family matters

Maternity, paternity leave challenges teachers to straddle classroom, home life

emily chen & elena alaniz opinions editor & section editor

Becoming a parent is an exciting and lifechanging experience, but for teachers, it means navigating the challenges of taking time away from the classroom. From preparing lesson plans in advance to setting boundaries with students, their stories and experiences shed light on the unique balance that is required when navigating both parenthood and teaching.

In the early stages of becoming a new parent, it can be difficult for teachers to shift their views that places their upcoming child before their job. However, the excitement of the upcoming child aids in making that change.

“It’s all about trying to have your ducks in a row so you can focus on what you need to focus on, but also knowing that it’s your time,” anatomy teacher Nathanael Buchner said. “It’s a whole new different mindset of [understanding my students are important], but I have this whole new avenue of life that is also now important.”

While wrapped up in the excitement of welcoming a new life into the world, the inevitable reality of returning to school becomes a looming thought for many teachers. The challenge of balancing parenting responsibilities with teaching is a transition that requires careful consideration and planning.

“It’s going to be really hard to leave [my children]. You’re going to be missing some of those moments like their first time crawling or [their] first time laughing,” said math teacher Victoria Buchner, who is married to Nathanael Buchner. “So when I come home, I’ll have papers to grade and lesson plans to do [but] I’ll be wanting to spend time with them. It’s hard to juggle it all.”

The challenging and stressful process of maternity leave begins as soon as the teacher fills out the paperwork. For many teaching parents, the governmental aspect of applying for maternity leave feels like a confusing scramble.

“You apply for FMLA, which is a family and medical leave of absence. That’s just the federal 12 weeks your job is protected, but it’s not paid,” English teacher Elyssa Bell said. “Then the only amount of time that you are paid is however much you have accrued in your sick and state days of

“I was actually in the hospital, sending sub plans for about the first week, until they were able to get my long-term sub in,” Elyssa Bell said. “We had planned [for me] to start [maternity leave] a month later, so then it took about a week until the long-term sub got into place.”

However, it can be difficult for students to get the full learning experience without their normal teacher in place.

“Obviously, they were affected because I wasn’t here to teach them,” Nathanael Buchner said. “[They’d] rather have me here actually explaining things as opposed to [watching a video].” absence. I probably had four to six weeks built up.”

Preparing for paternity leave can be a challenge for any teacher, but with careful planning, it is possible to ensure that students continue to receive quality instruction in their teacher’s absence.

“In the fall, I spent time each week prepping videos, lessons, materials, and activities that [my classes] could do while I was gone,” Nathanael Buchner said.

Victoria Buchner tried a different route to compensate for her absence: a long-term sub.

“[The substitute teacher] shadow-taught with me the last week I was there to kind of get the ropes and meet the kids,” Victoria Buchner said. “That week of shadowing really made all the difference.”

However, long-term sub plans don’t always go hand and hand with an unexpectedly early birth.

Whether through flexibility in scheduling, extended leave options, or simply a culture of understanding and support, it is clear that prioritizing the wellbeing of parents benefits everyone involved in the education system.

“Plan in advance,” Victoria Buchner said. “If you know you’re going to be out, try and find someone qualified, make sure it’s a good fit. A good support team makes all the difference.”