Teacher extra work : a local perspective
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Date
2003
Authors
Pomahac, Guy
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Education
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Education, 2003
Abstract
In this study, 78% (305) teachers of the Alberta Teachers Association Local #41 and Lethbridge
Public School District #51, were asked to provide information concerning their present working
conditions. In addition, 106 of those respondents took part in a week- long logbook providing
more detailed data on the working life of teachers.
Three subsets of teachers (elementary school-junior high/middle school-high school) tabulated
their extra time spent devoted to (1) professional duties and (2) out of school commitment to
instruction. Respondents included: 153 elementary, 57 junior high/middle school and 95 high
school teachers. Of the 106 (100%) responding to logbooks, 58 were elementary, 25 were junior
high/middle and 23 were high school teachers. On average, teachers in the district as a whole
devoted 162.4 hours yearly to professional activities over assigned contractual workload hours
(elementary-178.4 hours, junior high/middle school-191.5 hours, high school-119.3 hours). Their
extra out-of-school commitment to instruction provided an average of 209.2 hours yearly over
assigned contractual workload hours (elementary-123.4 hours, junior high/middle school-243.2
hours, high school-327.0 hours). When total average hours of extra work of professional and
school expected time were adjusted to account for preparation time, the figures were 323, 316,
and 290 respectively for elementary, junior high, and high school. These data show that there is
little discernable difference in the amount of extra work done.
Logbooks documented respondents averaging 9.25 hours engaged in school and professional
activities during a typical work day. On the weekend respondents recorded an average 6.25 hours
further devoted to school and professional related activities. Broken down by subset, school
related/professional hours on the weekend included: elementary- 7.41/0.24, junior high/middle
school-3.82/0.86, high school-4.0/2.3 respectively. The study provided ATA Local #41 with important information that would expand the baseline
data with regard to collective contract agreements and present working conditions. First, it gave
future committee members and researchers a basis for comparison. Secondly, the study
determined how much time teachers in the district spent on specific teaching and school related
activities, and how this differed between elementary, junior/middle and high school levels.
Thirdly, the study provided data for comparison in regard to provincial wide studies on teacher
workload. Finally, the study provided the Local with data useful in informing the public and
other education stakeholders about the nature of teacher workloads.
Description
ix, 109 leaves ; 29 cm. --
Keywords
Teachers -- Workload -- Alberta -- Lethbridge