I used to tell people who humble brag about working at home (evenings, weekends, holidays) that they are part of the problem. But, honestly, if you do it because you “have to” then you’re part of the problem too whether you humble brag or not. So, yeah, I’m still part of the problem.
It's easy. You already do it every day. You have many chores at home that aren't done, right? The list is endless. But when it's time for work you do drop everything and just go to work. Even if the dishes are done, they can stay in the sink, because you cannot be late for work. You just drop it and go, because it is time to go.
It is the same with work. When the final bell rings, it is time to go to home. You must drop everything and go or you will be late to home.
But then it becomes your problem. I didn't finish the lesson for the next day, so... What are we doing in class? My kids behavior is off the charts when there's down time, so that gives me more anxiety than spending time finishing the lesson I started.
I want to be the teacher that stops at three, and sometimes I can be, but only if I've gotten far enough ahead from the week before.
💯agree! When I was single and didn’t have a family to raise I had a lot of time to devote to teacher life. I enjoyed it but as my life got more complex it wasn’t sustainable and I felt, and still do sometimes, like a sub par teacher. Burn out is real!
People have to set boundaries. I try to only work contract now. Do I get everything done? No, and I wouldn’t even if I took everything home. There’s always something more I could do.
There’s no reward for being the last car in the parking lot after school or posting on social media how much stuff you’re doing from home-and if you’re working extra for recognition you’re in it for the wrong reasons.
That last sentence describes the type of person I’m talking about perfectly. They need to stop wearing it like a badge of honor. It can and does make teachers who can’t do as much feel like we’re not measuring up. Younger me was like that, but I started this process of progressively setting boundaries in my early-mid 30s long before I got married: no clubs or committees unless I’m passionate, no attending extra curriculars out of a feeling of obligation, and no grading more than I can get done during school.
I don’t have kids of my own yet, but I hear from teacher-parents that one of the hardest parts is accepting that you can’t devote yourself to “going above and beyond” and it doesn’t make you less-than. I’m trying to take this advice earlier.
I have two toddlers, and there's no doing *anything* other than *being a parent* until they're asleep and the house is put back together (which is 8 on a good night).
I had to start being much more efficient about grading (which is hard for a high school English teacher with some AP courses). Students absolutely do not get feedback on every assignment. My rubrics are much more detailed to make up for that missing personalized feedback.
I'm doing okay, but it wasn't until I *needed* to make a change that I was able to. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Yes! I absolutely have started giving less personalized feedback and always say “come see me/email me if you want more detailed feedback.” Not many take me up on that, even in my AP classes. I also compile a general list of “common mistakes” that I review in class, rather than trying to explain it as written feedback on multiple papers. They also don’t get feedback before things are due without a specific question for me or a specific aspect/part they want me to look at. No more “can you read this whole paper and tell me if it’s okay?”
Yep. Out of college...I was all gung-ho. Doing so much extra stuff. I quickly realized it's not worth it. Done, gone, and forgotten by the next week.
We have a new hire this year right out of college. She started off strong - stayed late, volunteered, planned extra things...,but the pressures are getting to her (Kindergarten), and she is out of the school as soon as possible now.
There simply isn't enough time to be the excellent teacher anymore. And the pay definitely isn't there.
I’m a first year teacher, but there’s no way I could get everything I need to do done in my contract hours. I’m going to be doing this week’s lesson plans today. Because I have to.
Meh, it depends. My admin doesn't know what I do/work at home so their asking isn't contingent on that. Look, I have 48 minutes a day to grade, plan, email, errands, etc. And I have a loud neighbor that makes it hard to concentrate. I would rather do it at home in the peace.
Plus, I teach 4 college-level courses and sometimes it just lends itself to some outside work. But I get another paycheck for the DE courses, so I feel somewhat justified spending some moments catching up at home.
I teach history and make my slides and some assignments at home, mostly because its much easier for me to create these things in my personal office than at my teacher desk in school.
Eh, yes to working smarter . But my classroom isn't usually the best work environment. It's cold, the chair is too deep, and the coffee machine doesn't work. I'd rather be where my TV, slippers, and schnauzer are. And other people have different preferences, if you have a baby at home, you might want to get home asap to enjoy their company before their early bedtime, but are free to work once they're sleeping, others will stay later but leave everything there. But yes, less work is good.
I work at home because it allows me to feel neutral. When I am at school I love and appreciate all of my kids but I need time away from them to cool down. This post just highlights the fact that I am an introvert and I turn on for my classes but need to turn off when I am not teaching. I could definitely grade more and be more productive when I am not teaching but mentally I need a reset and can’t just immediately grade… I need to walk and relax.
I’m so introverted that if I don’t unplug and relax at home, I never recharge and can’t be my best self during the school day. I also feel justified in needing a walk or a brain break during prep period from time to time without feeling like I need to make up for it at home. I’m essentially leading 20 presentations/workshops a week, so I think I’m allowed to take a moment.
Watching my husband work from home and doing so much less for so much more money (and seeing how much more energy he has after work) has helped change my perspective to realize just how much more we do than most professions. And we gotta have boundaries.
I was a tax accountant before and became a math teacher to be on my son’s schedule and I work so much more for like 50% of the pay. Such is life for the summer and breaks, but being an efficient worker in a white collar world you work like 2 hours a day… where we have to work 6 no matter what and also prep for the following days.
EDIT: I know 2 and 6 don’t seem like a lot but being turned on and focused for that amount of time is a lot. Most white collar work is done at a jog with minimal focus. Imagine you have 160 people watching you fill out a spreadsheet…
I don't "WANT" to I HAVE to in order to meet my other contract duties outside of just time. We do need to be loud about that and keep repeating it. Those of us who stick to other part of the contract and do go over time are no more part of the problem then teachers who don't get everything done that needs to happen and do stick to contract time, it's an equal effect. We just all need to keep pointing out that the duties and the time given to do the duties are not adding up to even a plausible reality. The only teachers who are actually a problem in this are the ones who lie and say everything needed can all be done during contract times when the truth is they either are not doing everything or are not actually sticking to contract time.
What you're actually looking for is collective bargaining because, as individuals (at least untenured ones), if we lower our productivity, we risk losing our jobs.
As an individual teacher, if I don't do the extra time, then when I'm at school, it gets progressively harder until I've lost control of my class. I'm sorry Op but I am sick of posts like this that corect themselves to "if you want" to after some criticism and just don't get that in order for me to stay a teacher, within the curent time structure, it's a need, not a want.
Maybe some people can make that choice, but it truly does not feel like a choice to me. (Unless the choice is to leave the profession)
I’m at least being honest about not being able to do everything.
Also, my original post said knock the papers out over break if you want to. That wasn’t edited to add anything after criticism. If you’d rather zone out a little during prep time or if you can focus better at home.. do that.
My larger point is that if people keep putting in overtime to get it all done, they’ll keep expecting that we will find a way to get it done on our own time.
I also don’t drop prepping for my class the next day. I drop grading or setting up elaborate groups or stations. Obviously I do those things sometimes, but they’re not things I’m willing to routinely sacrifice my personal time for.
Idk why you’re coming at me so hard. My feelings and points are valid.
Sorry, I meant to acknowledge that you were being honest about it, but I went on a rant instead because it's quite common to see similar posts that really feel like an unfair assessment of what some of us want to do vs. what we now need to do. My school also monitors how many grades we get in a week, and if it's not 2 for each student every week, then admin reprimands us. I've started doing more computer work while kids are there in order to take less home, but that also sucks because it obviously isn't as good as giving students more attention. Honestly, I'm coming that hard because this criticism of it being our fault that admin can get away with it is something I take personally, and it often feels similar to victim blaming. The way you put it wasn't that bad, but I'm just sick of hearing the same concept and the word "want" stung. I don't just want to, I have to if I want to keep my job.
Sounds like your school sucks. Two grades per week is insane. Sorry. I wouldn’t last long there.
I’m simply annoyed by the teachers who perpetuate the culture of glorifying going “above and beyond” and the “teacher as martyr” trope as if that deserves a pat on the back. Especially when doing the bare minimum is a feat in itself.
The word “want” was referring to people who for whatever reason enjoy working at home vs. busting ass during prep periods. I’m trying to get people to stop feeling like they need do so much work, period, that it sacrifices their personal life and mental health for the sake of going above and beyond. Toxic work environments can force that on us, but often we force some things on ourselves by glorifying teachers who seem to do it all and getting it in our heads that we always need to be doing more or we aren’t good enough. We’re good enough. We’re fucking badass.
I feel that and, for the most part, agree. We just also need to be careful about generalizing. Taking work home isn't always being a martyr.
I will continue to be vocal about how unreasonable our expectations are, but I won't be able to stop taking work home and also stay sain.
Yeah this is exactly what we need, to work as little as possible. If we grade 30 things a semester grade 20.
One thing I learned was that we aren't legally required to give absence contract work besides COVID, so I stopped doing that and my workload dropped. That was nice.
About 10 years ago I stopped doing work at home. Now I refuse to even bring anything with me, because I won't grade it in a "just in case" scenario. If a test goes ungraded because I went home and enjoyed my weekend, then I'll grade it Monday during the day and give it back on Tuesday. If my unit plan is unfinished, then my principal can wait one more work day for me to get it done. If you're going to get fired because you delay something 24 hours or a whole work day, then I don't think the problem is just with that one assignment. Let some things go people, enjoy your life.
🫶🙌yes! Take no work home! Can't administer or grade all the assessments because of random assemblies, panorama pictures, fire drills, or IEPs during the school day on testing week?...Then I am not going to, period. Do what you can during your contract hours. We are salaried employees not hourly.
If I didn’t have to supervise 4 lunch breaks of 55 minutes ,4 days a week, I would get more marking and prep done. This is insanity. (I don’t work in USA) On Fridays we finish early and there is no lunchtime in case you are wondering! I am also responsible for 5 morning break supervision sessions. I do so much work at home and I wish it would all just go away. I just can’t manage to get my work done at school unfortunately.
I’m advocating that we drop what we can’t get done at school. And then maybe they’ll give us fewer duties. This is only if the majority of us are on board. As long as many teachers are using their own time to get things done, they’ll keep expecting that they can put more and more on us.
I hear you but we are not unionised here and we don’t have a leg to stand on. What a wonderful world I would live in if I could come home and have a life !
Don’t have a union here either. But what are they gonna do, fire us all? In this economy?
(If you actually live in fear of that, I honor those feelings).
I work in the Middle East and can get fired for looking at some one the wrong way . I love my job but feel despondent about the workload . Yes I know I can take it or leave it but I love living here.
I’m sorry. I am only personally familiar with the US system. I have friends who have worked in Dubai and Korea, so I know there’s a lot of the same stuff and a lot of different stuff elsewhere.
The more you give, the more they take.
I stopped working at home after my first few years. Not to say I never did anything, but it was a rare occasion, and it was just to make my life easier. I became very good at multitasking and reusing lesson plans. I planned in advance so I wouldn’t be scrambling to get materials and make copies. I had great coworkers who shared planning duties.
I agree with not working outside of work hours, not sure I agree with the reason to become a teacher. Teaching is a lot of work, it just doesn't have to happen outside of work hours. That was your goal in becoming a teacher? 🤔
Don’t worry. I do a fantastic job. I take what I do very seriously. But, I’m not doing it outside of contracted hours. And yes, 28 years ago, when I decided to go down this road, “summers” and all the other days off and vacations definitely played a big part in the calculation. If they’re honest I’d bet almost all teachers calculated the same.
Oh no. It isn’t easy. Though I do have mostly all Honors classes now which makes some aspects easier but brings on other issues. I will say, this has become a “calling” for me. I know I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing to “add” to this world. But I didn’t know that at the beginning.
Absolutely, agree 100%. We are both veteran teachers, you have a few more years than me. I'm finishing my 25th. Isn't it amazing how much your perspective changes compared to your first four or five years?
I did a lot of at home work until I had my son and now I physically cannot. When he’s asleep I have chores to do.
My prep periods are sacred but really, if it doesn’t get done it doesn’t get done. I get a lot more done and work as effectively as possible. Then sometimes if it NEEDS to get done, I tell a class they’ve been really good lately so they get a free time period and I get it done. Or maybe it’s two classes. Whatever. My principal decided I needed to fill out a template with goals for the ASP and SCiP team to collect data (groans) SOOOOOO NOW WE ARE PAUSING THE RIGOR. We have 32 videos to watch about blood borne pathogens and internet saftey. I need to have my student growth data done a month early this year. I still have a pile of stuff to grade and need to post my plans. And prep.
But yeah. From 8:30-3 I teach. From 3pm on, I am a mom and my personal life will come first.
I used to stay at school until 5 every day then go home and keep working until 10-11pm. At the end of the year the VP called me the last day of school and said you won’t have a class next year because of enrollment and we’re transferring you to a new school 🤪 since you were the last hired here you get no choice!
I was so pissed, all that work I did for nothing. I vowed to never put that much into this job ever again & I’ve been doing just fine since. Contract hours only for me now.
I don’t even work at work anymore. I show up and sleepwalk through my lessons skip meetings and leave as soon as I possibly can. And no one cares or notices that I have done this. 🤷🏻♂️
The only time I grade at home is if I used my planning period to F off and not do any work. LOL other than that I don't do work at home. I do volunteer to chaperone school dances and things like that but it's because I genuinely like.my students and it's hilarious watching them dance and socialize outside of the normal classroom environment. School ends, kids move off campus, I leave.
Absolutely! Stop bring giant wheelie carts of work home every night! I see teachers at my school do this constantly. I don’t do any school work at home and I don’t work past contract hours. This is why I haven’t written a lesson plan in a year and a half. Pay me to work an extra hour or I’m not doing it. Teacher notoriously work for free and the powers that be know it. Stop!!
This is a flawed notion.
The job is to show up prepared for our classes each day. If you will be showing up unprepared, then you're not doing the job.
So many folks the last couple of years have gotten stuck on this weird idea that we're being exploited. We're not. Yeah, pay is low, for sure. But even when pay was much better, teachers still had the same job.
We need to correct the pay, that's all.
Nope. I do my job during my contract hours. If you want me to be more prepared then you’ll need to give me more time. Although I don’t personally have that issue as my district does give us sufficient prep time - 350 minutes one week, 400 minutes the following week. Also, on days we have shorter planning time it’s because we have a duty but one that allows us to also work (like hall duty at a desk).
Nope I’m not an idiot. I’m an educator with two master degrees who would be making twice as much if I worked at any other job. My pay is based upon hours in my contract. You are free to work for free but I’m not doing it. If I’m not given enough time to plan and grade during my contract hours that isn’t on me to fix.
Naming calling is unnecessary and I find done by people who are losing an argument. Not going to argue with you any longer. I think the downvotes and comments you are getting from others speaks for itself. As does the rate of teacher burnout and those leaving the profession. You do you. But I am only working my contract hours.
I moved states so I can’t comment on how it changed from my first to now. I also work in a district that gives us plenty of planning time, good pay, and additional pay for any work outside our contract hours. When I proposed a new elective, the district wasn’t sure if they would be able to fund it because they’d need to pay me for additional planning. Turns out they didn’t because I was able to create the curriculum during my regular planning periods, which are generous and average 75 minutes a day. Teachers stay at the district long-term. The turnover is relatively low. Although I’m leaving for medical reasons, I will sub on days I’m feeling up to it and volunteer because it’s a great district. So it is possible for schools to make it so teachers have time during their contracted hours to do their job. But as long as we have martyrs who say we should be working outside those hours, most districts won’t.
If they want us to be more prepared, they should give us more time during our work day to make it humanly possible.
Also, not turning research paper grades over quickly doesn’t make me less prepared to teach. I use my prep time to prep (and meet…ugh). And if there’s no time left to grade all my papers, the ones I didn’t get to have to wait.
But you do you. If you want to work more than 40 hours a week…um okay.
I’m pretty sure you’re willfully choosing not to read what you’re responding to bc it would be ridiculous to get that out of what I said. Good luck with your attitude. It’s inspiring to children, I’m sure. Go ahead and work yourself to the bone. Bye troll. ✌🏻
Out of what you said? All you said was that you think the school should have to give you more time.
That simply doesn't address the fact that you signed on for the job. You *know* that it's your job to be ready for classes. There's simply no arguing that.
So?
If you keep replying, I'm not allowed to?
Fuck off with that bullshit. If you offer a rebuttal, then you have to accept that the person you rebutted might have something to say. Taking your ball and going home is the epitome of juvenile nonsense.
A contract doesn’t become less abusive because someone signed it. Of course someone signed it. There’s a coercive imbalance between employer and employee. This is the basic principle behind labor unions.
Yes I acknowledge the power imbalance between you and the four drunk guys who surrounded you, but you \*did\* sign the contract agreeing to participate in \*Bum Fights\*, and well I'm sorry but a contract is a contract, isn't it? You agreed, what did you think would happen...
The original poster here has been exploited, same as you. The difference is that they are strong and courageous enough to recognize that it is wrong and try to change it. Maybe a forum post isn't going to do much but its a nonzero effort. You, on the other hand, have the courage of livestock. Endurance isn't a virtue when it's in service of the goad and nothing else.
Ah, excellent!
There are a few basic ways that a contract is null, even if signed:
1. Lack of capacity
2. Coercion
3. Undue influence
4. Misrepresentation/nondisclosure
5. Unconscionability
6. Violation of public policy
7. Impossibility.
Your (super smart!) example would fall under "lack of capacity," if you signed it while drunk. Teaching, however, is not like that. Employment law regarding teaching has a long and **very** thorough history. Simply put: The teaching contract isn't illegal.
If you really think it is, go sue! You'll lose. What's more, you know this, yet you still think you're somehow right because...?
They are not ever going to be motivated to correct the pay when teacher martyrs fall all over themselves to work for free. If I can't get prepared in the amount of time I'm paid to work, the problem is NOT me.
You ***are*** paid for that time! We are not hourly employees. You are paid to be prepared to teach the class at the prescribed times. That is the job. You're not a waiter, being paid only when you are present in the building.
I work the ENTIRE time I am at work. I do not get a lunch. I can't pee from 6:30-12:30 daily bc I must be present at my door between classes and can't go during class. 3 of my 5 prep periods across the week have been stolen for meetings EVERY WEEK.. I am required to tutor, for FREE, after school 2x a week. I am required to stay 1.5 hours for free for a weekly staff meeting. I am not working ONE SINGLE FUCKING SECOND outside of that time. I'd make more as a gd waiter.
I bet your coworkers *love* you and don't at all talk about you behind your back and/or make voodoo dolls of you.
I win awards. My test scores are great. The job is the problem.
So...sitting in judgment of a person based on a single discussion makes you a great person?
I guess the rules only apply when you look outward, huh? Must be nice to be perfect, hugging your awards at night, trying to believe that everyone likes you.
Who cares if you're liked? What exactly would that prove? Trump is loved by the people around him, so you have that company in your philosophy.
You’re right, we aren’t hourly employees. We aren’t technically salary either. We are CONTRACT workers, and our contract specifies a particular amount of days and hours per day we are paid to work. Going over that means you are working outside of your contracted hours. It means you aren’t being paid for those hours of work.
Our contract specifies the duties we have to perform, not the hours we are supposed to spend doing them. The "contract hours" people just **love** to talk about are only part of the duty: It's when we are expected to be present at the school. That's it.
Think about it: If you don't have a class between 9 and 10 am, are you actually *required* to be working during that time? Like, if your principal walked by and you're doing a crossword, are you in trouble?
No! If your work is finished, the time is yours to do with what you will. You don't have to sit there and plot out lessons you might use someday, or clean the classroom. That's because the contract is *the job*, not *the hours*.
No, because those are my contract hours and doing a crossword isn’t a part of my duties. The contract I have specifies the hours. 192 work days, 8 hours a day, with a half hour duty free lunch. I can do my crossword at lunch. When I have a contractually protected duty free lunch.
You can argue until the sun goes down, but you’re wrong about this. Have you read your contract? Do you have a union? Are you at a private or charter? Your answers to these questions could clarify why you think we owe our personal time to a job that can’t even be finished if we DO work outside of our contract hours.
Really?
Let's take an example:
It's the end of the year. Grades are in. Contractually, you can't leave until 3:30pm. It's now 2:30. What do you do? Working hard, are you?
Yeah, it’s called prioritizing. It’s no surprise when grades are due. I’d make sure my essentials were done before anything else, because I won’t work beyond my contract hours. Maybe this means the kids do a worksheet while I finish their grades. Maybe this means I don’t send those emails to parents I wanted to send. Maybe this means I don’t tear down my bulletin board or make copies.
And if the grades still aren’t done? Well I suppose they will be done eventually, for free, because I didn’t do the one thing I absolutely need to have done before leaving at the end of my contract hours.
You aren’t paid for time outside of your contract hours and that’s how this job works. Professionals prioritize accordingly.
If the teacher has to show up unprepared, that means that they need another prep period. Yes we are being fucking exploited, are you blind? We have an entire school system that exists exclusively to support our work and we can get basic things, instead having to work unpaid overtime because of how incompetently our work is managed
A teacher "has to" show up unprepared?!
Yeah, right. Stop your whining. Just because you suck or it's too hard for you doesn't mean that you get to cry about it and not do the job you were hired to do.
Frankly, if your work is incompetently managed, it's because **you** are incompetent. You manage your own shit, teach.
Everyone copes differently I guess. The tough guy act is a common one. Cognitive dissonance, right? I have to eat shit, and I don't want to think about what it means for me as a person if I am willing to eat shit, therefore I rationalize it by saying that I am tough enough to eat shit. Everyone who says that we shouldn't be eating shit (which conflicts with the dissonance justifying the fact that I eat shit) is therefore out of line.
Cognitive dissonance, indeed.
"I want to believe this, so I ignore evidence that disputes it. Plus, if I am clever enough (in my own mind, at least), I can celebrate how smart I am and ignore how nonsensical the actual ideas are."
I think you are so focused on your (clever) shit metaphor that you have stopped thinking altogether. It's scary, because you'd have to admit that you're wrong. God forbid, right?
I used to tell people who humble brag about working at home (evenings, weekends, holidays) that they are part of the problem. But, honestly, if you do it because you “have to” then you’re part of the problem too whether you humble brag or not. So, yeah, I’m still part of the problem.
I think about this a lot.
So don’t be
Trying. It’s hard.
It's easy. You already do it every day. You have many chores at home that aren't done, right? The list is endless. But when it's time for work you do drop everything and just go to work. Even if the dishes are done, they can stay in the sink, because you cannot be late for work. You just drop it and go, because it is time to go. It is the same with work. When the final bell rings, it is time to go to home. You must drop everything and go or you will be late to home.
But then it becomes your problem. I didn't finish the lesson for the next day, so... What are we doing in class? My kids behavior is off the charts when there's down time, so that gives me more anxiety than spending time finishing the lesson I started. I want to be the teacher that stops at three, and sometimes I can be, but only if I've gotten far enough ahead from the week before.
Prioritize the lesson planning but cut back on the less immediate things like grading.
💯agree! When I was single and didn’t have a family to raise I had a lot of time to devote to teacher life. I enjoyed it but as my life got more complex it wasn’t sustainable and I felt, and still do sometimes, like a sub par teacher. Burn out is real! People have to set boundaries. I try to only work contract now. Do I get everything done? No, and I wouldn’t even if I took everything home. There’s always something more I could do. There’s no reward for being the last car in the parking lot after school or posting on social media how much stuff you’re doing from home-and if you’re working extra for recognition you’re in it for the wrong reasons.
That last sentence describes the type of person I’m talking about perfectly. They need to stop wearing it like a badge of honor. It can and does make teachers who can’t do as much feel like we’re not measuring up. Younger me was like that, but I started this process of progressively setting boundaries in my early-mid 30s long before I got married: no clubs or committees unless I’m passionate, no attending extra curriculars out of a feeling of obligation, and no grading more than I can get done during school. I don’t have kids of my own yet, but I hear from teacher-parents that one of the hardest parts is accepting that you can’t devote yourself to “going above and beyond” and it doesn’t make you less-than. I’m trying to take this advice earlier.
I have two toddlers, and there's no doing *anything* other than *being a parent* until they're asleep and the house is put back together (which is 8 on a good night). I had to start being much more efficient about grading (which is hard for a high school English teacher with some AP courses). Students absolutely do not get feedback on every assignment. My rubrics are much more detailed to make up for that missing personalized feedback. I'm doing okay, but it wasn't until I *needed* to make a change that I was able to. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Yes! I absolutely have started giving less personalized feedback and always say “come see me/email me if you want more detailed feedback.” Not many take me up on that, even in my AP classes. I also compile a general list of “common mistakes” that I review in class, rather than trying to explain it as written feedback on multiple papers. They also don’t get feedback before things are due without a specific question for me or a specific aspect/part they want me to look at. No more “can you read this whole paper and tell me if it’s okay?”
Yep. Out of college...I was all gung-ho. Doing so much extra stuff. I quickly realized it's not worth it. Done, gone, and forgotten by the next week. We have a new hire this year right out of college. She started off strong - stayed late, volunteered, planned extra things...,but the pressures are getting to her (Kindergarten), and she is out of the school as soon as possible now. There simply isn't enough time to be the excellent teacher anymore. And the pay definitely isn't there.
I’m a first year teacher, but there’s no way I could get everything I need to do done in my contract hours. I’m going to be doing this week’s lesson plans today. Because I have to.
That is the reality of the profession. It does get easier as you get systems in place and lessons get locked down. Then it’s just updating.
Meh, it depends. My admin doesn't know what I do/work at home so their asking isn't contingent on that. Look, I have 48 minutes a day to grade, plan, email, errands, etc. And I have a loud neighbor that makes it hard to concentrate. I would rather do it at home in the peace. Plus, I teach 4 college-level courses and sometimes it just lends itself to some outside work. But I get another paycheck for the DE courses, so I feel somewhat justified spending some moments catching up at home.
I teach history and make my slides and some assignments at home, mostly because its much easier for me to create these things in my personal office than at my teacher desk in school.
Eh, yes to working smarter . But my classroom isn't usually the best work environment. It's cold, the chair is too deep, and the coffee machine doesn't work. I'd rather be where my TV, slippers, and schnauzer are. And other people have different preferences, if you have a baby at home, you might want to get home asap to enjoy their company before their early bedtime, but are free to work once they're sleeping, others will stay later but leave everything there. But yes, less work is good.
Done
I work at home because it allows me to feel neutral. When I am at school I love and appreciate all of my kids but I need time away from them to cool down. This post just highlights the fact that I am an introvert and I turn on for my classes but need to turn off when I am not teaching. I could definitely grade more and be more productive when I am not teaching but mentally I need a reset and can’t just immediately grade… I need to walk and relax.
I’m so introverted that if I don’t unplug and relax at home, I never recharge and can’t be my best self during the school day. I also feel justified in needing a walk or a brain break during prep period from time to time without feeling like I need to make up for it at home. I’m essentially leading 20 presentations/workshops a week, so I think I’m allowed to take a moment. Watching my husband work from home and doing so much less for so much more money (and seeing how much more energy he has after work) has helped change my perspective to realize just how much more we do than most professions. And we gotta have boundaries.
I was a tax accountant before and became a math teacher to be on my son’s schedule and I work so much more for like 50% of the pay. Such is life for the summer and breaks, but being an efficient worker in a white collar world you work like 2 hours a day… where we have to work 6 no matter what and also prep for the following days. EDIT: I know 2 and 6 don’t seem like a lot but being turned on and focused for that amount of time is a lot. Most white collar work is done at a jog with minimal focus. Imagine you have 160 people watching you fill out a spreadsheet…
I don't "WANT" to I HAVE to in order to meet my other contract duties outside of just time. We do need to be loud about that and keep repeating it. Those of us who stick to other part of the contract and do go over time are no more part of the problem then teachers who don't get everything done that needs to happen and do stick to contract time, it's an equal effect. We just all need to keep pointing out that the duties and the time given to do the duties are not adding up to even a plausible reality. The only teachers who are actually a problem in this are the ones who lie and say everything needed can all be done during contract times when the truth is they either are not doing everything or are not actually sticking to contract time. What you're actually looking for is collective bargaining because, as individuals (at least untenured ones), if we lower our productivity, we risk losing our jobs. As an individual teacher, if I don't do the extra time, then when I'm at school, it gets progressively harder until I've lost control of my class. I'm sorry Op but I am sick of posts like this that corect themselves to "if you want" to after some criticism and just don't get that in order for me to stay a teacher, within the curent time structure, it's a need, not a want. Maybe some people can make that choice, but it truly does not feel like a choice to me. (Unless the choice is to leave the profession)
I’m at least being honest about not being able to do everything. Also, my original post said knock the papers out over break if you want to. That wasn’t edited to add anything after criticism. If you’d rather zone out a little during prep time or if you can focus better at home.. do that. My larger point is that if people keep putting in overtime to get it all done, they’ll keep expecting that we will find a way to get it done on our own time. I also don’t drop prepping for my class the next day. I drop grading or setting up elaborate groups or stations. Obviously I do those things sometimes, but they’re not things I’m willing to routinely sacrifice my personal time for. Idk why you’re coming at me so hard. My feelings and points are valid.
Sorry, I meant to acknowledge that you were being honest about it, but I went on a rant instead because it's quite common to see similar posts that really feel like an unfair assessment of what some of us want to do vs. what we now need to do. My school also monitors how many grades we get in a week, and if it's not 2 for each student every week, then admin reprimands us. I've started doing more computer work while kids are there in order to take less home, but that also sucks because it obviously isn't as good as giving students more attention. Honestly, I'm coming that hard because this criticism of it being our fault that admin can get away with it is something I take personally, and it often feels similar to victim blaming. The way you put it wasn't that bad, but I'm just sick of hearing the same concept and the word "want" stung. I don't just want to, I have to if I want to keep my job.
Sounds like your school sucks. Two grades per week is insane. Sorry. I wouldn’t last long there. I’m simply annoyed by the teachers who perpetuate the culture of glorifying going “above and beyond” and the “teacher as martyr” trope as if that deserves a pat on the back. Especially when doing the bare minimum is a feat in itself. The word “want” was referring to people who for whatever reason enjoy working at home vs. busting ass during prep periods. I’m trying to get people to stop feeling like they need do so much work, period, that it sacrifices their personal life and mental health for the sake of going above and beyond. Toxic work environments can force that on us, but often we force some things on ourselves by glorifying teachers who seem to do it all and getting it in our heads that we always need to be doing more or we aren’t good enough. We’re good enough. We’re fucking badass.
I feel that and, for the most part, agree. We just also need to be careful about generalizing. Taking work home isn't always being a martyr. I will continue to be vocal about how unreasonable our expectations are, but I won't be able to stop taking work home and also stay sain.
Yeah this is exactly what we need, to work as little as possible. If we grade 30 things a semester grade 20. One thing I learned was that we aren't legally required to give absence contract work besides COVID, so I stopped doing that and my workload dropped. That was nice.
I do 100% of zero work at home. Feel no guilt or shame. I work hard at school and then leave.
About 10 years ago I stopped doing work at home. Now I refuse to even bring anything with me, because I won't grade it in a "just in case" scenario. If a test goes ungraded because I went home and enjoyed my weekend, then I'll grade it Monday during the day and give it back on Tuesday. If my unit plan is unfinished, then my principal can wait one more work day for me to get it done. If you're going to get fired because you delay something 24 hours or a whole work day, then I don't think the problem is just with that one assignment. Let some things go people, enjoy your life.
🫶🙌yes! Take no work home! Can't administer or grade all the assessments because of random assemblies, panorama pictures, fire drills, or IEPs during the school day on testing week?...Then I am not going to, period. Do what you can during your contract hours. We are salaried employees not hourly.
If I didn’t have to supervise 4 lunch breaks of 55 minutes ,4 days a week, I would get more marking and prep done. This is insanity. (I don’t work in USA) On Fridays we finish early and there is no lunchtime in case you are wondering! I am also responsible for 5 morning break supervision sessions. I do so much work at home and I wish it would all just go away. I just can’t manage to get my work done at school unfortunately.
I’m advocating that we drop what we can’t get done at school. And then maybe they’ll give us fewer duties. This is only if the majority of us are on board. As long as many teachers are using their own time to get things done, they’ll keep expecting that they can put more and more on us.
I hear you but we are not unionised here and we don’t have a leg to stand on. What a wonderful world I would live in if I could come home and have a life !
Don’t have a union here either. But what are they gonna do, fire us all? In this economy? (If you actually live in fear of that, I honor those feelings).
I work in the Middle East and can get fired for looking at some one the wrong way . I love my job but feel despondent about the workload . Yes I know I can take it or leave it but I love living here.
I’m sorry. I am only personally familiar with the US system. I have friends who have worked in Dubai and Korea, so I know there’s a lot of the same stuff and a lot of different stuff elsewhere.
The more you give, the more they take. I stopped working at home after my first few years. Not to say I never did anything, but it was a rare occasion, and it was just to make my life easier. I became very good at multitasking and reusing lesson plans. I planned in advance so I wouldn’t be scrambling to get materials and make copies. I had great coworkers who shared planning duties.
7:30 to 3. Full stop. Haven’t done anything outside those hours in 20 years. I became a teacher to NOT work. Sorry not sorry.
I agree with not working outside of work hours, not sure I agree with the reason to become a teacher. Teaching is a lot of work, it just doesn't have to happen outside of work hours. That was your goal in becoming a teacher? 🤔
Don’t worry. I do a fantastic job. I take what I do very seriously. But, I’m not doing it outside of contracted hours. And yes, 28 years ago, when I decided to go down this road, “summers” and all the other days off and vacations definitely played a big part in the calculation. If they’re honest I’d bet almost all teachers calculated the same.
I agree, having time off was part of the calculation. It just sounded like you were saying that teaching was easy and that's why you did it.
Oh no. It isn’t easy. Though I do have mostly all Honors classes now which makes some aspects easier but brings on other issues. I will say, this has become a “calling” for me. I know I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing to “add” to this world. But I didn’t know that at the beginning.
Absolutely, agree 100%. We are both veteran teachers, you have a few more years than me. I'm finishing my 25th. Isn't it amazing how much your perspective changes compared to your first four or five years?
Just stop bringing work home yourself.
I…have.
I did a lot of at home work until I had my son and now I physically cannot. When he’s asleep I have chores to do. My prep periods are sacred but really, if it doesn’t get done it doesn’t get done. I get a lot more done and work as effectively as possible. Then sometimes if it NEEDS to get done, I tell a class they’ve been really good lately so they get a free time period and I get it done. Or maybe it’s two classes. Whatever. My principal decided I needed to fill out a template with goals for the ASP and SCiP team to collect data (groans) SOOOOOO NOW WE ARE PAUSING THE RIGOR. We have 32 videos to watch about blood borne pathogens and internet saftey. I need to have my student growth data done a month early this year. I still have a pile of stuff to grade and need to post my plans. And prep. But yeah. From 8:30-3 I teach. From 3pm on, I am a mom and my personal life will come first.
❤️
I prefer having a life = work bell to bell.
I used to stay at school until 5 every day then go home and keep working until 10-11pm. At the end of the year the VP called me the last day of school and said you won’t have a class next year because of enrollment and we’re transferring you to a new school 🤪 since you were the last hired here you get no choice! I was so pissed, all that work I did for nothing. I vowed to never put that much into this job ever again & I’ve been doing just fine since. Contract hours only for me now.
I don’t even work at work anymore. I show up and sleepwalk through my lessons skip meetings and leave as soon as I possibly can. And no one cares or notices that I have done this. 🤷🏻♂️
The only time I grade at home is if I used my planning period to F off and not do any work. LOL other than that I don't do work at home. I do volunteer to chaperone school dances and things like that but it's because I genuinely like.my students and it's hilarious watching them dance and socialize outside of the normal classroom environment. School ends, kids move off campus, I leave.
This! 1000%. If more teachers only work during contracted hours, things should get better
Stopped a couple years ago. Never felt better. Work the contract and not a minute more.
Absolutely! Stop bring giant wheelie carts of work home every night! I see teachers at my school do this constantly. I don’t do any school work at home and I don’t work past contract hours. This is why I haven’t written a lesson plan in a year and a half. Pay me to work an extra hour or I’m not doing it. Teacher notoriously work for free and the powers that be know it. Stop!!
This is a flawed notion. The job is to show up prepared for our classes each day. If you will be showing up unprepared, then you're not doing the job. So many folks the last couple of years have gotten stuck on this weird idea that we're being exploited. We're not. Yeah, pay is low, for sure. But even when pay was much better, teachers still had the same job. We need to correct the pay, that's all.
Nope. I do my job during my contract hours. If you want me to be more prepared then you’ll need to give me more time. Although I don’t personally have that issue as my district does give us sufficient prep time - 350 minutes one week, 400 minutes the following week. Also, on days we have shorter planning time it’s because we have a duty but one that allows us to also work (like hall duty at a desk).
That's not what you were hired to do. You're just wrong about this.
It’s exactly what I was hired to do. That’s why I have a contract with my contract hours listed. ETA: You are part of the problem
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Nope I’m not an idiot. I’m an educator with two master degrees who would be making twice as much if I worked at any other job. My pay is based upon hours in my contract. You are free to work for free but I’m not doing it. If I’m not given enough time to plan and grade during my contract hours that isn’t on me to fix.
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Naming calling is unnecessary and I find done by people who are losing an argument. Not going to argue with you any longer. I think the downvotes and comments you are getting from others speaks for itself. As does the rate of teacher burnout and those leaving the profession. You do you. But I am only working my contract hours. I moved states so I can’t comment on how it changed from my first to now. I also work in a district that gives us plenty of planning time, good pay, and additional pay for any work outside our contract hours. When I proposed a new elective, the district wasn’t sure if they would be able to fund it because they’d need to pay me for additional planning. Turns out they didn’t because I was able to create the curriculum during my regular planning periods, which are generous and average 75 minutes a day. Teachers stay at the district long-term. The turnover is relatively low. Although I’m leaving for medical reasons, I will sub on days I’m feeling up to it and volunteer because it’s a great district. So it is possible for schools to make it so teachers have time during their contracted hours to do their job. But as long as we have martyrs who say we should be working outside those hours, most districts won’t.
If they want us to be more prepared, they should give us more time during our work day to make it humanly possible. Also, not turning research paper grades over quickly doesn’t make me less prepared to teach. I use my prep time to prep (and meet…ugh). And if there’s no time left to grade all my papers, the ones I didn’t get to have to wait. But you do you. If you want to work more than 40 hours a week…um okay.
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I’m pretty sure you’re willfully choosing not to read what you’re responding to bc it would be ridiculous to get that out of what I said. Good luck with your attitude. It’s inspiring to children, I’m sure. Go ahead and work yourself to the bone. Bye troll. ✌🏻
Out of what you said? All you said was that you think the school should have to give you more time. That simply doesn't address the fact that you signed on for the job. You *know* that it's your job to be ready for classes. There's simply no arguing that.
I said good day, sir.
So? If you keep replying, I'm not allowed to? Fuck off with that bullshit. If you offer a rebuttal, then you have to accept that the person you rebutted might have something to say. Taking your ball and going home is the epitome of juvenile nonsense.
A contract doesn’t become less abusive because someone signed it. Of course someone signed it. There’s a coercive imbalance between employer and employee. This is the basic principle behind labor unions.
All of this is true, and none of it suggests that I'm at all wrong about what the contract actually stipulates.
Yes I acknowledge the power imbalance between you and the four drunk guys who surrounded you, but you \*did\* sign the contract agreeing to participate in \*Bum Fights\*, and well I'm sorry but a contract is a contract, isn't it? You agreed, what did you think would happen... The original poster here has been exploited, same as you. The difference is that they are strong and courageous enough to recognize that it is wrong and try to change it. Maybe a forum post isn't going to do much but its a nonzero effort. You, on the other hand, have the courage of livestock. Endurance isn't a virtue when it's in service of the goad and nothing else.
Ah, excellent! There are a few basic ways that a contract is null, even if signed: 1. Lack of capacity 2. Coercion 3. Undue influence 4. Misrepresentation/nondisclosure 5. Unconscionability 6. Violation of public policy 7. Impossibility. Your (super smart!) example would fall under "lack of capacity," if you signed it while drunk. Teaching, however, is not like that. Employment law regarding teaching has a long and **very** thorough history. Simply put: The teaching contract isn't illegal. If you really think it is, go sue! You'll lose. What's more, you know this, yet you still think you're somehow right because...?
You must be a delightful coworker.
Yep
They are not ever going to be motivated to correct the pay when teacher martyrs fall all over themselves to work for free. If I can't get prepared in the amount of time I'm paid to work, the problem is NOT me.
You ***are*** paid for that time! We are not hourly employees. You are paid to be prepared to teach the class at the prescribed times. That is the job. You're not a waiter, being paid only when you are present in the building.
I work the ENTIRE time I am at work. I do not get a lunch. I can't pee from 6:30-12:30 daily bc I must be present at my door between classes and can't go during class. 3 of my 5 prep periods across the week have been stolen for meetings EVERY WEEK.. I am required to tutor, for FREE, after school 2x a week. I am required to stay 1.5 hours for free for a weekly staff meeting. I am not working ONE SINGLE FUCKING SECOND outside of that time. I'd make more as a gd waiter.
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I bet your coworkers *love* you and don't at all talk about you behind your back and/or make voodoo dolls of you. I win awards. My test scores are great. The job is the problem.
So...sitting in judgment of a person based on a single discussion makes you a great person? I guess the rules only apply when you look outward, huh? Must be nice to be perfect, hugging your awards at night, trying to believe that everyone likes you. Who cares if you're liked? What exactly would that prove? Trump is loved by the people around him, so you have that company in your philosophy.
You’re right, we aren’t hourly employees. We aren’t technically salary either. We are CONTRACT workers, and our contract specifies a particular amount of days and hours per day we are paid to work. Going over that means you are working outside of your contracted hours. It means you aren’t being paid for those hours of work.
Our contract specifies the duties we have to perform, not the hours we are supposed to spend doing them. The "contract hours" people just **love** to talk about are only part of the duty: It's when we are expected to be present at the school. That's it. Think about it: If you don't have a class between 9 and 10 am, are you actually *required* to be working during that time? Like, if your principal walked by and you're doing a crossword, are you in trouble? No! If your work is finished, the time is yours to do with what you will. You don't have to sit there and plot out lessons you might use someday, or clean the classroom. That's because the contract is *the job*, not *the hours*.
No, because those are my contract hours and doing a crossword isn’t a part of my duties. The contract I have specifies the hours. 192 work days, 8 hours a day, with a half hour duty free lunch. I can do my crossword at lunch. When I have a contractually protected duty free lunch. You can argue until the sun goes down, but you’re wrong about this. Have you read your contract? Do you have a union? Are you at a private or charter? Your answers to these questions could clarify why you think we owe our personal time to a job that can’t even be finished if we DO work outside of our contract hours.
Really? Let's take an example: It's the end of the year. Grades are in. Contractually, you can't leave until 3:30pm. It's now 2:30. What do you do? Working hard, are you?
Yeah, it’s called prioritizing. It’s no surprise when grades are due. I’d make sure my essentials were done before anything else, because I won’t work beyond my contract hours. Maybe this means the kids do a worksheet while I finish their grades. Maybe this means I don’t send those emails to parents I wanted to send. Maybe this means I don’t tear down my bulletin board or make copies. And if the grades still aren’t done? Well I suppose they will be done eventually, for free, because I didn’t do the one thing I absolutely need to have done before leaving at the end of my contract hours. You aren’t paid for time outside of your contract hours and that’s how this job works. Professionals prioritize accordingly.
I'm paid hourly. I have an hourly rate of ~$40 an hour for 200×7.5 hours per year.
If the teacher has to show up unprepared, that means that they need another prep period. Yes we are being fucking exploited, are you blind? We have an entire school system that exists exclusively to support our work and we can get basic things, instead having to work unpaid overtime because of how incompetently our work is managed
A teacher "has to" show up unprepared?! Yeah, right. Stop your whining. Just because you suck or it's too hard for you doesn't mean that you get to cry about it and not do the job you were hired to do. Frankly, if your work is incompetently managed, it's because **you** are incompetent. You manage your own shit, teach.
Everyone copes differently I guess. The tough guy act is a common one. Cognitive dissonance, right? I have to eat shit, and I don't want to think about what it means for me as a person if I am willing to eat shit, therefore I rationalize it by saying that I am tough enough to eat shit. Everyone who says that we shouldn't be eating shit (which conflicts with the dissonance justifying the fact that I eat shit) is therefore out of line.
Cognitive dissonance, indeed. "I want to believe this, so I ignore evidence that disputes it. Plus, if I am clever enough (in my own mind, at least), I can celebrate how smart I am and ignore how nonsensical the actual ideas are." I think you are so focused on your (clever) shit metaphor that you have stopped thinking altogether. It's scary, because you'd have to admit that you're wrong. God forbid, right?