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Remember What’s Important
As I sit to write this column, summer vacation is about six weeks away. I know that teachers are looking forward to a well-deserved break not only because it’s the end of the school year but also because their workload is increasing.
And while this holds true for all our members, nowhere is this more apparent than with the 40 per cent of our members who are without hours-of-work or instructional-time clauses in their collective agreements. I suspect they are keen to obtain these clauses in their agreements during upcoming negotiations. It’s not surprising, therefore, that workload is the number one concern of teachers. Even Thomas Lukaszuk, Alberta’s previous minister of education, promised to look into teachers’ workload because he realized that teachers in some jurisdictions were working about 60 hours per week and that more than half that time was not spent with students.
To prepare for this column, I spoke to colleagues in different jurisdictions about their experiences with work–life balance, but I’ll begin by telling you about my personal experiences as a primary school teacher. (I’ll preface my comments by saying that I worked with amazing staff and administration.)
Ever since I began teaching, more than 30 years ago, my time spent supervising students increased dramatically over the years. When I began my career, students went home for lunch; in rural communities, only students who were bussed to school stayed for lunch. Over the years, however, the expectation was that each classroom teacher would supervise students as they ate lunch in their classroom. Teachers were encouraged to “enjoy” their lunch with the students, which on the surface didn’t seem unreasonable. But my experience in a primary classroom was that after opening countless thermoses and food containers, little time was left for me to enjoy my lunch. Often I’d be on my way out the door for playground supervision, where I’d eat my sandwich as I circulated the school grounds.
When I was still teaching, my colleagues and I (despite our busy lives) still managed to support each other. We were like a family. When a colleague was in difficulty, we pulled together and supported that person. When a staff member qualified for a Habitat home, many of us put in long hours helping with the construction. When my mother died, I received support from my colleagues; staff brought food and helped me out in many ways. And recently, when I was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, I received much support from my colleagues.
The expectations placed on today’s teachers are escalating exponentially. I don’t need to list the additional duties demanded of teachers in their day-to-day work—you are already all too familiar with them. But I must mention two things that increase both workload and stress—the erosion of the class size initiative and lack of support for special needs and English as a second language students.
Elementary teachers have told me that on a good day they might get 10 minutes to gulp down lunch and have a washroom break. This situation applies specifically to teachers who do not have hours-of-work or assignable-time clauses in their collective agreements. On average, full-time classroom teachers have 145 minutes of supervision per week. As a consequence, there is less time for preparation. Added to teachers’ already busy schedules are evening Christmas concerts, open houses, coaching, evening parent–teacher interviews, staff meetings, professional learning meetings, jurisdictional initiatives and various other assignments. And after all of this, marking and preparation still need to be done.
Additionally, many teachers have to put in extra time to assist students with special needs. One teacher told me about a wheelchair-bound student in her class. She is expected to meet the school bus in the morning and bring the child into the school. In winter, when the snow is deep and the sidewalks aren’t shovelled, she carries him.
Many teachers reported that their days are much longer than when they first began teaching. Is it any wonder that teachers are overworked? Is it any wonder that they are resisting anytime, anyplace and any pace education delivery?
Canadian researcher Linda Duxbury, in a recent survey of Alberta teachers, reported that almost 60 per cent of our members are dissatisfied with the level of their workload, and about 50 per cent of them admit to putting their work before their family. This alarming trend cannot be sustained in the long term. Duxbury also found that, on average, teachers provide two extra days per week to their employers. Fifty per cent reported that technology has added stress to their work lives (Duxbury refers to technology as the “spawn of Satan”).
Teachers often get caught up in their careers because their careers define who they are. I’m reminded time and again that it is our families and friends who sustain us, and for that reason, I encourage you to find proper balance in your life. As teachers, it is your dedication, your commitment and your passion that safeguard Alberta’s public education system and ensure that all students receive a first-rate education. I commend you for that dedication, but remember that time passes quickly and life can change in a second. Make sure you balance your career life and your family life. Live everyday as if it were your last … and enjoy your summer vacation!
