My Weekly Juggling Act – Being a Teacher and a Mother

Dena Tickner, a working mother of two, often finds herself wrestling with feelings of guilt. Upon returning home, she frets about being too irritable with her children. “I’m quick to snap at them when it’s clearly not their fault,” she admits. Her dual role as a teacher and parent has become a constant balancing act, requiring her to manage both responsibilities with precision.

Reentry into the Classroom

Tickner resumed teaching four years ago after an eight-year hiatus to raise her children. Initially working part-time, she gradually shifted to full-time hours. She describes the challenge of managing her career and family as a “juggling act,” emphasizing the need for structured routines to reset between work and motherhood.

“You feel like you don’t get that moment to reset yourself between being a teacher and then coming home and being a mum.”

The Strain of Work-Life Balance

A recent survey by the NASUWT teachers’ union reveals that many educators face similar struggles. Seven in ten respondents said they felt overwhelmed by work commitments affecting their parenting. Tickner is among them, considering a career switch but reluctant to leave due to her current salary. “I’ve looked at other jobs outside the profession,” she says, “but the financial stability here is hard to match.”

The union highlights that flexibility in work schedules is vital for teachers. Tickner’s husband works remotely, easing family pressures, yet she believes this adaptability should be more common in schools. The government is addressing this by updating guidance on flexible working, aiming to support staff like Tickner while meeting its goal of recruiting 6,500 new educators.

A Tight Schedule

Tickner’s days begin at 06:00, with her and her husband preparing for the day. By 07:30, she’s dropping her son Samuel off at the primary school’s breakfast club. Her daughter Jennifer walks to her secondary school, while Tickner arrives at work by 08:00, with registration starting at 08:30. “I use the half-hour before classes to handle last-minute tasks or check for schedule changes,” she explains.

“I’ve spent a day being ignored by other people’s children, I don’t expect to be ignored by my own.”

On Mondays, Tickner’s role shifts as she covers unplanned lessons. “Teaching is an all-consuming job,” she says, noting the emotional drain from classroom challenges. Despite her efforts, she admits to bringing stress home, especially with students having complex needs.

After School and Beyond

The school day ends at 15:00, but Tickner’s responsibilities continue. Every other Monday, she attends teacher training sessions, aiming to complete lesson planning by 17:00 to return home. After collecting her son from an after-school club, she arrives home by 18:00, often reserving time for herself until 10:30 PM.

Staff briefings and department meetings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays add to her workload. As head of her department, she also hosts revision sessions for Year 11 students on Thursdays. This extended schedule means she stays at school for two hours after the official end of the day. Her children’s extracurricular activities, including Jennifer’s guides on Wednesdays and Samuel’s cubs on Thursdays, further complicate her routine. Fridays are reserved for planning ahead, ensuring she’s prepared for the week’s demands.

Tickner’s experience underscores the broader issue of teacher burnout. While recent data shows a slight improvement in teacher retention for 2024-25, the profession still faces high attrition rates. For her, more flexibility could mean the difference between staying in her role or leaving it behind.