Job Discussion Forums

[spiral78]

I've been involved in debates about 'preparation' time for teachers at the last two universities where I've worked. I'd like to know what other experienced teachers think is the industry standard (particularly at the university level) and what 'prep time' includes in your views.

Ny background problems with 'prep' include:

One employer wanted to require that teachers actually spend the time in the office. A judge in this case ruled that the employer could not require this, but noted that the definition of 'prep' was problematic.

My current (soon-to-be-former) employer believes that we are 'worth' a maximum of .75:1, though the high-level courses we teach normally range from minimum 1:1 up to 2:1 for courses that require significant amounts of marking. Changing the prep time standard obviously means that teachers here will be teaching more for the same money - an effective cut in pay, which we believe is below the industry standard at this level.

The debates seem to revolve around two issues:

1. What is 'prep'?

I think it's a misnomer. In addition to actually planning for classes, it functionally includes a million things that are not covered under 'teaching hour.' Conversations with students about all kinds of classroom issues, emails with students and other teachers, answering questions outside of class time, travel to and from classrooms (here, this can mean 20 minutes by bike or 30 by bus - spread-out campus here-), administration and paperwork, collecting books and materials, photocopying, etc etc etc.

True, if I have taught the same course ten times before, I may really not need 1:1 for prep for that course. However, I've earned that bit of a break through past energy and dedication, and I consider this a fair distinction between 'newbies' and experienced teachers on any given course. Further, in the case that I am among those who've done it many times and we have newbies, we typically spend 'unpaid' time working with the neophytes - this is useful and interesting for us and helps to ensure a reasonable level of consistency in our teaching as a team - but it is unpaid unless counted in 'prep.'

2. How much prep time should be (is) standard for different types of courses?

My take:

a) book-based or established materials (tried and true) without serious marking demands: 1:1
b) above, but with consistent marking requirements (writing courses)
1.5:1 - 2:1, depending on complexity of texts (big difference between IELTS level 6 and Phd writing courses, obviously).
c) courses that require materials tailored for the specific group: 2:1

So, colleagues, what is your take on what prep time is - and what are the standards where you are? Is my current employer's plan to cut to .75:1 going to mean that jobs here offer below the industry standard for most university jobs?

[Glenski]

[spiral78]

Hmmm. So I'm not communicating clearly today. That's interesting as I've also a high-stakes letter to draft.

I'll try again - thanks for your patience on this, Glenski.

What "break" are you referring to, and what are you not getting that you think you deserve? You make it seem like you have to leap from one class to the next with zero prep time. Describe your circumstances, please.

Circumstances: we have busy periods and low ones. 'Busy' is when we have large first-year faculty courses on top of regular work.

Most of us are contracted to teach an average of 8 2-hour classes weekly (we are not considered full time nor are we paid full time wages - we are 80% staff. This is a tactic that 'allows' us to work overtime in busy periods and less in the slower ones - and is aimed to even out over a 12-month period. It works all right, generally).

Functionally, in the busy periods of the year, I may be teaching up to 15 2-hour classes per week. In slow times, perhaps 5 or 6, though we now have so few teachers that it's more likely to be 8-10. Yes, I'm substantially over-hours just now.

So, busy period, picture us in class 8.30 - 18.00, with 30-minute breaks in between four classes. The majority of these classes will be repeats: I might teach the same class 5 or 6 times in the week. So, less prep for those by definition.

However, a cut in the prep rate does not value the idea of more students = more questions, more emails, more marking. On one of our big faculty courses, on which I might have as many as 120 students (for one course in 6 classes/groups) I can easily receive up to 25-40 emails over the course period, each requiring time to answer. The courses are high-stakes for the students in many cases, and requirements can be complex. We aim to minimise the number of emails through clear communication with students, but it's still a considerable demand.

Another time-consumer in such a period is monitoring, being monitored, and briefings with newbies on the course. Again, not directly related to 'prep' for this course.

More reasons I believe 'prep' is a misnomer that does not reflect the real demands of non-teaching time spent.

I can't begin to do the math you purport. If you have a class once a week, you have 6 days to prep. Need more?

Paid prep time. I happily work weekends and evenings when needed. But how much remuneration is standard for this?

[spiral78]

Note to self: never accept another university job where Byzantine hours systems are applied. Regular wage only!!

[Justin Trullinger]

I think that what Spiral is getting at, Glenski, is pay for prep time.

Some places this doesn't really come up as an issue, ie if your pay is salaried and your hours taught are contractual. THen you just look at the number of hours to teach, what other duties there are, the total salary, and decide if you like it.

It's pretty common for employers in some parts of the world to calculate pay based on hours, though.

In Ecuador, prep time isn't really "paid," but the hourly rate is so high by local standards, you sort of assume it's "included." (And you can make a very nice living on an 18-24 hour teaching week.)

Some places have a set hourly rate, but pay prep time as well- this is usually calculated in a ratio to hours taught. And the ratio is often different for different kinds of classes. Some things they'll pay you an hour of prep for each hour taught. (1:1) Other things, maybe only half an hour. (0.5:1) For classes requiring extensive prep or major correcting, maybe as much as 2 hours for each hour taught. (2:1)

Even when the ratio isn't explicitly stated, it's not a bad thing to consider when looking at job options- a uni job that pays a full time salary for 14 hours teaching (as a friend of mine has) is essentially paying for external work at approximately a ratio of 2:1. (14 hours class equals 21 hours prep, 35 hours equals around a full time week.) Whereas a similar full time package for 24 hours teaching is only paying around 0.5:1. (24 hours teaching, 12 hours prep, equals a 36 hour workweek.)

It's interesting. It's important, though, when these ratios are used to calculate your pay.

And for the class sizes and duties I've heard you describe, Spiral, 0.75:1 is awfully low. Unrealistically low, in fact- meaning that you won't be able to do the job in that timeframe. Unless you're willing to put in extra time, of your own without extra pay, it sounds like a non-starter.

Unless the actual hourly rate is extremely good, I'd tell them to stick it.

THat said, I can't offer comparisons to my scenario- the work I'm doing this year (short term consultancy in teacher training and program design) is generally short term, and as such is way off the charts in terms of hours of contact. In some weeks this year, I've had as many as 40 (yes, FORTY) contact hours of teacher training in a week.

The thing is, though- the pay scale is commensurately disconnected with the world of classroom teaching. The work-scale is such that if I tried to work 48 weeks a year (as many teachers do) my heart would probably explode. But the payscale means I don't have to- finishing my current gig on the 31st of October this year, and no particular plans for further work until into the new year.

All the best,
Justin

[basiltherat]

[spiral78]

And for the class sizes and duties I've heard you describe, Spiral, 0.75:1 is awfully low. Unrealistically low, in fact- meaning that you won't be able to do the job in that timeframe. Unless you're willing to put in extra time, of your own without extra pay, it sounds like a non-starter.

Unless the actual hourly rate is extremely good, I'd tell them to stick it.

Thanks, Justin. You're correct - it is/should be a non-starter. The hourly rate is ok, but not outstanding, this being a part of the world where cost of living is relatively very high.
Further, this is a mid-stream change for us. It was proposed a year ago, true, but never agreed upon, and there has been no further discussion or negotiation. Now, I expect we are facing a simple announcement, and that the change will be applied immediately.

We have, in the past, put in unpaid time on some projects - but that was voluntary, for professional/personal satisfaction. Stuff like materials development, where we were paid a base rate, and sometimes spent more time doing it in return for the recognition/CV value. Writing for publication, ditto. Sometimes even stuff for actual students we really wanted to help But when it becomes (unreasonable) policy, and goodwill and respect for what we do disappear, it's time to say 'stuff it.'

[Sashadroogie]

Prep? What is this prep of which you all speak? Opening the bottle? Polishing the tumblers?

[spiral78]

.. if you have to do emergency cover for a colleague whose class started 5 minutes ago. No preparation time there. Guess one has to simply 'wing' it. Sometimes these classes are the most successful; thinking on your feet DOES work ... with experience

I totally agree - but when it becomes regular policy, rather than an occasional event - that's a different story!

[Justin Trullinger]

Sure- we've all done teaching with zero prep, when there's an emergency or a weird circumstance. In Ecuador (I was DOS of a mid-sized, under-resourced English department) it was a fairly usual thing. But still, usual like "once a week," not like "all my classes."

It sort of sounds like an "adjustment of prep time policy" in this this case is actually a euphemism for "reduction in teacher salaries."

We could go on and on about prep, paid, otherwise, policies, salaries versus paid by the hour, and the expectations of same, how they vary from place to place...

But the circumstance the OP is describing here is, to me, awfully clear. If this policy is instituted, then teachers will receive less money this year than they did for equivalent work last year. Or they will work more to earn the same money. Either way, that's not about prep time, really, it's about salary cuts.

And without a blindingly good reason, that isn't something that good employers can really afford to do.

It will reduce staff satisfaction, and therefore decrease staff commitment and performance at the same time it's increasing staff turnover.

If there is a clear and compelling reason why these cuts HAVE to be made, especially if they could in some way be made in exchange for an increase in some other benefit, it CAN be done without being a disaster. (Especially if there's a change cuts can be temporary.)

But to cut wages without any other alteration is basically to say "you were overpaid last year." And most employees won't stand for it.

Best,
Justin

[Sashadroogie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5tItSl_RKc&feature=fvsr

THE RED FLAG
(James O'Connell, 1899)
The people's flag is deepest red
It shrouded oft our martyred dead;
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold
Their hearts' blood dyed to every fold.

Then raise the scarlet standard high!
Beneath its folds we'll live and die.
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer
We'll keep the red flag flying here.

Look 'round, the Frenchman loves its blaze,
The sturdy German chants its praise,
In Moscow's vaults its hymns are sung
Chicago swells the surging throng.

It waved above our infant might
When all ahead seemed dark as night.
It witnessed many a deed and vow,
We will not change its colour now.

It well recalls the triumphs past
It gives the hope of peace at last
The banner bright, the symbol plain
Of human right and human gain.

It suits today the meek and base,
Whose minds are fixed on pelf and place,
To cringe beneath the rich man's frown,
And haul that sacred emblem down.

With heads uncovered swear we all
To bear it onward till we fall;
Come dungeons dark or gallows grim,
This song shall be our parting hymn.

[naturegirl321]

We have two office hours a week and one in the study hall, but I can't get work done in either. I teach 3 different classes and have spent the weekend planning ALL my lessons for one of them. Twice a week, 75 min each, all PPTs. I would say that it could take between 15 minutes and 30 to make one PPT, but I use it for 5 classes. My second class requires basically no prep because of the type of course it is. The students do outside research, we discuss it in class and I mediate. It's great! My last, convo, is book based, so I spent a couple hours making the curiculum around 5 differnt books and we use those handouts in class.

[Justin Trullinger]

NIce song, Sash.

Don't look at me, though- I'm not saying anything revolutionary. Just speaking from the point of view of a many time employee, sometimes employer. (Both, of course, situations created by the devil of capitalism.)

It's not good business sense to treat skilled labor (and Spiral is highly skilled) as if they were an easily replaceable resource, unless their skills are not essential to the success of an endeavour. (ie, if you treat people like they don't matter, they are likely to leave- so you shouldn't do it unless it's okay for them to leave.)

My experience in teaching is that it ISN'T okay to chase your staff away. Program quality deteriorates, student satisfaction plummets, student enrolment and re-enrolment drops, educational outcomes drop, grants and institutional clients go to higher quality providers.

THis will kill your business.

(These are common sense capitalist arguments. If you are interested in my socialist revolutionary side, meet me on the waterfront. I do not discuss such things here.)


All the best,
Justin

[Justin Trullinger]

PS- on a re-read, the funny tone of my last post seems to have existed only in my own mind. For which I apologise- swear it seemed FUNNY as I was writing it.

BEdtime

[Sashadroogie]

Hic! Cheers Justin, my old comrade! I'll be waiting on the waterfront with a pink carnation and a rolled up copy of Pravda. Wanna be recruited as a double-agent? We can discuss fomenting revolution further, but shhhssh! Not a word here...