Teachers - what do you do, if anything, over and above what you're expected to do?

[lottytheladybird]

I'm interested to find out how much other teachers give up of their own time to run activities or have extra responsibilities that you aren't paid for. What do you do and how do you feel about doing it?

On top of all the usual marking/planning etc in my own time. I used to run rehearsals and revision after school every day and rehearsals 10-12 Saturday's and Sunday's and in the holidays. If I'd got paid for overtime I'd be minted.

Would it helped if you reframed it as, "between 8-5 I am employed in a school and do whatever needs to be done?". DH is a teacher and have very much this kind of attitude. He does what needs to be done, which can change every day, but the common goal is to improve the outcomes of the students, and it makes him feel satisfied.

"between 8-5 I am employed in a school and do whatever needs to be done?".

But this isn't the contract and it would give a false impression of what teachers are obliged to do.

Same as Eviltwins same subject, very similar commitment. We do it for the kids and love of my subject. Most of the extra crap i get off SLT i ignore where possible. We're meant to have a file full of evidence of intervention. I haven't. Ofsted visit recently, went brilliantly so sod it! ...im quite happy to sit reading plays in my holidays or watching kids in the local panto, producing meaningless paperwork, no way !

Nothing at all.

I used to do loads. The lightbulb moment came when I realised I gave everything and got nothing in return - and not only that none of the extra counted for anything. I found myself on capability, totally undeservedly as I didn't agree with the heads.

Now, I do my job (well), but that's it. Nowadays, it takes all of my time, and more, to do everything that's asked.

I understand that often you are only one or two observations away from losing your job. Why bust a gut when you could be jobless in a term?

I'm not in the UK, and the extra classes lark was just kicking in, though management had the sense to timetable them into exam leave for the students; none of this after hours silliness.

In Australia, nothing. I have quite enough to do with regular prep and marking. Having said that, there is absolutely no pressure form SLT to do extra classes, but some exam teachers do it. God knows why.

There is pressure from students, though. I have noticed the occasional student ask when I'm coming in during the holiday, or will I do catch-up classes. Without exception they are ones who don't do the exam practices I've given out over the year, or come to see me after school if they're stuck on something.

(Feenie - It's an ongoing industrial action. During the conference at Easter it was very much refered to as a current action and nothing was voted on to stop it. In fact we were told by exec to remain commited! The 2015 documents on their website are just the most current clarifications/instructions so far as I can tell.).

Personally I only do 1 official revision session once a week, but I will deliberately 'cancel' every so often so that it doesn't become an 'expected' part of the job (and so become an obligation you can be 'managed' on). I also resisted, through my rep, the sessions being added to SIMS and the need to 'take a register' (for similar reasons). I have 'unofficial' (i.e. only the kids know) drop-ins most days after school, but again, unless I have specifically spoken to the student and agreed a time, I may be elsewhere after school (the repo room's a good bet! Or (after 3 15) a meeting room, as we have an average of 1 1/2 meetings per week until 5pm).

Beyond that, I have too much to do and 2 small children so no time to help out. I used to help with the choir and occasionally drama productions. Also, be an extra bod on some sports fixtures and run occasional trips over-running school hours. Less meetings in them there days though!

Put on a whole school musical every year
Drama Club
Shakespeare Schools Festival
After school boosters
Lunch time rehearsals

Unfortunately these are the bits of my job that I enjoy the most. If I could keep these and give up the marking I would be happy!

My contract is 32.5 hours. It's not that I do lots that I'm not paid to do but they definitely get at least 20 hours extra from me a week just to go all the things that I AM paid to do.

Lots of the stuff mentioned...time. Extra activities, clubs, trips...Plus buying stationery, books, biscuits... Anything extra I need really.