Teacher temporary contracts

theresathrift

I’m sure lots of teachers have ranted here before but I just needed to vent.

I made a poor decision in my 30s to go back to be a teacher thinking it was a safe , rewarding job. I took a big pay cut. While it is rewarding, it couldn’t feel more insecure.

In the private sector, you are made permanent after 6 months. Safe.

I got my first job last year, maternity cover. Was paid up until June. No summer pay.

Rehired by same school this year, fixed term contract. Full time hours.

I jumped through every hoop to prove myself both years

I’ve just been told my position will no longer be available due to a redeployment of another teacher next year.

Now instead of looking forward to my summer, I’m packed with anxiety. What if I can’t find another job? What will the other job be like ? How will I pay my rent if I don’t get another job.

On top of that, my plans of applying for a mortgage have been trashed for at least 2 years. My partner is older than me so we will find it hard to get one at all.

I don’t know how I can plan for kids. My biological clock is ticking but it will be a minimum of 2 years before I get offered permanency now. How do I manage afford to take time off and pay for astronomical rents?

Sorry the rant , it all just feels very unfair. I know it’s not established teachers fault but I look at them and I’m so envious. They have secure contacts , tiny mortgages and put in half the effort I do since they don’t need to.

I’m not sure how to feel hopeful at all and I hate feeling this resentful. Any help or advice would be really appreciated

Treppen

Not sure if I can give advice. I was in my 40s before I got security so it took a lot of temp contracts and uncertainty.

Honestly though, I wouldn't be looking at other colleagues who "have it easy". It's the system that stinks.

A maternity contract and a fixed term is still pretty "young" , that's not my opinion or a value judgement on yourself. Just from what I see of some other NQTs who are putting in the years.

theresathrift

Thanks for replying.

I agree that it’s the system. It’s just incredibly frustrating.

Having to “put the years in” after 6 years of college plus other work in order the get a basic sense of security is incredibly wrong.

Can I ask how you coped with the uncertainty when you were in your 30s? I know I could have coped with it in my 20s but time feels a lot more against me now. I just feel pretty overwhelmed with it.

lulublue22

Teaching is hard graft- every established teacher has been where you are now. Getting a permanent job in the first number of years is akin to winning the Euromillions - the very odd person who happens to be in the right place at the right time when the stars align - for the other 99.9999% it’s hard graft. It’s constant applications , interviews, rejections, trying to budget and Summers glued to the phone. That’s the reality.

Yes it can be frustrating and demoralising but My honest advice stop focusing on what others have or don’t have - you simply don’t know how long it took to become an established teacher or what their financial situation is. Focus on what you can control / influence - the quality of your C.V., interview prep, how you present to others and what you can bring to the school.

Just re read your post - it looks as if you are heading into your 3rd year out - Honestly you really need to temper your expectations.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119012619#Comment_119012619

How I coped with uncertainty... Hmmm.

I think it was just adding stuff into my qualifications , extra subject and matters. BPlus being kept on in the same school (just about). Plus a bit of part time work elsewhere. Plus partner has OKish employment.

But as previous poster said it's pot luck sometimes.

You can increase your chances by using contacts (maybe your parents know a cousin who's married to a principal). Try to get a meeting with your old principal in the school you went to, they'd regularly be in contact with other Principals.

Play GAA.

Apply for every single job going (that can be tough dealing with rejection... if they even bother having the decency to reply to applications).

rainbowtrout

And lose the attitude that teachers that have permanent contracts put in half the effort. Lots work very hard every day, and lots do not have 'tiny mortgages'.

JayPS 2288

What do you mean by the “tiny mortgage” comment? A persons employment status, which will obviously affect whether or not you can get a mortgage, will have no bearing on the “size” of the mortgage?

I’ve no idea what you mean by “tiny mortgage”, do you mean tiny in a sense that they’ll have it paid back in a few short years?

JayPS 2288

I would’ve been the first person to take a dig at teachers for “having it easy”, but the responses here would scare you miles off becoming a teacher.

lulublue22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119014056#Comment_119014056

Absolutely love teaching - went back in mid 30’s to do it. Out now about 15 ish years - it was the same then as now re getting a permanent job - there is no such thing as walking into one after a year or two.

There are a lot of positives to teaching - no one can claim otherwise re hols and job security - the issue is there are a vocal group including the media who refuse point blank to accept that teaching is anything but easy street. It’s not - it’s like any other job. It has it’s positives and it’s negatives - it’s negatives include job insecurity for a number if years , increasing paper work , increasing issues with discipline and a steadfast refusal by many to accept the amount of work that occurs outside your contracted hours. You can see elements of the above in the op’s post - no one I graduated with and we were all postgrads / mature students had any expectation of securing a permanent job - it was a given that you subbed day to day - tried to get mat leaves and eventually temps and dipped and eventually a permanent job. Anyone who is moving from the private sector to teaching really needs to understand that it’s a long haul to a permanent job.

theresathrift

Admittedly I was very naive to the fact the job security is rare in the first few years.

I stupidly assumed it was similar to the private market…do your 6 months probation and you’re safe.

I am by no means saying that all teachers on permanent contacts do nothing but I do some who never volunteer for anything , they’re don’t need to prove themselves versus newer teachers volunteering for everything going.

By tiny mortgages, I mean that a lot of teachers I work with bought during the last crash or before then so have most paid off instead. Trying to pay current rates and save for a mortgage when pay scales haven’t increased is hard.

I know I’m just being a big moan but sometimes it’s needed

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119015965#Comment_119015965

Near the end I didn't volunteer for much as I was wiped out in the evening dealing with an increasingly poor disciplinary environment (kids could basically do what they wanted), I had put in near 20 years volunteering for things and giving up free time (tours, free extra classes etc etc).....

Watching the new crop coming in doing everything and jealously guarding anything and everything in case they wouldn't get to cosy up to management and getting promoted over older more experienced colleagues plus the constant drive to lower standards, total bolox timewaste initiatives to feather someone's CV, trained experienced professionals scuttling around like frightened rabbits at inspections (when they should be nailing the inspectors and asking them hard questions due to working conditions) and the absolute bolox that was CP hours and extra "productivity" convinced me to tail off and go...........its complete bullshit imo that the least important thing now is teaching and some people would be prepared to sleep in the school they way they've been cornered.............if only more had standards and were prepared to do what they should and no more ....the conditions would be much better for the collective instead of the ever declining rat race they've managed to initiate............

lulublue22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119015965#Comment_119015965

Good for them - lots of people I know bought a couple of years before we did - at a lot lower price range than we did - a few more bought after us for a lot higher than we did - thats called life. At the end of the day you made your choice the same as everyone else did. You can’t begrudge someone for being in a position to pay off their mortgage. I’m not sure if you intend to or not but your post comes across as very entitled - 2 years out and expecting to be permanent and begrudging those who more than likely have subbed at least twice as long before becoming permanent for where they are in their life. You can’t blame others for the choices you have made you changed careers based on the premise of job security- you misjudged the hard graft needed to get to that stage. That’s on you and not those who’ve been there , done that and are now out the other side.

To go back to your original question - How do you get through this - Focus on you and what you can do to improve your chances of securing a permanent job and honestly temper your expectations -a dose of reality is badly needed.

theresathrift

This is a reason for the problem

Just because you’ve been there and through this , you think all teachers should.

The system is not ok. Expecting to have a sense of security in any job after two years is not me being entitled.

We are at unprecedented levels in terms of costs of living and home prices. The costs and time spent of training for teachers are higher than ever. Wages don’t reflect this. I don’t think what others have gone through compares and even if it does , it doesn’t make it ok.

spurious

Did you ask any teachers what it was like before going into it?

The system is absolute sh1t, but it is the same system has been in for years. It can hardly have come as a surprise. Teachers have been highlighting it for years - of course called 'moaning' by the media.

theresathrift

Totally expected to be subbing for a few years.

I guess I just didn’t realise quite how bad it was.

I just can’t wrap my head around how it’s legal and how the unions haven’t done something about it.

lulublue22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119017038#Comment_119017038

No I don’t think all teachers should go through it just because I did. Your right the system is shite and has been for years which is the entire point. You are not the first to be in this position, it’s fairly certain you won’t be the last and you’re certainly not the only one.

Yet your original post did not question the system but berated/ focused on established teachers who apparently have it all with apparently very little effort.

As spurious has mentioned teachers have been highlighting how crap the system is for years - it’s not new information and the fact that you missed that element is on you.

Why do I think there’s a sense of entitlement in your post - because you came into a shite system where permanent jobs are like gold dust and expected that you’d have permanency with 2 years experience. Rather than focus on how shite the system is you had a rambling rant re your colleagues and their mortgages or lack of as if they have any bearing on your ability to secure employment.

Competition for permanent jobs is very high - this year we are very fortunate to have access to a subbing panel - the standard is excellent - very capable & competent with a range of experience across different contexts. So my advice still stands - focus on what you can do to maximise your chances and accept that it may take longer than you anticipated.

mtoutlemonde

I would be checking educationposts and other places regularly for the tinest whiff and hours you've worked. Maintain a good relationship with your current principal, get a reference, say you've enjoyed working there ... etc. There may be resource hours in September when allocations is finished. Getting that CID is a very very difficult thing to do and as alluded to earlier, it can take many years.

Treppen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119017209#Comment_119017209

Here we go... What have the unions ever done for us?

Manys the time I've been out striking for teacher pay and conditions.

Manys the newly qualified teachers who will sign the letter to say they're available for work that day, so they get paid while other teachers are out striking for them!.

You can curse the dark or light a candle.

Dickie10

The system is broken all right, seems to me teaching is going to become or already has become very casualised, you really need a back up plan/job to go along with teaching if your only starting out now. Very few professional jobs that you need a part time job in a bar or shop or summer work on building site just to keep the bills paid. But thats the reality, you would imagine all you will attract in next few years are people choosing teaching as a nice side job like casual subbing day to day.