Workload woes

[Nojustalurker]

Hi all.

I am in my four year of teaching. I have always taught in the same school teaching two subjects. Every year I have been given at least one new subject/course with varying amounts of resources. Last year I struggled and ending up discussing with a senior member of staff my problems. I was have panics attacks, struggling to manage workload and do anything else out side of school. I was advised to cut corners where possible as it is impossible to do everything and things improved.

A year on, I am under a lot of pressure to get my first year 11 gcse class to ridiciolous targets, I have two new course and I am teaching a nurture group for multiple subjects (this requires a lot of new resources and changing sow). This is all on top of new planning requirement, additional marking requirements and more book scrunities. We also have to conduct research into our teaching, video and analysis our teaching, attend numerous school event and a list of other things I am trying to ignore. This week I have had to write three sets of reports and interview numerous students in my form class about their progress. As we are working under the threat of redundancy I really need to keep juggling all these balls.

I am at school from 7.30 to 6.00. Sometimes stop for 30mins lunch. Please do you have any suggestions about how I can improve this situation?

Change school and pick the new one very carefully? (possibly considering less than full time hours if you can afford it). If this is the culture in your school, you are unlikely to be able to change it. Your workload doesn't sound that different to mine (I am assuming you don't do hours at home/weekend on top of this?) but I was a bit at the video part. Also, as far as I know I'm not under the threat of redundancy, which obviously makes a huge difference.

I thinks I was looking for tips with how to manage my work load but I don't think there is much I can do differently.

I was just working form 7.30 to 6.00 but at the moment it is impossible to get the very bare minimum done in this time. Maybe I justed wanted people to confirm it is normal.

Change into private sector? I have friends who have done this against every principle they've ever had, but they are so much happier. The hours are still longish but fewer hoops to jump throuhh. What's been asked of you is, in my view, probably not commensurate with your salary.

Thanks for both posts.

Unfortunately there are few jobs around in my subjects at the moment but it is something to keep an eye out for.

It might be 'normal' but there is no way I would do it, even if was my vocation. 50 hours per week on a regular basis ( and time outside school probably?). And all to prove your worth/ under threat of redundancy? Honestly, it might be normal but it's not reasonable. At all.

I have been being to think this. I love teaching the students, creating lessons and even marking properly. I know I am very good at it. I hate all the other rubbish - if it is not about teaching a learning it seems pointless, along with the frustration of not being able to dedicate enough time to do always do things properly.

Ok, well I do the same hours (more at home, less at school) plus at least a half day at the weekend, on a .8 and am doing just enough to feel on top of it...most of the time. I certainly work less than some colleagues - I value eating and sleeping and like to spend some time with my one year old. So I think your workload is not unusual, but the redundancy thing makes a huge difference - I was in that position once and it was v.stressful. If you are feeling low it is difficult to feel like throwing yourself into a huge pile of work.

Could you spend a few hours each weekend getting on top of it and resolve to spend Feb half term job-hunting?

I check tes for jobs daily but there isn't any.

I guess it is just a busy time of year and I have had a difficult week at school. I think I may end up become another statistic of a teacher who quits in the first 5 years. I don't want to live to work. I know the hours I need to do will go up over the next term and I don't I am prepared to do this year after year.

I think 7am until 6pm are quite short hours for teaching if you are not working in the evening or weekends as well.

The threat if redundancy is more of a worry than your hours, that would make me look for anger job.

Speak to your union. Run your workload past them and see whether they think it is reasonable or onerous. Are you in an academy school or local authority?