this time but your kids could go in with you or you could do it at home.

**loveshack** · 28-10-2009 10:51

Are there mums who do this?Working in the education field so that they can be with their kids?Am I being too protective/not willing to let go?

I just want to be there for them like my mum,she was a sahm.

**biscotti** · 28-10-2009 10:57

Is it a teacher that you want to be? Or a teacher aide or working in admin? Sorry, wasn't sure quite what you meant. The admin block at my children's school is usually open during school hols, I think the girls in the office only have 4 weeks a year.

Teachers take home A LOT of work so that does take away from family time. I'm a teacher and love being home with my family on school holidays but there are lots of other teaching committments (after school meetings, inservice activities, sport, seminars etc) that do eat up family time during term time

Good luck

**bridee** · 28-10-2009 13:32

My MIL use to work at a secondary school in admin and she only go 4 weeks a year and was in fact told when she had to take those 4 weeks. It was something like 1 week of each school holidays.

**TripleTime** · 28-10-2009 13:48

Most private school's still have the admin office open during the holidays & close for christmas holidays.

**FionaV** · 28-10-2009 17:45

Originally Posted by loveshack

Are there mums who do this?Working in the education field so that they can be with their kids?Am I being too protective/not willing to let go?

I just want to be there for them like my mum,she was a sahm.

There are certainly people working in schools who do this. Teachers, teacher's aides and office staff all get the same holidays as the children. School holiday care is expensive, and working in a school is a good compromise. The way to get the non-qualified (ie, non teacher) jobs are to be very active in the school community - turn up to help at everything possible, so the principal knows you and will think of you when a job becomes available.

Working in a pre-school is a bit more iffy as far as school holidays are concerned. My older daughter worked in one, and the only times of the years she COULDN"T have holidays was in the school holidays.

**Goat** · 28-10-2009 19:08

It depends what you mean by hols?

In order to fulfill a teacher's role professionally in Western Australia in 2009, for eg, you have to be prepared to work on your hols (although you can bring this work home). Even the WA department of education employment website explains that teachers generally have to work on their holidays.

If you're choosing a career path in teaching, thinking you actually get the hours that school's in, is certainly not a reason to do it. I guess you can be flexible though- spend the day at the zoo with the kids and do the paperwork when they go to bed perhaps.

**cja** · 28-10-2009 21:32

Generally yes....but I know that I will have to use either before or after school care because as a teacher there is no way you can walk in as school starts and leave when it finishes because as well as preparing things in your own classroom there are so many other meetings, responsibilities that you have to consider....

**FionaV** · 29-10-2009 17:55

If you want to walk in as school starts, and out as it finishes, being an aide is the way to go. I teach in a primary school (not the one the children go to) and I leave home at about 7.45 and am at school by 8 or shortly after. I am rarely home before 5. We don't use before school care, as my husband stays around the yard until they leave (they walk to school) and tshe goes to after school care until one of us (parent or adult sibling) is ready to pick her up. The littlest goes to daycare/preschool in town and travels with me. Whoever is in the house first is the one who gets the six year old from school and it varies depending on the day.