Teaching English

  
Classroom hours

Teaching conditions and teachers' hours vary considerably around the world.

How many classroom hours do you teach each week?

1 – 10 hours
30% (361 votes)
11 – 15 hours
10% (121 votes)
16 – 20 hours
19% (225 votes)
21 – 25 hours
18% (214 votes)
26 – 30 hours
11% (130 votes)
31 – 35 hours
4% (52 votes)
36 – 40 hours
2% (29 votes)
40+ hours
5% (61 votes)
Total votes: 1193

Please note - this vote is to promote discussion.

Your comments
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Comments

Submitted on 21 May, 2008 - 12:40
I used to teach upto 26 hour each week and found this a strain. I could do it, but it didn't leave much time to develop myself as a teacher. At one point I was doing 16 hours teacher training and 12 hours teaching and after about a month I thought I was going to have a heart attack!
 
I think over working teachers is one of the most common reasons for teacher burn out, especially when some teachers have to have a second job, or teach private classes to make ends meet.
 
I really sympathise with some teacher I know who teach as many as 40 hours week. I don't know how they do it!
 
Best 
 
Nik Peachey | Learning Technology Consultant, Writer, Trainer
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Submitted on 22 May, 2008 - 09:34

I sympathise with those who teach many hours, but I also think class size makes a huge difference, particularly if you spend time assessing subjects such as speaking and writing. This academic year my average class size has been over 50.

Submitted on 22 May, 2008 - 10:08

First off - How long is your class hour? Poland uses a 45 minute hour. Some schools use 50 or 55 minute hours.

Primary school teachers may teach or be present the full school day. HS teachers usully get an hour or time for themselves.  College teachers often teach 3 classes a week! Some University professors either teach one class or a seminar. Some never see a classroom or a student.

English teachers need time to read and grade homework, essays and such.  It is the same with math and science teachers. They may have limited class time but spend twice as long with classwork.

There is no set or standard time.  It depends on the administration. Some schools have teaching hours set by school boards.

The best situation for a student is to have tutor! One on one! This an attraction of home-schooling. 

 

 

Submitted on 22 May, 2008 - 13:31

I'm an associate professor from Moscow and I teach more than 60 academic hours a week. In Russia one academic hour lasts 45 min. And I've got 3 jobs. Teaching languages in Moscow (I teach the top management of big companies) is more about walking, because the offices are located in different parts of the city, but it's not about professional growth. Otherwise people who earn their lives by teaching won't survive. Apparently those who need or want to improve the professional skills should't work more than 24 hours a week.

Submitted on 22 May, 2008 - 15:40

There is so much more to take into account than just how many classroom hours one is expected to work.

In addition to how long an academic hour is, I think one also has to consider the number of courses being taught. Last year I taught at a school where we had 26 academic hours per week. An hour was 60 minutes. However, there were only 5 courses and the timetable was blocked. M/W/F 12 - 2, 4 - 6, and 6:30 - 8:30. T/Th 4 - 6, 6:30 - 8:30.

This year, I'm working at a school where we have 26.5 academic hours per week. An academic hour is only 45 minutes, so in theory I should have a lot more time. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have 11 different courses (many of which have no course book), start as early as 7:30am and don't finish some days until 8:30pm, and the amount of travelling from one in company class to another and back to the school can be as much as 3 hours/day. Knackering.

Submitted on 22 May, 2008 - 16:09
Currently I'm teaching over 30 hours a week + another 2 1/2 hours a day preparing, marking. And I've only just recovered from burn-out.. When necessary it's possible. It all depends on how organised you are and how motivated and 'easy' your students are. Unfortunately, this is the norm in Greece.
Submitted on 23 May, 2008 - 06:33

Hi, how long have you been teaching in Greece? I've been teaching in Greece fro years adn things don't change. Too many hours and too much preperation and too much marking but if you organise yourself and as time goes by and you get used to the books things get better.

Jackie

Submitted on 23 May, 2008 - 07:59

Teaching too much hours is difficult to reach the target orientation for the student progress. here i have 43 hours teaching in a week.45 minutes per hour. 45 - 50 students per class. i aware that that is very difficult for me to efective and profesional. becouse too much teaching and no preparation before teaching likes; making lesson plan, materials, agenda, media etc.

 

My school is private scool located in East Jave Indonesia exactly in near from the accident of exploration of drilling gas SIDOAJO 

 

Submitted on 25 May, 2008 - 17:36
I teach 22 hours a week to begginners aged 10/12. Is is very difficult to listen to all reading or even to ask their opinion because I have 28 kids in each class. Time isn't enough, the grammar is too much and the children, here in Portugal, don't study or practice at home.
Submitted on 28 May, 2008 - 16:32

this year I work for thirty hours,in my school the size of the classes are over 35 students.Sometimes when I come home,I can't do anyhing but sit and want listen the sound silence..

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