The Nature of Teaching Duties (Part 2)—Duties in Classroom Instruction and the Role of Professional Time

Along with instructional time and assignable time, teachers have professional responsibility for activities such as planning, preparation, marking and reporting.

A 2015 survey conducted by RA Malatest & Associates for Alberta Education, in conjunction with the Alberta Teachers’ Association, examined teacher workload and found that “an average of approximately 80 minutes of additional activity accompanies each 60 minutes of instruction.”

​Assignable time caps have existed for a long time—however, mostly in urban and rurban divisions. They were not a universal provision in all collective agreements until the first round of central bargaining in 2016–18. However, the professional time teachers spend on meeting their practice obligations remains unregulated. In general, professional time is the time teachers spend directing themselves.

Professional Time
• The when and the where, as determined by the teacher
• Time outside of the school day
• Time free from instruction
• Before and after school, unless assigned supervision or expected to be somewhere
• Weekends and holidays 

Teachers have a duty to prepare adequately for daily teaching assignments and to plan the semester’s or year’s work for each subject to promote orderly development and progress. Planning units and creating instructional materials constitute professional time, because the teacher decides on the plan and materials for their students.

To conscientiously prepare lessons, the teacher must know exactly what is to be attempted from the beginning to the end of each lesson period. This is why planning is so timeconsuming. Teachers should have a clear idea of how they and their students will accomplish the objectives. Therefore, the teacher must decide on the method of presentation, the proportions of teacher and student activity, student assignments (both in class and for homework), and materials and instructional supports.

​It would be very challenging to specify the length or nature of this preparation here, since it will vary widely depending on the subject, the topic, and the teacher’s experience and qualifications. Additionally, no two teachers could, or should, present a lesson in exactly the same way. The methods by which a professional person practices are a matter of individual decision. It follows, then, that the amount of professional time allocated to preparation will also vary among teachers.

WORTH SHARING
The methods by which a professional person practices are a matter for individual decision, so it follows that the amount of professional time allocated to preparation will also be individual to each teacher. If you have questions about professional time, please contact Teacher Employment Membership Support and speak to one of our duty officers by calling 1-800-232-7208. Read the full Worth Knowing. #WeAreATA