In the end only you can really decide if you can handle raising a child on your own without the support of your family in a very physical way. I guess to give you an idea of what days can be like I can highlight what I see and the time I spend both at school and doing work while at home.
I leave my house at 7:00 each morning to catch the bus, arrive at school about one hour before it starts, I use that time for planning, marking, copying, etc. Classes go from 8:35-3:05, as an English teacher we do silent reading at the beginning of each lesson, so sometimes that affords me 10 minutes of marking or planning at the beginning of a lesson depending on the class. 20 minute break, which I find I actually need as a break, not a prep time, then lunch and form time (I don't have a form so 20 extra minutes there). I am never usually out of the school until 4:30 at the earliest, 6ish latest, just getting things together, organizing, etc.
But I am so a new teacher as well as new to the country so that adds a bit of time to what I have to do in terms of prep and planning. There are various open evenings throughout the year and more after school meetings that I was accustomed to from student teaching. There are open evenings for form groups, opening evenings for each year group and various departmental and staff meetings each week, plus as an OTT or NQT you usually have meetings at least once a week associated with that. So it is a massive time commitment.
That being said, I know of 2 teachers at my school who are the primary care givers for 4 children. The one who has less support says she just has to wait until late at night to get school related things together after her children are in bed, the other is only part time so can get quite a bit done while at school during frees (she also teaches drama so less paper work, etc.)
There are wonderful child care providers avaliable, but I know it is a concern how much time they spend there in a day. I guess that it will be a little bit more time than what you'd be used to as a teacher now with the differences (more or less perhaps dependig on your field) but in the end if you want to make it work and are confident in that it goes a long way towards how you will handle the difficult times when you've had a full day at school, then have to spend 3 or 4 more hours on top of that at a parents evening, get home at 7, see your child for a bit, do home things, and then be lesson planning from 9-12 in the evening then back up at 6 or 7. I do know people who can get nearly everything they need to get done done in the time avalible before and during school, I guess it just depends on your methods.
I hope the information was helpful in terms of time spent at school and linking to how you see yourself in terms of the time you'll need. Good luck either way! |
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I haven't looked in here for a while, so thanks Jess for the information. I figure I'll have an increase in workload just due to the learning curve, but I've become accustomed to getting my work down late at night or during weekend naps. =D
Joey- I'm sorry that you can't see that part of the reason I want to do this is FOR my child. With the world becoming increasingly globalized, I think there can be no better preparation for her than to live in other cultures. Family is important, but technology and planes have made long-distance relationships much easier than they used to be. My uncle has started working abroad in the past few years, and we probably talk to each other more now(through Skype and such), than we did when he lived only a couple hours away. Also I'm a firm believer that it's not the AMOUNT of time you spend with someone, but the QUALITY of the time you do spend. |
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| I wish you all the best- as a single parent myself(pre-school age) i totally understand how this is for your child. i am currently in wales, which also boasts great childcare for you to consider. as the leaving age is higher in the US you may be able to teach at sixth form/tertairy college age(16-18)-some tertiary colleges have childcare on site for teachers-which can be cheaper and great to have the children so close. |
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Hi Jessiecan,
Thanks for asking this question! I am a single mom of an almost five year old and was wondering the same thing.
Don't listen to the guy who asked if it is irresponsible! What does that mean? In what way is that irresponsible? Abandoning your child is irresponsible, taking them to a new, and sure, strange country is NOT! My parents were in the CIA in the 60's and they traveled and lived often with my brothers who were both under 5 yrs to places like Thailand, Loas, and Korea. Besides the thousands of people who work for the US gov and have to work at our embassies in other countries or miliatry bases. Many of those people have children. I have found an excellent website which gives you a run down on what it is like to live in many other places around the world, told through the words of US citizens.
www.talesmag.com |
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Back on another of my infrequent checks of the board!
Katelouise- Are you currently working in the UK as a teacher? How did you arrange childcare, and what added paperwork did you have to do for your child?
Thanks for the information everyone! |
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