Why do teachers claim to work 50 hours a week when school is only open 7 hours a day?

Question

This means that they must come into "work" about 7.30pm and finish about 5pm. Sorry but this dont add up. My teacher told me so. Also dont see many cars on the car park at that time in the morning or in the evening. Oh they take their work home. How difficult that must be. Bless!

Answer 1

It gets on my wick a bit too mate, I mean I know they do a great job and work hard for not much but they get a better deal pay wise and in terms of hours and holidays than many others in the public sector, Nurses, Doctors, Paramedics, Firefighters etc. You never hear any of these people bleeting on like teachers do about how hard done by they are. Also, if you want my honest opinion, all the afore mentioned people work far more hours anyway!
I mean if a Nurses shift ends in the middle of a cardiac arrest or a Firefighter just turns the hose on factory fire when his/her shift is over, do they just walk away? No.
And yet many teachers have gone home before the kids do!

Answer 2

I use to clean a house for a pair of teachers, so i can only speak about what i leant about them, so this won't cover every one ok.
First they both were teaching 11-16 and were taking 3 lessons in their given subects per day plus 2 more in any other subject. I surpose if they give out home work then this has to be marked and then they have to prepare for the next day's lessons. On top of that, they did after school teaching. So this took up some time, one of them was a cookerly teacher and the other maths

Answer 3

Most teachers I know are at school at least an hour and a half before the first class, stay an hour or so after school ends, ( even longer if they also coach a sports team or are the sponsor of a club) as well as work on week-ends at times, and during school breaks (even summer vacation). And what does it matter if they are staying in the school building to prepare their lesson plans or if they are doing so at their homes? Either way, (with a small exception for those teachers who have no right having a teaching certificate) they are doing their job very well.

Answer 4

Well, I know the school i go to is technically 7:25am- 2:50pm but wen I had swim practice i came to school at 5:45am, and there were teachers already there!!!! Most teachers get to school very very early. Also with things such as private conferences, other sports teams or clubs, meetings, and things like that, the hours add up. Also when teachers assign huge projects, they end up working their weekends away. They actually do work those 50 hours...believe me. There have been times iv been at school till 8, and some teachers are STILL there. Yea its hard to believe, but they dont scam the system. Also just cuz school starts at a certain time, it means that teachers are there about 30 minutes before...preparing and stuff.
Good question :)

Answer 5

As a teacher, I know that I work more than 50 hours a week.
Teachers do not JUST teach. There is also the time for planning, the time for creating worksheets or other material to facilitate lessons, the time for marking and even the time for researching into the different teaching methodology required to make different topics interesting and "understandable" to the students.

Then there is also the time for preparing major examinations, monthly or weekly newsletter, updating of the school website, co-curricular activities, the meetings with parents, the counselling of students, the extra classes for weaker students...

So, do remember to thank your teacher for putting all that effort for YOU. They have the choice of not putting in the extra mile in their preparation, and merely repeating what they do every year, irregardless of the student cohort, but they generally don't. And it's because they care and want the best for YOU.

Answer 6

yeah 5 times 7 is 35 but they don't go home when the kids do they sometimes have to stay back and work late, they some times have to take their work home with them therefore i think if you add all that up it could very well be over 50 hours oh yes and they need to set out the class for each day therefore they need to be in before the kids and don't forget the staff meetings

Answer 7

Well counting the time they spend grading papers and preparing for the next lessons, it seems appropriate to put around 50 hours. I also know teachers that in their off time they go to the books store for teachers and buy little things as incentives for their children, and they do it out of their own pocket.
And anyway what does it matter how much time they tell you they spent, they only get paid in equal amounts every month and summer, unless they divide to get pay in the summer, they have to get another summer job. My daughter was a teacher, she got out of it, got a Masters and now, she is in the corporate world because teachers do not get paid much.
And please believe me, I don't like all teachers, I made one cry last year and she retired earlier than expected, but some are really nice. The bad ones I can pick and get them out.

Answer 8

You obviously should have paid more attention to your hard-working teachers! If I came into work at 7:30pm and left at 5pm I'd be doing a VERY long nightshift of over 21 hours...

Answer 9

they have staff meetings before and/or after school, they must prepare the lesson plan,,,, they must grade students work, sometimes read essays etc,,, so that would add a couple hours a day to their work day, also, the school doors open, and buses arrive, before school starts, someone must be there to supervise, and after school, so they often take turns doing that,, add in parent /teacher conferences that are standard, then the ones that happen when a student needs extra help,,,,, it does add up

Answer 10

All my teacher friends have to work on curriculum's, lesson plans marking, pupil reports, parents nights education department reports etc outside of normal hours. My best friend (a couple who are both teachers) I would say 50 hours is a slow week.