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how likely is it to be employed as a PART-TIME MATHS TEACHER in my 40's

27 replies

margaery · 16/06/2013 15:32

I have two dc's. 5 and 3. Both DC's have health problems which is why i took redundancy from a successful career in IT at 38. Money was great in IT but I had to work overnights, and weekends at extremely short notice and job security is rubbish in the industry at the moment. Have been made redundant 3 times in 11 years. Also IT is a young persons game. You have to constantly keep up with technology so by not working for years, I am pretty much unemployable now.

DC2 starts school next year hopefully, so I thought next year I could volunteer to work in school in maths dept to see what it's like. I have Maths degree (2:2) and Masters in Comp Sci.

Another thing, I got an A in Maths at GCSE, however, I only got a C at A-Level. I was on for at least a B, but was going through a bad time so underachieved. Would this be a problem when applying for course or jobs ?

Ideally, I would do a PGCE or GTP and qualify at age 43.

But I have heard alot of negative stuff about teaching such as:-

  1. 50 hour weeks (which is why if i thought if did it part-time it would be more manageable). and therefore working holidays and weekends.

  2. don't do it if you have low self esteem cos you are constantly being monitored (ofsted?)

  3. It's a young persons game and people are often burnt out by 50's. I am looking for a career that will take me into my 60's.

  4. Maths is a core subject so more pressure to get results.

    Any advice from any teachers would be much appreciated.
    Also how difficult/easy is to get part-time work in Maths dept ?
    Is Maths an easier subject to mark than other subjects ?
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EliotNess · 16/06/2013 15:35

very

everyones gagging for them

maths piss easy to mark - surely you know this already though?

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margaery · 16/06/2013 15:39

Sorry what i meant by 'easier' is 'ALOT less time consuming'.

ie. do Maths teachers work, on average, 50 hour weeks ?

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McNewPants2013 · 16/06/2013 15:41

My DN has 2 maths teachers, the 2 teachers do 2.5 days a week as a job share after maternity leave. They alternate a Wednesday so 1 week it's morning and 2nd week it's afternoons.

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Eyesunderarock · 16/06/2013 15:41

How are you with children?
Those of us that are burnt out in our 50s often started in the circus in our early 20s, so that has a bearing too.
Constant monitoring, yes.

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bamboostalks · 16/06/2013 15:43

Depends where you are? If London, you will walk into position.

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EliotNess · 16/06/2013 15:44

no
of course not. You make it sound hellish

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EliotNess · 16/06/2013 15:44

you choose a school you want to work in. You would have your pic

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Bestseller · 16/06/2013 15:47

I think youd find work easily, always a shortage of maths teachers, but p-t in secondary seems to be difficult to organise. My sister works an 80% timetable , but the way the timetable is organised means she has to work part of every day

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Eyesunderarock · 16/06/2013 15:47

It's not the marking that will take forever, unlike English. It's the working out what went wrong, why this individual didn't get it and how to ensure that they do understand next time around.
It's a hard subject to teach well

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McNewPants2013 · 16/06/2013 15:50

How dn school does it is that the 1 teacher teaches algebra and the other geometry for example.

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margaery · 16/06/2013 15:50

Eyesunderarock
I'm ok with children, but I need to work in school before I know how I am with teenagers.
The only part i liked about my old job was working with people, and being able to help. Was quite good at training part, and good at teaching peers maths at school/college/uni.

EliotNess what's your average week like ?

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margaery · 16/06/2013 15:53

Eyesunderarock how many hours do you work on average ? thanks for your insight so far.

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margaery · 16/06/2013 15:53

i don't live in london, but an hour commute from london, but i do see maths positions coming up locally ALOT

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Eyesunderarock · 16/06/2013 15:56

Oh, I'm not talking from a POV of knowing owt really!
I'm a primary teacher, in my 50s who has been teaching FT for almost 30 years.
I have 2 adult children, one of whom is G&T for maths, the other not at all, and I've got two friends who teach up to A level maths.

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Arisbottle · 16/06/2013 15:59

50 hour weeks sounds like a dream to me, my hours have never been that low.

However you are a maths graduate which is a big tick in the box. Some schools will have a problem that your degree is a 2:2 and that your A level result is so low but you do have a masters which may compensate for some schools.

I don't think teaching is necessarily a young people's game but I don't plan on doing this when I am in my 60s.

There is a lot of pressure in maths and maths often sees to be a department with issues, which serves only to highlight any problems.

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noblegiraffe · 16/06/2013 16:03

It doesn't matter so much what you got at A-level as you have a maths degree - that is rare! I'm not sure whether you'll get any help with pgce funding with a 2:2 though, it's all changed recently and degree class matters.

I'm a part time maths teacher, but I was full time at the school before going part time after my first child. I'm on a 0.6 contract (3 days) but because of the timetable, have to work every day, no full days off. I reckon that I work a 35-40 hour week. Part time is great, I do work at weekends and evenings but only a couple of hours where it used to be much more. I feel like I've got my life back. But part time means no promotions and you can feel overlooked.

In terms of jobs, I teach in an outstanding leafy middle class comp, and we get hardly any applicants when we advertise for maths. If you're good, you should have no problems finding a job. Finding a part time one that suits you might be trickier, have a look on the tes job site in your area.

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soverylucky · 16/06/2013 16:11

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soverylucky · 16/06/2013 16:13

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marriedinwhiteagain · 16/06/2013 16:21

Mght be worth having a look at FE where it should be easier to get a PGCE funded. Lots of need for numeracy support there - often on access courses. Good luck

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FrogsGoWhat · 16/06/2013 16:26

I'm a part time science teacher - 50%. But again as per PP because of how the timetable works, I work 4 days a week and my day off alternates because of the 2 week timetable.

I'm probably working 8 hour days on my 4 days, and then nothing else - so 32 hour week - unless I have a load of tests or marking or reports to catch up on - in which case add another 8 hours on top to do over the weekend. I daren't work out my hourly rate, but as a NQT I did work out that I was working for less than minimum wage due to 60-70 hour weeks, taking into account the "holidays".

As PP said being part time means you have some life balance (normal hours compared to my DP who works in IT, rather than doing 10-12 hour days) but you can be overlooked and also undermined to a certain extent.

I actually don't know anyone who has been employed part time though - it seems that mostly you are granted part time after maternity leave. Actual part time posts don't seem to be advertised very often.

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xylem8 · 16/06/2013 16:39

you would have your pick of bad schools to work in.a maths position in a good school in a nice area will attract a lot of high calibre applicants.

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margaery · 16/06/2013 16:48

Thanks all for the info. Very useful.

If I can only get a job in bad school, as my results/qualifications are not good enough then maybe this is not for me. Would want job in average to good school.

I can resit a Maths Alevel, but not my degree.

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noblegiraffe · 16/06/2013 17:01

Honestly, a good school in a nice area doesn't necessarily attract a lot of high calibre candidates in maths, mine has struggled to recruit in the last few years.

Perhaps you could contact your local schools and scout them out for this info?

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sleeplessbunny · 16/06/2013 17:04

Maths and science subjects seem to be short of teachers. I once enquired about doing a PGCE to teach Maths and Physics, changed my mind, but still get inundated with calls and emails about bursaries and teaching experience days. I get they feeling they are pretty desperate to increase the resource pool.
www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/subjects-age-groups/teach-maths.aspx
I have no teaching experience though, so can't comment on hrs, pt etc.

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frogspoon · 16/06/2013 17:07

If you enjoy working with young people and want to work in a school environment, have you looked into being a TA or LSA?

You will have shorter hours than a maths teacher, with little or no planning or marking. Your maths skills will still be very useful if you were to be a LSA in a secondary school.

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