Behaviour & Attitudes Teachers' Workload Survey

Findings endorse the volunteerism of teachers but worryingly show that discipline and conflict issues have greatly intensified in the last five years, with 80% of respondents indicating that such problems are increasingly time-consuming, distracting from the core business of teaching and learning.

Key findings in the B&A survey show that: 

• Teachers work an average between 43 and 46 hours a week during term time
• 81% indicate that discipline problems now take up considerable time
• 87% of teachers report an increase in the carrying out of administrative duties over last five years
• 72% of teachers felt that supporting special needs students had increased their workload in the last five years
• 48% of teachers under the age of 35 and 45% of teachers between 35 and 44 are involved in extracurricular sports activities.

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin today commented on the findings.
“The survey findings come as no surprise to the union. Teaching is in many ways a demoralised profession in 2010. 1,200 teachers have lost their jobs at second level alone as a result of the education cutbacks. Pay has been reduced by up to 20% when the pension levy, pay cut and non-payment of an agreed increase are factored in.

Resources to schools have been cut; promotional opportunities have been eliminated by a block on appointments, while a marked increase in disruption problems as a result of a rapidly changing social climate means teachers are working harder than ever.

Despite this difficult time for the profession, this B&A survey endorses the great job that teachers are doing within their local communities.  On average, teachers are spending 24 hours per week working outside of timetabled teaching hours. For a teacher on full (22) hours, this equates to a 46 hour week.

The volunteerism of teachers is also hugely endorsed in the findings. 48% of those under the age of 35 and 45% of those between 35 and 44 are involved in extracurricular sports activities. Overall, 35% of teachers are involved in sports.  The survey also shows that many more are involved in other areas such as drama and debating. These are important dimensions to the young peoples’ experience of education at this critical stage in their formation and in preparing them for adult life.  Many teachers have willingly engaged in these additional areas of work up to now but goodwill will diminish if further squeezes are put on their take home pay.

The study was administered among schools and teachers in VEC and Community and Comprehensive schools, embracing a wide range of subject teachers and a broad geographical spread.

81% of those surveyed indicate that the time required for dealing with discipline and conflict has increased considerably. Discipline issues in this instance were not confined to students with behavioural difficulties but refer to teachers encountering a general increase in tendency among young people to unduly challenge authority and disregard school rules and regulations. 

The moratorium on replacing senior posts will bring additional pressure in managing inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour.

A staggering 87% of teachers surveyed said that carrying administrative tasks has increased significantly in the past ten years. Teachers are gravely concerned that their role is becoming excessively administrative in nature due to increasing legal and reporting demands and an absence of the necessary administrative, technical and pastoral resources. More and more time is taken from the core roles of teaching and learning due to ever expanding bureaucratic burdens, placing the quality of the learning experience for students at risk. 

Addressing a wider range of mixed ability students is noted as among the top ten demands on teachers’ time and the data also reflects an increase in the demand arising from working with students with special educational needs.

Data from the B&A survey also reflects an increase in the work demands arising from working with students with special educational needs. TUI agrees in the principle with the integration of students with special educational needs into mainstream classes and each year sees a rise in the numbers being put forward for state examinations. 

The increased pupil teacher ratio, the delay in resources to address special education needs and the withdrawal of posts under measures to address disadvantage have done significant damage in recent years. We have seen this week that private business interests are being bailed out while our young people and those with special needs are being sacrificed.

Teachers can take solace from a recent Teaching Council survey that shows that almost three in every four parents (73%) who responded said that teachers do their jobs either very well or well.”