A Level Teachers - How many hours per week do you work?
Posted by JealousBodybuilder42@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 18 comments
[removed]
Posted by JealousBodybuilder42@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 18 comments
[removed]
SomethingNotOriginal@reddit
I don't know any teachers who solely do A levels only.
I have a few very close friends who teach A levels, GCSEs and are heads of respective departments.
They have a young child, host a weekly games night, and on Sundays ensure they have the work like balance to be ae to come and enjoy a few drinks at a local music lounge/bar.
There are times, particularly during exam marking when they volunteer extra time, but that is to earn them extra money for holidays, redecorating a room or garden etc.
Most people give up 45+ hours a week of time when they are not in the house. I was an accountant, and between my work, my CPD, and commuting, I was often working 60-70 hour weeks.
I've left that industry, and set up my own restaurant, that I give more hours to than I care to admit.
As a teenager, was a bartender. Frequently did open-closes with an hour off during a lull,, 2 cig breaks and 6 pack of monster to get me through the day.
Teachers absolutely do not have a monopoly on working long hours and you won't avoid the long hours.
There were times when my job gave me fantastic benefits, and times when it didn't always feel like working, but if you think by not working as a teacher, you will avoid putting in shifts.
If you like the teaching, the likelihood of you spending longer working is not that high.
GrabbedByTheGhost@reddit
Most young teachers frequently work 60-70 hour weeks in their first few years, to suggestions otherwise is simply untrue.
Lottiepop420@reddit
I don't think most people do give up that much time for work anymore, or at least not many people I know do. Before covid I would spend 3 hours a day commuting and have my lunchbreak be "dead" time; unpaid but stuck at work. Now I don't know many people who go to the office more than twice a week and personally I go 4 times a year. As a result people start work earlier, do chores in their lunch break, have no commute adding time to the day. Teachers can't do this. Accountants could, I don't know why you'd bother working for a company that made you go to an office every day as an accountant
xcxmon@reddit
Shhhhhhh, this is Reddit. You’re meant to say that teachers are the most hard-working people on the planet with the most difficult jobs, even though they get like 3 months off every year 🤫
GrabbedByTheGhost@reddit
Fewer than in schools.
But it's not a silver bullet. I reach BTEC and T level so there is a lot of marking.
I am thinking of moving on and doing something else entirely because I'm sick to death of the phones, the lateness, the apathy, the entitlement of the current generation of sleepwalking students and most colleges inability or unwillingness to do anything to foster a culture where young people take any responsibility or ownership for their own mistakes or failings.
hadawayandshite@reddit
I work about 39 hours at work—-then maybe an hour or two on sat and sun (if needed)
There’ll be times that I get a burning passion to do something and I’ll give up the odd evening for a few hours to get through it
It all depends on stuff like school marking policy, the point you are in your career, your own personal choice of work/life balance etc
JealousBodybuilder42@reddit (OP)
That sounds ideal. Everyone else on here is saying 50+ hours. What subject do you teach?
hadawayandshite@reddit
Psychology-but I’ve also been teaching it for 15+ years so I can do lots of things like lessons etc
It’d probably take you longer to do stuff I can do quicker/stuff I have made in previous years I can rely on as needed
PontiacBandit2020@reddit
Having worked in both (secondary for over a decade, 6th form college 3+ years):
Less behaviour management needed in 6th form College. This may not be the case everywhere. Still need to remember that Y12 students are not that different to Y11 especially in the first term.
Longer days at a College as they usually finish later compared to a school.
No duties in College e.g break duty, before/after school whereas they are the norm in every school I worked in.
More pressure on results in a College as every class is an exam class (no KS3).
Marking workload depends on College policy. We only mark assessments and coursework. Schools often still mark books which adds a lot to workload.
Go back to work sooner in a College, usually before the last week in August (GCSE results day). Also means you break up a little sooner but I haven't always had 6 full weeks.
You need to be an absolute expert in teaching your subject if you want to deliver it at level 3. The students have chosen the subject, may be applying to university and need full confidence that you know your stuff.
I would say do your teacher training and work in secondary for a couple of years at least. It will help massively when it comes to managing a classroom, having your own resources, understanding where the students are coming from/what content they have covered in KS4. I still miss aspects of secondary, mainly the age range. I don't miss doing toilet duty.
Overall, both places are still demanding but I feel I have more time for my own life now. A lot of that is because the skills I developed teaching at secondary have made things easier now. Do not choose teaching if you want a 9-5.
JealousBodybuilder42@reddit (OP)
I don’t suppose you know anything about teaching access to HE courses? Would that be very similar?
Environmental-Cut779@reddit
Post 16 education will be further education; an array of ages and learning styles. Don’t put these people’s future in your hands if your main reason is short hours.
Specialist_-Berry@reddit
I don't think OP was asking, 'is teaching alevels part time' they just want to know what they are expecting if they choose that path. 40? 50? 60?
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
Film? There's an A level in films?
Isn't that what used to be called "going to the movies with mates and then talking about said movie after in the pub"
hadawayandshite@reddit
I don’t see how film analysis is any different to literary/poetry analysis
reader270@reddit
50+ hours a week sounds about right. When I worked in a dedicated sixth form college, A Level teachers would also do evening classes a couple of nights a week, and some taught on Saturday mornings too.
spanakopita555@reddit
As a secondary teacher, I worked between 55 and 80 hours a week.
Normal week was 7.30-5.30 in the school building plus some hours on Sunday. Longer meetings, parents' evenings and exam marking added hours.
In half term holidays I might work 3 out of the 5 week days. In longer holidays maybe 5 or 6 days.
In all my other jobs since, I've done 40 hours and that's it.
Rich-Peak-3902@reddit
I know plenty of teachers/lecturers in both sixth form and college, they are all working over 45 hours a week like everyone else in education.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.