Professional Obligations and Workload

All Alberta teachers must meet the Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) throughout their careers. To determine whether they are meeting their professional obligations under the TQS, they must exercise their reasoned professional judgment.

Teachers are responsible for delivering curriculum outcomes to students. In most cases, how teachers meet those outcomes falls within their professional scope of practice. In relation to the TQS, teachers have a professional obligation to foster effective relationships; engage in careerlong learning; demonstrate a professional body of knowledge; establish inclusive learning environments; apply foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit; and adhere to legal frameworks and policies.

As teachers are painfully aware, their workloads are at an all-time high. With competing interests and expectations, and a finite amount of time and energy, teachers may need to make choices. During difficult times, they may need to re-evaluate their priorities. In this process, they should determine what are must-dos and what are merely nice-to-haves.

An example of a must-do is delivering the curriculum and conducting the associated assessments. When reviewing their professional practice, teachers should consider, for example, whether outcomes can be addressed with five assessments rather than the seven currently used. This type of prioritization is critical to managing workload.

An example of a nice-to-have is additional voluntary service. Teachers take on extracurricular activities because they enjoy them and are devoted to them. However, giving up free time affects all aspects of teachers’ lives. With limited time and potential workload issues, they may need to re-evaluate their participation in extracurricular activities. There may also be times in teachers’ lives or careers when they can give more or less of themselves.

Teachers have the power and authority, to varying degrees, to make choices in many areas, including managing their workload. They should not feel guilty about re-evaluating their priorities, as their primary role is to provide instruction and assess student learning. While teachers make these decisions individually, they should do so with the understanding that it is OK to set boundaries. p 2 If you have questions about managing your workload or about determining whether an activity is a must-do or a nice-to-have, contact Teacher Employment Membership Support (TEMS) for guidance.

WORTH SHARING

Teacher workload is at an all-time high, and teachers may need to renegotiate their work commitments. Setting boundaries and protecting one’s time should be a normalized practice, and teachers should not think poorly of themselves or their colleagues for doing so. For assistance and guidance, please call Teacher Employment Membership Support (TEMS) at 1-800-232-7208 and ask to speak to a duty officer.

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