Women with dependent children -

their journeys through a primary teacher training

programme and the impact on their families.

Stephanie White

Student population at CCE has changed in recent years. An increasing number of mature-aged students, many with dependent children, have chosen primary teacher training as their pathway to engage in lifelong learning .

As a mother myself engaged in lifelong learning while working part-time and caring for my family, I wondered….

how do mothers who are also students manage it all?

Why this topic?

CCE – Primary Teacher ( teaching years 0-8) 3 year degree including 2 professional teaching practices per year.

Exploring the reasons for choosing this pathway for lifelong learning.

Identifying the key partnerships with those who support them in a variety of ways

Identifying the issues that impact on them and their families as they manage this journey.

What can we as a College do better?

Context for the study

6 female students studying at all 3 levels of the degree.

Ages range from 22yrs -49yrs. Dependent children range from 1-4, and ages

between 3-23yrs. 2 single parents, 2 married, 1 de facto relationship Offer unique life experiences, circumstances,

motivations, commitments, support, feelings, backgrounds, values and attitudes.

The mothers

Draws on feminist theory and qualitative research Semi-structured interviews and short personal

narratives used to share the women's voices and the dynamics of their gender

Provides an opportunity to understand social reality and value the complexity of other peoples lives

Principles of feminist research influenced all aspects of the study

Methodology

As a woman researcher known to the students as a mother, lecturer and part-time student, my position was open and transparent

However, in my role as their lecturer and Dean for second year students , I was privy to other information about these students that was not divulged through the research, but came to my attention later on in the year.

Extremely important to me and the mothers not to exploit or manipulate such knowledge to influence my research.

Ethical issues

Their journeys

The stories and experiences appear to be gendered – guilt for leaving their children, not being at home enough, not having enough time, having to organise childcare, lack of money, keeping up with the domestic stuff…all strong female concerns

Motivation to become primary teachers a strong influence on their decisions to engage in lifelong learning

Practicalities of juggling both roles has a huge impact on them and their families

Gender Women have feelings of guilt about leaving their

children and not being home as much, need to organise childcare, struggle to put their own needs first – all culturally and socially appropriate experiences for women (Baxter & Blight, 1997)

Time problems are particularly acute for female students with children – balancing caring and domestic commitments with their studies (Lynch, 1997)

Juggling higher education with domestic responsibilities and ensuring their new role as a student doesn’t infringe too much on their established roles in the family (Baxter & Blight, 1997)

Loss of a social life, no time for friends, feeling that any spare time should be spent with their children, not being involved in wider aspects of student life( Blaxter & Tight, 1994)

Motivation chose the female dominated and socially acceptable

field of primary teaching as a career, but also succumbed to the social tradition of being a mother first and foremost

Most thought of being a teacher early on in life..but LIFE got in the way

Decisions to finally enrol fitted around their roles as mothers and their positive experiences with their own children and their schooling

Solo mothers desire to provide for their children, get off the benefit, have a career that allowed time with their children (school holidays)

Older mothers desire to be more than “just the Mum” – doing something for themselves - personal development, self improvement (Kantanis, 2002 )

Practicalities Children’s feelings – positive and

negative Childcare (Griffiths, 2002) Support networks (Duncan, 1995) Money woes (Lidgard, 2004) Time poverty (Cantwell & Mulhearn,

1997)

Partnerships Key partnerships begin with the people who care for

their children – family, friends, childcare staff Support from their partners, children and/or family

members in their decision to become teachers makes their journey more successful

College as an institution and the staff associated with it- extensions to assignments, absences from classes to care for sick children, professional practices close to home, etc

Fellow students who understand the extra demands on mothers in terms of lack of time for socialising and extra studying, childcare constraints and financial problems

College support more formalised support system for students with

children, such as a child friendly space, a designated quiet space, and opportunities for family members to come on campus (Bay, 1999)

Experienced and beginning teachers with children offering advice and support for students with children on how to cope when they become full time teachers!!

Priority for childcare at the College centre and the creation of an after school care programme

Better lecturer understanding around issues to do with their children

Recommendations setting up of more formal learning communities for

students with children establish a properly resourced space and support

person for students to bring their children.. especially after school and in the weekends

extended childcare for school- aged children more money, more time, more flexibly available

childcare, and more sympathetic timetabling to reflect school hours- some ideas to provide equitable access to tertiary education for students with dependent children

References

Bay (1999 ) Baxter & Blight (1997 ) Blaxter & Tight (1994 ) Cantwell & Mulhearn (1997 ) Duncan (1995 ) Griffiths ( 2002) Kantanis ( 2002 ) Lidgard ( 2004) Lynch (1997 )