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WHILE TEACHERS FREQUENTLY get involved in many activities in their schools and their school communities, the Teaching Quality Standard defines the job of teaching according to six categories:
- Fostering effective relationships
- Engaging in career-long learning
- Demonstrating a professional body of knowledge
- Establishing inclusive learning environments
- Applying foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit
- Adhering to legal frameworks and policies
To effectively teach while ensuring that you are meeting the TQS requires a great deal of effort and time. A workload study that was completed in December of 2015 found that “the typical work week for a teacher was 48 hours….” During certain periods of the year, such as report card time or September, a teacher’s work week is even longer.
If you spend that amount of time doing the job of teacher, how much time can you commit to other school-based activities? The answer is different for every teacher.
Some activities may actually help you meet the Teaching Quality Standard. Coaching a sports team certainly helps foster effective relationships with students. Volunteering to be on a committee to ensure First Nations, Métis and Inuit issues are addressed in the school will also help you better apply foundational knowledge in your classroom. These activities add to your work week, but may also support your teaching.
Too much time at work can have consequences for your personal life. Spending quality time with loved ones increases teachers’ resilience to the stresses of day-to-day teaching. If you no longer have time away from work to look after yourself, your teaching effectiveness may be hampered. Teachers must take time for themselves to ensure they are at their best.
