The International Schools Review Forum

Interested in comparing this with the UK to see if it's any better. Teachers at my placement schools so far in the UK get about 90 mins a week for prep. Any better abroad? Because everyone says (and I agree) that the 90 mins is in no way adequate to get everything done.

I currently work at a British school overseas and get roughly two 50 minute preps a day (either one, two, or three a day). It was pretty much the same in my last two schools (both also overseas, but not British). In a Canadian domestic school 90 minutes a week would be about right. However, in Canada the working day is 9-3. In internationals it tends to be 8-4.

I get 480 mins a week, but as above, the day is longer, by about 45 mins, we have to run at least 1 activity a week, and we have (minimum) 4 meetings a week. It's still a lot more time though.

It's generally better in international schools than back home, but it's a sliding scale. There are definitely schools that have as little as 90 minutes per week. The best I've known is about the same as already mentioned, 100-120 minutes per day.
Be careful how you do the math, though. People count differently unless you give clear directions. Consider unallocated teaching periods, time before and after students are on campus, lunches, breaks, collaborative planning time (is that planning time or meeting time - people see it differently), weekly early dismissal for PD, etc. And subtract whatever portion needed for ASA, duties, etc. Two people at the same school can get really different numbers based on what they think "counts". Someone will say, well, I am here from 8 to 4, and I teach for 4 hours of that, so that's 4 hours prep time. Others will subtract lunch, duties, etc and get a smaller, more accurate number.

In general way better, 90min/week would be on the really low side in an IS, even BSs provide more. Though I agree with @Sid it really is on a continuum, and some ISs provide less than 90min or prep time. It also depends greatly on how a particular IT defines prep time. The only real measure is to add contact time (structured time whether its instructional, meetings, etc..) and subtract that from your contracted (unstructured but are on site) time. The difference is prep time. The standard minimums youd find in most ISs (this is with a REALLY broad brush) is one period plus lunch/day, around 90 minutes/day.

It really depends on the school. If not counting before school, recess, lunch or after school "prep" then about 75-90min per day. In that time, are collaborative meetings, etc so not completely individual prep. This prep time comes when those kids are in specials (Art, Music, PE, Languages).

Agreed, in primary as an HRT your going to get your prep time when students are elsewhere meaning lnch, recess, and electives (Technology, Library, Fine Arts, Performing Arts, PSPE). The more of those you do the less prep time you can expect to have. Some ISs also require ITs to eat lunch with their students.

If not counting before school, recess, lunch, or after school "prep" then 3.5 hours/week. This is not counting the "prep" time that is taken up by required team meetings.

Thanks for everyone's comments.

I have from 10:05-12:45 Mondays through Thursdays and from 11:10-12:45 on Fridays, though I have a 15 minute recess duty during that time on Tuesdays and a 20 minute lunch duty on Thursdays. I plan with my teaching partner for 45 minutes twice a week during that time. I have a meeting with the literacy coach or curriculum coordinator once a week every other week. In full disclosure, I eat my lunch somewhere in that time as well. I also have time before school (at least 15 minutes depending on how early I arrive) and half an hour after school. Overall, I have much more time than I did in the US, where I had 45 minutes four days a week, plus time before and after school.

What does ASA mean in the context of education? Thanks

Amusing User Name wrote:
> What does ASA mean in the context of education? Thanks

ASA, CCA, ECA all mean outside curriculum activity. It's usually after school when the teachers run an extra activity; sometimes sports, sometimes creative, sometimes boring, sometimes filling a hole. At my school it can happen at lunch time or before school.

Thanks, @grdwdgrrrl. With context, it's all so blindingly obvious. I saw Extra Curricular Activities then After School Activites clicked right into place. Cheers

@Amusing User Name

ASA = After School Activity, those and others (ESA, CCA) are all variations or differing terms for ASPs (Additional School Programs).

In Scandinavia you get about 16 hours teaching and the rest is for you to plan. This only applies to high school teachers. Not sure about the rest of them.