9 Ways Create Better Preparing Your Child to Go Back to School with the Help of Your Online Tutor

9 Ways Create Better Preparing Your Child to Go Back to School with the Help of Your Online Tutor Children are cumbersome at times, when they have some mental blocks in carrying out their academic duties. They might not be happy with their teachers or find it boring to attend tutoring sessions. They would like to ponder more on their leisure, stay at home and enjoy amicably their online activities. Why don’t you try something online with their mentalities and allow the freedom they demand in their studies? Prepare them to go back to school with the support of an online tutor. How to do this? Any child is innovative and curious by nature- provide methods of education to kindle the curiosity like examples from life around, connecting the concepts with actual life and taking the child on small trips to make the child understand what he learns about. A parent could do this very well to make the child feel the ease of learning without any mental block Try to enter the heart of the child. He may skip Math regularly. What is the basic trouble? The teacher or the subject? If you are not able to understand, approach an online tutor for math and explain the situation. He would enter the world of the child , talk to him, understand his difficulty and encourage him to get back to school in no time Math, especially Geometry is a nagging problem for any elementary school goer. Geometry is not a hard fact oriented branch of study that could make a child understand the concept with vivid perception just like that. Geometry tutors online pick out ways and means to make your child realize the connectivity of Geometry with the shapes and figures of this earth and make them understand how it is connected to life Online tutoring websites offer basic skills test for the child to make known what is wrong with the learning skills of the child. Once they suggest ways to recompense them with good aspects of learning , they are ready to learn without complaining Any young mind withers when it faces lack of attention. Do attend to the smallest details of the child and listen to the child with patience. Try to understand what the child tries to say about his school. You can work wonders with your child. An online tutor helps you a lot in this aspect Boost the morale of the child with fun game learning activities available through online tutoring resources. Some videos and visuals regarding Science objects, math play games, English word  games as suggested by online tutors could bring back the enthusiasm in your child to get back to school Thwart the intimidation and shyness of the child with the interactive sessions of online tutoring and adjust the child’s learning mode as per her pace and style with the help of online tutors Avoid the peer comparisons to augment the child’s self motivation Talk to the school teachers and get things settled Get the teachers’ feedback l regarding your child’s behavior and do the needful to remove the negative aspects of the child School going is not a pleasant activity for right from the toddler to the teenager. It is in the parent’s hands to make it a comfortable journey.

What is it Like to Attend Whitman College

What is it Like to Attend Whitman College The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Jeremy is a Houston tutor and 2011 graduate of Whitman College where he studied Biology. He specializes in many subjects such as Anatomy tutoring, Government tutoring, and SAT prep tutoring. See what he had to say about his alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Jeremy: The campus is small and impeccably maintained, with beautiful gardens, handsome buildings (late 1800s-present), and a liberal sprinkling of pleasant art installations. On campus, one can get by with or without a bike. Cars are nice to have for weekend escapades and big shopping trips, but certainly not a necessity. If you dont have one, a friend will. If you do, youll have no trouble finding parking, and no trouble paying for it, seeing as its free. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jeremy: Professors and academic advisors are extremely available. So available, in fact, that there is no such thing as a teaching assistant at Whitman. There is no need; professors are easy to find and happy to help. This accessibility is a component of a campus culture where students are, in some respects, treated much like PhD students at universities. Professors often go by first names, and will personally mentor students. Visiting a professors house or working side by side with a professor on research, is commonplace. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jeremy: Dorm life is excellent. Rooms are mostly very comfortable, there are plenty of scheduled social activities, and RAs are generally very good. Food services at Whitman are superb. You will feel spoiled. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Jeremy: Whitman has an excellent Biology Department, and Biology is often the most popular major. Other areas of strength include Chemistry, Biochemistry, English, and Drama. Personally, I went with Biology because it appealed to me, and because there was abundant overlap between the Biology major requirements and pre-med requirements. Overall, I have nothing but praise for the Biology Department. The faculty was universally excellent, and I got to do all sorts of awesome things that I imagine students at larger schools never get to do, simply as a consequence of logistical issues. For instance, because my Pathophysiology class was small, the professor, who was good friends with the county medical examiner, was able to take me and seven other students to an autopsy. It was macabre, but also so fascinating and cool. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Jeremy: Campus programing is carefully constructed to facilitate the development of friendships, and it shows. I had friends within a day of arriving on campus. Add to this a fantastic Greek life that features prominently on campus and recruits aggressively, and youll feel socially connected in no time. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jeremy: The Career Center is something of a weak link. It is decent, but by no means an area where the school excels. There are job fairs, but the small size and remote location of the school means the recruiters tend to be somewhat local. Other student support services are superb. Need to talk to someone? The counseling center will set you up with a therapist for several months free of charge. Feeling sick? Student Health is staffed 24/7 by at least one nurse, and a doctor visits every weekday morning. These services are also free, save for prescription drugs. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jeremy: Campus facilities are spacious, modern, and, often quite aesthetically pleasing. Many of the newer buildings on campus are designed according to a Northwestern Modern aesthetic (lots of glass, exposed wood, etc.). The library is well-stocked with books, couches, a caf, and modern computers, and is open 24/7, 7 days a week, anytime school is in session, and many times when its not. My only complaint would be that some of the dorm lounges can seem a little dorm lounge-ish. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Jeremy: Whitman College is located in Walla Walla, Washington. Picture verdant temperate rainforests, a Northwestern coastline, and sleepy weekend afternoons spent in the caf reading a book while the rain patters on the roof. Now expel these images from your mind, because, for better or worse, Walla Walla is not part of the coastal Northwest, nor does it feel like the coastal Northwest. Rather, the town is situated near the Southeastern corner of Washington State, and, in terms of landscape, climate, and culture, it has much more in common with parts of Idaho than it does with Western Washington. The Cascade Range creates a rain shadow that keeps the area fairly arid, and the landscape features rolling grass covered hills and pine forests. Walla Wallas inland location contributes to cold winters and hot summers. With regards to recreation, outdoorsy types will find no shortage of things to do. But dont expect much else. Walla Walla plays host to a burgeoning wine industry, and some g enuinely good restaurants and art galleries exist to cater to the wine tourists who show up during the summer. Otherwise, one could be forgiven for imagining that the Cascade Range not only creates a rain shadow, but a culture shadow as well. Downtown is dead by 6pm on Fridays, and culturally speaking, little goes on in the town most of the year (outside of what happens on campus). Though the Whitman campus is gorgeous, the surrounding area is relatively impoverished, and crime is definitely a concern. Overall, without the rich campus life Whitman offers, Walla Walla would feel very isolated. Indeed, it is very isolated; it is not random that the state elected to put the maximum security prison on the outskirts of the town. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jeremy: The school has approximately 1,600 students. Personally, I enjoyed the small size. Its rather nice to constantly run into people you know. The typical class size ranges from 50 for a popular introductory course to as few as 10 for upper level major courses. I think Whitmans consistently small class size is one of its strengths. Small class size facilitates discussion and collaboration, and affords a level of access to professors that students in larger schools would marvel at. One of my classes had one of our three weekly meetings on Thursday evenings at my professors house! VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Jeremy: I had numerous incredible experiences in my classes. One of the best was my experience in Organic Chemistry. It began with sincere disappointment. One of the professors who had been teaching the class for several decades had just retired. Ordinarily, this would not have fazed me, but this professor, L. G. Skip Wade Jr., was particularly exceptional. In addition to being the author of a widely used and extremely well-reviewed organic chemistry textbook (search Skip Wade Chemistry on Google), Professor Wade was regarded by students as a tremendously gifted educator. The fact that I had just missed the opportunity to have him teach me organic chemistry was more than a little irksome. Fortunately for me, it turned out that Professor Wade was as competent at hiring a replacement as he was at teaching. His successor, Professor Marion Gtz (indeed, shes German), was my favorite professor out of all the many fantastic professors that I had while at Whitman. An eminently gifted educato r, Professor Gtz was a smart, engaging, funny, and dedicated teacher. She provided weekly tutorials (supplemental practice sessions) two evenings a week, completely of her own volition. These sessions were attended by nearly every student in the class, both because they were fantastically helpful, and because Professor Gtz would frequently show up with home baked goodies. She expected a lot of her students, and her tests occasionally featured strikingly difficult questions, but more so than any other professor I had, she reciprocated for the commitment to learning she demanded of her students with an equally strong commitment to teaching them. Check out Jeremys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

What is a College Shortlist

What is a College Shortlist As you embark on the college application process, its easy to become overwhelmed by the multitude of application requirements and the sheer volume of colleges you could apply to. A college shortlist is a list of approximately six to 10 colleges that will help you target your search and streamline the application process. Creating a college shortlist helps you organize your list of potential schools, encourages you to narrow down your choices, and prompts you to identify schools to further communicate with. Eager to find ways to focus your college search? Keep reading to learn more about college shortlists. A college shortlist can aid you in organizing your university search A college shortlist is a key way to conserve your resources during the application process. At this point in time, you likely have other important responsibilities in your lifeacademic, extracurricular, and socialthat you must prioritize in addition to college application tasks. Making a shortlist will help you focus your energy on a smaller list of schools, instead of stretching yourself too thin trying to tackle a longer list. Additionally, creating a shortlist by choosing schools that fit your needs, desires, and academic background will allow you to submit the most complete applications and will give you a higher chance of acceptance to a school youre excited to attend. [RELATED: JuniorsComplete This College Admissions Checklist This Semester] A college shortlist prompts you to narrow down your choices While creating your college shortlist, identify the factors that are important to you in a potential school. When researching schools, its important to be honest with yourself about what you hope to get out of your college experience and to be realistic with these criteria. Look into various aspects of the schools, including: If you already have a major or academic area youd like to pursue, research the schools degree program in that field. Look into the departments website, including professors biographies, classes offered for the current semester, and course requirements for the major. Are there classes that youre interested in, or professors work whose interests align with yours? Make a note of this when creating your college shortlist. Note school rankings when creating this list, specifically in areas that interest you most. Consider the average test scores and GPA of an admitted student, for example, to see if they generally match yours. Its important to research the cost of attending each school, as well as what scholarships and financial aid are available to students. The size and location of the school can greatly influence your college experience. Do you prefer small, medium, or large campuses? The size of the college could affect the resources you have access to, as well as the individual attention you may be able to receive. Would you prefer to live in a city, suburb, or rural area? How far away will you be from home? Consider your individual priorities and goals in terms of resources and campus life. Are there other aspects of campus life that are important to you, such as attending a religiously-affiliated school or participating in Greek life? [RELATED: How to Choose the Right Match Schools] A college shortlist encourages you to visit and communicate with the schools on your list If youre able to, visit the schools on your list during the semester, preferably on a weekday so you can sit in on a class or two. Campus visits can show you exactly what the school is all about and either confirm or eliminate its place on your list. A tour will help you envision what it would be like to attend the school, and put you into contact with current students or faculty who can give you more specific information not found on the schools website. Youll also be able to better learn what the schools priorities are, and if these line up with your ideal college experience. If youre not able to visit, check out a virtual tour onlinewhich many schools haveand see if you can get in touch with a current student or alumnus/alumna for a formal or informal interview to answer any questions you may have. [RELATED: 3 Questions to Ask Your Guidance Counselor About College] Your family members, teachers, and academic counselors will all be insightful resources while creating your college shortlist. Be honest with yourself when writing this list about what you hope to get out of a prospective college, as well as purposeful when adding schools to your list. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

13 English Idioms about Buildings - English Lesson via Skype

13 English Idioms about Buildings - English Lesson via Skype There are more parts to a building than just the walls. Here are some more commonly used English idioms about buildings or parts of a building. 13 English Idioms about Buildings IN THE BACK DOORthis is often used to describe how someone might get a job or an appointment or an interview that other people might find difficult to achieve.Example: I have wanted to get a job  working for that newspaper for such a long time. Finally I got an interview through the back door.  My uncle is best friends with the new CEO.TO OPEN DOORS FOR YOUto provide new opportunities for someoneExample: My friend was so well known that he could literally call anyone in the  football club and get me interviews with all the stars. He was able to open so many doors for me. I  was really impressed.AN OPEN DOOR POLICYa business term usually used to signify that a manager/boss is always willing to meet a member of staff to discuss work issues.Example: If you have any suggestions on how to improve our processes, my door is always open.THROUGH THE CEILING  orTHROUGH THE ROOFoften related to prices, prices increase quickly due to inflation, profits and other financial issuesExample: The pric es of petrol has risen very quickly this year, it has gone through the ceiling.THROUGH THE FLOORthis is again in relation to prices, prices fall down, decrease quickly due to economic downturn, recession Example: The market has weakened no one wants to buy these cars now the prices have gone through the floor (fallen quickly).TO HIT THE CEILING/ROOFto become angry suddenlyExample: He was really angry and got very annoyed when I told him I had crashed the new company car. He hit the ceiling (or hit the roof) when I told him!!TO HAVE THE FLOORIn a debate or in a discussion when someone is allowed to address the audience or answer questions he is said to “have the floor”, i.e. control the meeting at that time.Example: Company CEO had the floor for questions and comments.THE WRITING IS ON THE WALLWhen the result can be predicted or the outcome is known in advance.Example: When he failed to achieve his targets for the third month in a row, the writing was on the wall. He was surely g oing to get fired! English Idioms about Buildings - Infographic Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do with it: TO TAKE THE FLOORto stand up and address an audienceExample: He took the floor and made a proposal, and it was a success.FROM DOOR TO DOORgoing to all houses on the streetExample: There are some school kids going from door to door collecting money.FROM PILLAR TO POSTfrom one place to another with no planning or purposeExample: Sarahs stepbrother Jack moved from pillar to post during his teens.WINDOW SHOPPINGsomeone only looks at the goods in the shop windows, they dont go inside or buyExample: When I was in New York, I went window shopping on Fifth Avenue.WINDOW DRESSINGsomething that makes something or somebody look better than it really isExample: A new eye-catching ad for fizzy drinks involves a lot of window dressing.

Tutoring the Overlap Between Teaching, Coaching and Mentoring

Tutoring the Overlap Between Teaching, Coaching and Mentoring Often when I’m called upon to explain the role of a tutor, I say that our main goal is to unlock whatever is standing in the way of a student achieving. In that respect, I see the job of a tutor as a combination of teacher, coach and a mentor. After discussing this idea with a set of successful tutors, teachers, life coaches and psychologists, these seem to be fairly good descriptions of each: Teaching A teacher imparts knowledge and understanding, usually following some form of curriculum or lesson plan. Most often they will teach a group of students (can be done one-on-one) and will work over a pre-determined time period. Examples include: school teachers, driving instructors, IT training. Coaching A coach will support an individual to achieve a specific goal, often it will be immediate and over a defined time period. The coach does not need to have any personal experience in that particular field, but instead challenges that person to grow and find answers for themselves. This work is mostly done one-on-one but can be done in groups too. Examples include: life coaches, sports coaches, personal trainers. Mentoring A mentor usually works one-on-one, and their approach is usually less structured and more organic than the other two. They share their own specific experience to help guide an individual who is setting out, or struggling, on a path that they themselves undertook in the past. A mentor is generally more long-term in their approach, and they will usually take a broader view of a person. Examples include: Corporate mentors, Obi Wan Kenobi from Star Wars*, university peer mentors. In hindsight, when I was at school… …some of the best teachers I had not only taught their subjects but were also like coaches and mentors to me. My belief is that the best tutors are those who, to varying degrees, undertake all three of these roles. At times, your job may be simply just to teach. You have identified a topic that needs to be covered and you teach it. You plan your work and work this plan. You test to assess what your student has taken onboard and create new plans based on this testing. Other times your job is to work out why a student has not been learning in school. They’re sitting in the same class as 30 other students who seem to ‘get it’ and they’re the only one who’s not. This kind of work requires a combination of mentoring and coaching. Coaching when you’re focused on why they may not have understood a particular topic, and mentoring when you’re helping them negotiate the tough world of being a student and also helping them understand why they might want to do well in school. Tutoring is the hybrid of teaching, coaching and mentoring because it involves imparting knowledge and wisdom to students, coaching them to reach their full potential and sharing specific personal experiences with them so they can grow as people. The question to ask now is why is it on the increase? Some would argue that Tutoring is merely more visible right now. That is true, but there does seem to be a marked increase. With numerous studies indicating that the return on investments for business coaching are 6 times the initial investment, it’s no surprise why so many companies are now offering coaching to their employees (1.) Results are seen in improved teamwork, morale and many other ‘soft’ skills. (2.) Mentoring programmes are equally popular with 71% of the 500 largest American companies which offer them (3.) However, coaching and mentoring programs haven’t always been so popular and it is only recently that they are becoming widely accepted, especially as people are appreciating the importance of a more subtle model of human development. As more adults receive coaching and mentoring, they may be wanting the same for their children and this is where tutoring comes in; because it helps children to improve academically whilst (when done well) very much preparing them for the challenges of life. An extra note from Mark: Thank you for taking your time to read this blog. Over the coming months I’ll be producing a number of blogs that will outline skills and tips for both parents and tutors, compiled from my notes and interviews I have conducted over the last few years. I’ve had the great fortune to interview a large number of highly successful and well-regarded tutors, as well as educational psychologists, teachers (the ones who are actually in schools) and parents to produce these blog posts. Please keep a look out on the Tutorfair blog to read more. References 1. 2004 MetrixGlobal Study â€" 689%, 2001 Manchester Group Study on Coaching â€" return almost 6 times investment â€" both http://leaderfuledge.com/resources-podcasts-papers-a-links/articles/101.html 2. 85% managers say enhancing team morale is the main value of coaching â€" chartered managers institute. http://leaderfuledge.com/resources-podcasts-papers-a-links/articles/101.html 3. 2007 Lydell Bridgeford on http://www.insala.com/Articles/leadership-coaching/mentoring-current-trends.asp * Visit www.management-mentors.com to find out more about mentoring and of course more importantly, see why Yoda is a coach and Obi Wan is a mentor.

School Uniforms - Tutor Hunt Blog

School Uniforms School Uniforms School UniformsSchoolsAre school uniforms an overly authoritarian constriction on children`s identities? Straight jacks for their free self expression? Or are they a way of installing pride in pupils, and promoting the values of equality and inclusivity? At both the schools I attended - primary and secondary - I was required to wear a uniform. In the sixth form we had to wear a suit every day, and whenever I see crowds of people wearing this formal attire (typically at weddings and funerals - happy and sad extremes) I am reminded of my last two years of my schooling. As someone who was never attuned to the fashion scene, I was rather fortunate that my prosaic clothing style couldn`t be detected whilst at school. A uniform made everyone equal in this regard, preventing the formation of fashionable cliques of students, who had the money and stylistic acuity to seek out the most glamorous garments. Bullying can occur for all kinds of reasons - students wearing unfashionable clothing would certainly be targets. In America the vast majority of academic institutions lack a uniform, and while this may make TV dramas set in their schools look more colourful and interesting, it is also one of the reasons an estimated 160,000 children are absent from school each day, fearing belittlement and even violence from their peers. A school uniform protects students against this kind of peer pressure, while promoting the sense that they belong to a community, to an academic establishment. You can hardly bully someone for what they are wearing when you yourself are clad in the same attire. It is believed that a school uniform reduces distractions in the classroom, and so promotes learning. It is a credible theory that if, from your vantage point in the class, you see students all dressed the same, instead of a panorama of different colourful outfits, you will be more focused on the teacher, and the lesson they are presenting. While there are an abundance of empirical studies and theories concerning school uniforms, and their effectiveness in advancing education and establishing discipline, there is a single scholarly work that is most often cited. The Long Beach Unified School District was the first, and is to date the most comprehensive, study of school uniforms in schools. In 1994 the school district board voted to make uniforms mandatory in all elementary and district schools. Up to this point no large urban district throughout the whole United States had made the wearing of uniforms compulsory, so it was a major ruling. Just a few years after implementing the policy, the school district reported that attendance improved, suspensions dropped by nearly a third, vandalism fell, assaults dropped by two thirds, and examination results rose. So impressive were these results that the then President Bill Clinton mentioned the policy and its effectiveness in his 1996 State of the Union Address, which led many other districts to implement uniform policies in their schools. The president`s speech included the memorable line:`If [a uniform policy] means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear uniforms.` It might not all be positive though - some parents have complained that their child`s school demands the uniforms are purchased from a specific supplier, which can prove expensive. This issue was addressed in late 2013, when the Liberal Democrats issued new guidance to allow parents to shop around for their child`s uniform. The Education Minister David Laws said that he wanted to put an end to profit sharing schemes that had existed for too long between certain schools and shops:`We will send a strong signal to schools that it is vital to secure value for money for parents before changing or introducing new school uniforms. Parents need to be able to shop around to find the best deal.` In the UK the Department for Education strongly recommends a uniform, but it is actually up to each school`s governing body. Christ Hospital School in London, back in 1552, is believed to be the first school to have pupils uniformly attired. The French actually discarded their school uniform policy in 1968, but it seems the swinging sixties didn`t have that effect on the UK establishment! 2 years ago0Add a Comment

Take part in our second live Twitter chat on Thursday, November 20

Take part in our second live Twitter chat on Thursday, November 20 We’ll be hosting our second live Twitter chat on Thursday, November 20 from 8 - 9 pm GMT with our Placement Coordinator, Kathy Deady. Just like Alexandra did last week, Sean will be taking over the @teachaway Twitter account for 1 hour to answer any and all of your questions.Sean has been working as a Placement Coordinator with Teach Away for just about a year. Before that, he lived in China and Korea and has traveled to 16 countries throughout Asia. As one of our Placement Coordinators, he is currently working with schools in India, Qatar, the United States, Rwanda, and Abu Dhabi. When he’s not working to find teachers their ideal teaching overseas experiences, he’s enjoying a hockey game or fixing his family one fine meal (he’s also trained as a chef!).  Our live Twitter chat is your chance to ask Sean anything to do with teaching overseas in one of the countries he focuses on, or about his own personal travel and teaching experience in Asia.Just like last week, if you’d like to participate, all you have to do is tweet us your question by including the hashtag #askteachaway. Sean will retweet the question before he tweets his answer, that way everyone can follow the Q&A.If you’re not on Twitter, click here to sign up. Once you’ve signed up, or if you already have an account, just follow @teachaway.Following the Twitter chat, we’ll be sharing everyone’s questions and answers on our Teach Away blog, so if you can’t participate, you can check in there.

Teachers top the list for unpaid overtime - Tutor Hunt Blog

Teachers top the list for unpaid overtime Teachers top the list for unpaid overtime Teachers top the list for unpaid overtimeSchoolsFor many years I was in the financial sector, working on average around 10 hours a day, often for six or seven days a week. It was a strenuous profession: too stressful to ever be truly dull, but never varied enough to be interesting. I definitely couldn`t complain to anyone about my laborious job though, for I was certainly well paid. I put in enough overtime every day to console me for my growing number of grey hairs, and there was always a holiday some time in the future to make it all seem worthwhile. Something I certainly could not imagine would have been not receiving remuneration for the overtime work I put in. If our manager had assembled the team, and said we were not going to be paid for all the extra hours we worked everyone in the office would have simply laughed - and if he had claimed sincerity, we would all have walked out. There was nothing atypical about our troupe of office workers - we were not recalcitrant or renegade in any way: we simply expected to be paid for the work we did. I worked for a number of different companies in the industry, and the attitude was the same throughout: workers deserve to be paid for the time they put in. It seems the teaching profession takes takes a rather different stance on these matters. New research carried out by The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has revealed that UK teachers work more than a whole day of unpaid overtime every week. Taken across the whole teaching sector this amounts to a stupendous 9 million hours of unpaid labour a week, or 462 million hours annually. These are truly unbelievable figures, which show teachers to be performing the most amount of unpaid work in any professional sector. When I first read the report conducted by the TUC, I was amazed that teachers work on average more than an extra day a week - but the truth even worse! Secondary teaches clock in 12.1 hours free hours a week, and primary teachers put in an extra 13 hours - closer to 2 whole days than one! Unfortunately it seems that it`s only the teachers, those at the front line in the education system, who are subject to these herculean unpaid shifts - the report suggested that other personnel in the school, admin staff, cleaners, on site nurses, aren`t putting in nearly as many extra hours. In fact the TUC has calculated that, spread over the whole teaching profession, all this amounts to 735,000 teachers working unpaid overtime every year. The TUC general secretary Frances O`Grady put the matter succinctly: `Teachers top the list for unpaid overtime,` `Our education system can`t be run off the back of free labour and goodwill. The government must tackle staff shortages and overwork by giving schools the resources they need. Ministers need to work with teaching unions to address the unacceptable workloads that are driving so many dedicated teachers out of the profession.` `With workload going up and real terms pay going down it is no surprise that we are facing such problems with recruiting new teachers and keeping the ones we`ve got.` I wonder how much pressure we can pile onto teachers, before we make the whole profession so stressful and taxing, that only those with the endurance and constitution of soldiers on leave from war zones will be able to endure it. Only last month the National Foundation for Educational Research released a report that said more teachers feel `worried` or `tense` or about their job than workers in other professions. The study found that 20 per cent of teachers feel tense and anxious about their job `most or all of the time,` compared to 13 percent reporting similar feelings in other professions. The report went on to tell us about the growing shortage of teachers, along with a rising number of new teachers leaving the profession. The solution to the recruitment crisis cannot be to make existing teachers work more than an extra day a week for no remuneration - this unpaid overtime will only cause more teachers to leave the profession, and so compound the problem of recruitment. Many would be quick to say that teachers get a very generous amount of holidays - about 13 weeks a year. If they are working 13 hours a week extra though, this amounts to around 9 weeks of unpaid overtime, bringing their holidays down to a more menial 4 weeks - and most teachers still have work to do during their breaks. 12 months ago0Add a Comment