Quote Originally Posted by ljandrl View Post

In the UK, if you're a worker and notify your employer 15 weeks before your baby is due, you get 6 months government paid maternity leave, followed by an extra 6 months unpaid. I would plan on taking at least the 6 months paid with each baby, and the unpaid if my partner's earning enough to support us. How does this differ around the world?

Also, with some courses I believe it is possibly to juggle children and study, but this is advised against with the PGCE (Post Grad Certificate in Education) as it is basically like having a full time job as you do placements in schools for a lot of the time, and then still have essays etc to write in the evenings. It's a very intensive course because it is only 1 year long.

As I said, once you finish that 1 year, you are not considered fully qualified until you complete a Newly Qualified Teacher year in a school and you have 5 years to complete that year. I had considered taking a break in between to go travelling and have a baby, and then complete the NQT year a couple of years later since I have 5 years to do it anyway, but this is very much advised against as it shows a lack of commitment to the career, and since it is a competitive career, jobs are then more likely to go to people who didn't take a break. Urgh, it's hard!
Hi ljandrl...

I live in the UK and I'm a newly qualified teacher, soon to finish my first year in July. I went straight to college and then onto university because I needed to follow my dreams; my dream to be a Primary school teacher. I'm currrently teaching 4-5 year olds, Early Years, and it is the best decision I have never made. To have worked so hard for a career that is so rewarding, you can't beat that. I understand that most mother's feel like they have the best job in the world, but there are also so many other mother's who work as teachers, nurses etc. If you have children now and don't follow your dream, what happens when your children are at school? Do you return to a job that makes you miserable? I felt that by completing my teaching degree, when the time comes that I do have children I would be able to support them financially, and although I wouldn't spoil them, it would be great to know I could buy them what they wanted and I couldn't do that without my job.

Best of luck with your decision, I just thought I'd leave my thoughts as teacher.