On average, Alberta teachers work 48 hours per week, according to a new study commissioned by the provincial government, Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA).
“(The study) hasn’t told us anything we didn’t already know,” said Mark Ramsankar, president of the ATA. “We’ve got well-documented evidence that suggests Alberta classrooms have become quite complex and there are many things that are taking Alberta teachers away from teaching students.”
The Alberta Teacher Workload Study involved the participation of 3,374 teachers from across the province, teaching at all grade levels. An additional 357 school administrators and 173 office staff also participated in the study, which was done from September 2014 to June 2015.
The study, which was conducted by R.A. Malatest and Associates, indicated teachers spend an average of 48 hours each week during the school year teaching, as well as planning, grading assignments, assisting with extra-curricular activities and speaking to parents. Most teachers spend 50 per cent of that workweek teaching.
“You have, as a teacher, obligations both in your classroom and out. But what we’re finding is the distractions that are pulling teachers away from doing core work – working with students – have become quite unsustainable and have become quite difficult in terms of taxing teachers’ time,” Ramsankar said.
The study involved a number of methods for compiling the data, including having teachers and administrators track their daily work hours, including hours worked before and after the official school day. Administrators worked slightly more hours, an average of 50, during a typical week.
Two summer time allocation surveys – one in July and one in August – asked teachers and administrators about the hours put in and the types of work done over the summer with the majority saying they worked during those summer months.
Surveys were also conducted with teachers, administrators and office staff to evaluate satisfaction within the workplace and workloads. The majority – 66 per cent of teachers and 79 per cent of administrators – said they believed work time was well spent. However, 91 per cent of teachers and 96 per cent of administrators said workload contributed to dissatisfaction.
The results of the study don’t do much to change the mind of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), a government watchdog group, which is calling for teachers’ wages to be rolled back during negotiations.
“Alberta teachers work hard just as most Albertans work hard,” said Paige MacPherson, CTF Alberta director. “But that doesn’t change the fact that we have a $14 billion (Provincial) deficit, when you account for infrastructure spending, and there’s really no plan to fill that hole.”
According to MacPherson, Alberta teachers’ salaries are the highest in Canada and Canadian teachers earn the third highest wages in the world.
“What we want to use this (study) for is as a starting point for the discussions to take place (with government),” Ramsankar said. “The government now has a tool in their hand – along with school boards – and we’re all speaking from the same page. Teacher workload in Alberta has reached a point where it’s a major issue for teachers and it needs to be addressed.”
Associate Superintendent of Human Resources with Rocky View Schools (RVS) Susan Page said she’s still reviewing the substantial study.
“Our teachers and administrators work really hard,” she said. “We agree that the role of the teacher and the administrator is varied and complex. While there are no recommendations as part of the project, we’re looking forward to see what the Alberta Government recommendations are emanating from it and how we can use it to advance our work with our staff.”
- with files from Joel Dryden
