TEACHERS WORK an average of 47 hours per week during school term and many are involved in extracurricular sports activities, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) claimed yesterday.
The union based its claims on a new report it commissioned from Behaviour Attitudes.
The survey reveals well over half (59 per cent) of the general public believe that the role of the second-level teacher has become more difficult in the past 10 years.
Other key findings include:
88 per cent of teachers report an increase in the administrative duties over the last five years;
45 per cent say dealing with discipline issues is one of the most time-consuming areas of their work;
54 per cent of teachers under the age of 35 organise sports;
45 per cent of teachers between 35 and 44 are involved in extracurricular sports activities.
TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin said the findings endorse the great job that teachers are doing in their communities.
On average, teachers are spending 25 hours per week working outside of the 22 timetabled teaching hours.
The survey involved teachers from around the country in VECs, community and comprehensive schools.
According to a TUI survey three years ago, some 20 per cent of teachers were threatened or intimidated by students at some stage during the previous week.
The survey underlines concerns among teachers that their jobs have becoming excessively administrative due to increasing legal and reporting demands. Teachers also complain about absence of the necessary administrative and back up supports in schools.
Mr McMenamin said: “More and more time is robbed from the primary roles of teaching and learning due to increasing bureaucratic burdens, placing the overall quality of the learning experience for students at risk.”