Doing additional work at home

[Feef]

ESL teacher/tutor - have to do all my prep in my own time, maybe 2 or 3 hours a week. Standard here. Fortunately, having done it for a few years, I already have lesson plans for almost every scenario. I could do a lot less, but I do try to make things interesting and relevant for the students - makes classes themselves easier if they're well prepared.

Edit/ Should point out that I don't really work for a school, it's 90% privately arranged classes and a few at a local college.

 

[ci_newman]

If you're earning £24k then it's a 9-5 job.

If you're earning £90k then a certain amount of additional hours will be expected.

For me, I'd say £65k is the point where a company can legitimately own your ass.

I agree with this, and it depends on how much value you place on your job and your career.

Yes, if you are being paid a low wage (relatively) then don't let the company take the ****.

However, my personal line of work means that we are supporting time critical deployments and work with people all over the world in different timezones, so an element of extra work is expected. However, we are well rewarded for it in terms of salary and benefits.

 

[RDM]

Well, it depends on the job.

say for example; teaching.
Its required that you spend your own time working after school... and you dont get paid for it. Then again its not a normal job.

You can avoid a lot of that by working a couple of hours after school most days and leaving at 5ish rather than 3ish. Also use peer marking and self assessment more to cut down on the marking and using technology to help streamline some of the paperwork.

There is still a certain amount of after hours stuff but if you are working at home several hours most nights as a teacher you probably need to look at what you can do more efficiently.

 

[scorza]

If you're earning £24k then it's a 9-5 job.

If you're earning £90k then a certain amount of additional hours will be expected.

For me, I'd say £65k is the point where a company can legitimately own your ass.

This really. If the extra hours were so important then they would be paying overtime.

 

[janp]

Not any more. I regularly have to work un-social hours, after my usual 8-5. I also generally have to work 1 weekend each month (sometimes more), I used to do it for free. I complained once as the amount was getting a little crazy, and starting to impact my health. Senior management didn't seem to care.
Now all my extra times is documented, I don't get paid for the extra time, but I make sure I take the time back when things are quiet.

My mother was in a similar position, working 12hr days when only contracted for 9-5. Eventually she snapped, and was signed off by the doctors.

 

[ColdAsIce]

If you are doing extra work every weekend, its one of two things.

A) Allowing the Company to take advantage of you instead of stating they need to employ additional cover.

B) You know you are not cut out for the job and have to use the weekend to catch up.

 

[Kuros]

It depends on the needs of the business and what I'd get back out of it.
Time off in lieu or if it's agreed/asked for I'd consider it.
Personally, unless asked otherwise I clock off at 4pm and don't even think of work until the next day. If there's more to be done, then it'll either have to wait or be picked up by someone else.

 

[skaif]

This is interesting. Interesting to see that it comes down to salary for some people.

Being a teacher and having taught for the last 5 years now, this has been the norm for me right from the start when I was on £21500.

Working into the late hours at home, planning, marking, feeding back, more planning.

I don't think there has been a week during term time that I haven't brought work home with me. Having said that, yes, we do get holidays, but most of that is spent doing more of the same as end of term assessments and mocks need to be marked.

It's almost endless! And to those who keep saying "Its like that for the first few years but when everything's planned it gets easier" - you are right....in theory! The problem is the government wants to change direction every few years so we constantly have to change our curriculum!

Its quite normal for some teachers to work 12 hour days (7am - 7pm) fairly consistently. I know I have been at work for more than I would care to admit on some days! (found out my school locks its doors at 10:30pm...)

 

[ColdAsIce]

This is interesting. Interesting to see that it comes down to salary for some people.

Being a teacher and having taught for the last 5 years now, this has been the norm for me right from the start when I was on £21500.

Working into the late hours at home, planning, marking, feeding back, more planning.

I don't think there has been a week during term time that I haven't brought work home with me. Having said that, yes, we do get holidays, but most of that is spent doing more of the same as end of term assessments and mocks need to be marked.

It's almost endless! And to those who keep saying "Its like that for the first few years but when everything's planned it gets easier" - you are right....in theory! The problem is the government wants to change direction every few years so we constantly have to change our curriculum!

Its quite normal for some teachers to work 12 hour days (7am - 7pm) fairly consistently. I know I have been at work for more than I would care to admit on some days! (found out my school locks its doors at 10:30pm...)

Sadly you are a rare breed I am contracted 365 days a year, so only get standard holidays but work in a school.

I can count on one hand the staff that would dare come to work during the Summer holidays. Decent amount of staff that will work an extra hour in the evening though.

 

[skaif]

You can avoid a lot of that by working a couple of hours after school most days and leaving at 5ish rather than 3ish. Also use peer marking and self assessment more to cut down on the marking and using technology to help streamline some of the paperwork.

There is still a certain amount of after hours stuff but if you are working at home several hours most nights as a teacher you probably need to look at what you can do more efficiently.

I agree with this to a certain extent - I teach Computing and Business and have made a point of going paperless to make marking, assessment and feedback easier.

It has helped massively with the workload but there is still loads to do!

No matter how efficient you make it, marking 9 classes (on average, some of my staff have 13) worth of work on a weekly (maximum fortnightly) basis (thats near enough 270 kids that we see multiple times over 2 weeks) is going to be a major headache!

 

[skaif]

Sadly you are a rare breed I am contracted 365 days a year, so only get standard holidays but work in a school.

I can count on one hand the staff that would dare come to work during the Summer holidays. Decent amount of staff that will work an extra hour in the evening though.

Lol, I have lost count the amount of Saturdays, afterschool sessions, catchups during lunch etc I have done this year.

Just this week I got my Year 10's back for extra sessions to help with their coursework....yaaaay another hour afterschool lost

 

[Haggisman]

Its required that you spend your own time working after school... and you dont get paid for it. Then again its not a normal job.

When I was teaching I used to get paid 1.5 hours for every 1 hour contact time; not sure if this is a standard thing or just in my college though.

IMO it depends on the job completely.

I'm happy to work the odd hour here and there after work, but there are a few reasons for that:

• They are very flexible with me; if I need to go home a bit hour early e.g. to wait in for a tradesman, to run some errands etc. then it's no problem, and I'm happy to make up the extra hour later in the evening or so.
• If there is a deadline looming, I don't mind putting in a bit of extra work occasionally to make sure we hit it.
• I enjoy my work, and if I get stuck into a particularly fun problem, I'll want to get to the bottom of it ASAP

That said, if it was expected regularly then I would say something as it would be clear there was a staff shortage.

 

[RDM]

Lol, I have lost count the amount of Saturdays, afterschool sessions, catchups during lunch etc I have done this year.

Just this week I got my Year 10's back for extra sessions to help with their coursework....yaaaay another hour afterschool lost

Maybe what we really need to do is to stop holding their hands so much and let them fail if they don't put the work in when they are meant to...

Thankfully the course goes down to 20% coursework from next year!

 

[skaif]

Maybe what we really need to do is to stop holding their hands so much and let them fail if they don't put the work in when they are meant to...

Thankfully the course goes down to 20% coursework from next year!

Yeah that really is a godsend! Only one coursework to mark!

The handholding thing is something I have been battling against since I joined my new school, they had a culture of it. Started to wean them off it now and the difference is night and day!

Unfortunately that generally means they need more time to process the tasks and that generally translates to afterschool sessions. Not great

 

[Mr.Stu]

This is interesting. Interesting to see that it comes down to salary for some people.

Being a teacher and having taught for the last 5 years now, this has been the norm for me right from the start when I was on £21500.

Working into the late hours at home, planning, marking, feeding back, more planning.

I don't think there has been a week during term time that I haven't brought work home with me. Having said that, yes, we do get holidays, but most of that is spent doing more of the same as end of term assessments and mocks need to be marked.

It's almost endless! And to those who keep saying "Its like that for the first few years but when everything's planned it gets easier" - you are right....in theory! The problem is the government wants to change direction every few years so we constantly have to change our curriculum!

Its quite normal for some teachers to work 12 hour days (7am - 7pm) fairly consistently. I know I have been at work for more than I would care to admit on some days! (found out my school locks its doors at 10:30pm...)

Reports like this make me question why anybody would ever go in to teaching.

 

[RDM]

Reports like this make me question why anybody would ever go in to teaching.

13 weeks holiday....

More seriously, the job is difficult at times but can be incredibly rewarding. Though it can also be somewhat harrowing, the pastoral role a teacher plays can be especially difficult depending on your year group.

On time management I think some of the problem can sometimes stem from the fact that a lot of teachers have done nothing but teaching and so the only way they know how to organise is how the school shows them and school are awful at ways of working and organising time!

 

[swain90]

IMO I think teaching and becoming a nurse/Dr are more of a lifestyle rather than just having a job. It's something you must really want to do.

 

[skaif]

Reports like this make me question why anybody would ever go in to teaching.

Because we get PAID LOADS OF MONIES AND GET LOADS OF HOLIDAIS!

lol, I jest

I suppose for me its because when I was growing up, my school experience was a bit shoddy and a lot of my mates did not even end up going to uni and resat at sixth form and are now in dead end jobs which is a bit sad.

I experienced a fair bit in my short time at uni and working so I thought I would come back to my local area and try and make a difference.

So far its working out, not sure how long I can last though!

 

[ColdAsIce]

Because we get PAID LOADS OF MONIES AND GET LOADS OF HOLIDAIS!

lol, I jest

I suppose for me its because when I was growing up, my school experience was a bit shoddy and a lot of my mates did not even end up going to uni and resat at sixth form and are now in dead end jobs which is a bit sad.

I experienced a fair bit in my short time at uni and working so I thought I would come back to my local area and try and make a difference.

So far its working out, not sure how long I can last though!

I was probably being a bit mean. There are some fantastic teachers here and some will work at home rather than sit in the school longer. My point stands during the holidays though.

Easter revision classes the teaching staff get paid for, so it's different than doing it off their own back.

 

[dowie]

depends on the work place... if it is a clock on clock off type role then working extra hours is a bit mad and really needs to be addressed

ditto to pay by the hour roles or roles where overtime is expected

if it is a role where salaries are varied and negotiable and bonuses are varied and discretionary then no... working longer hours, working from home are fair... but then so is being rather aggressive and demanding more money each year and/or being prepared to leave if they don't pay you what you want

likewise if you put the hours in close to deadlines, don't kick up a fuss about having to travel at weekends etc.. then they shouldn't kick up a fuss if you sometimes spend three hours in the pub on a Friday lunchtime when its quiet (especially if you've stayed an hour later and not used your full lunch break each day prior to that and have everything on target) or if you phone up that morning and tell them you're working from home because you're not feeling great or you have a delivery, plumber vising etc..

it is a two way thing and the bottom line is it depends how they treat you in return, if you're super flexible and put in extra but get nothing back for it then perhaps re-consider and simply work your contracted hours or move jobs