Please remember mandated training when negotiating our next contract! And let’s not forget the countless unpaid hours teachers work beyond our contractual day.
Yes, we’re salaried, and I understand that some work outside contract hours comes with the territory. But shouldn’t that be part of the conversation when negotiating fair compensation?
Elementary teachers often have just one prep period, work through lunch, stay two or three hours after school, commute an hour or more (because public transportation isn’t always an option), and then spend another five or six hours at home planning, grading and preparing for the next day. All unpaid.
And before someone says, “Just stop working after contract hours,” I’d love to! But then I’d show up the next morning with 25 students staring at me, wondering what we’re learning today.
We love our students, and we take our responsibilities seriously, but dedication shouldn’t mean unlimited free labor. If the job can’t be done within contract hours, then the time required to do it needs to be reflected in our compensation and working conditions.
Irma Sindicic, teacher, PS 42, Queens
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