workload management booklet

8/7/2019 Workload Management booklet

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Workload Management

Some ideas

Published by the Advanced Practitioner Team


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Table of Contents

Page

3............ Introduction

4............ Job Analysis

4 - 5........Practical steps to address your workload

6............ Why consider workload management?

6............ What can Managers do to assist colleagues?

6............ Stress reduction kit

7............ Using the Learning Model to get more from students

8............ Using the Learning Model to create time to support students

9............ Quick Wins

10............ Work life balance Musts

11............ And Finally

12............ This really is the end


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This document has been put together as a result of collaborative working involving theAdvanced Practitioner team, the Senior Management team, the Quality and Development teamand a working party involving personnel from all sectors of the college. It is aimed principally

at academic staff but we hope that it might prove useful to all colleagues.It is not intended to be the answer to all ills but will contain ideas that are the product ofcareful thought and lots of experience. The intention is to help colleagues manage theirworkloads and to keep heads above water and to keep enjoying their teaching. Please be awareof other channels of support that the college currently offers. Your first port of call shouldbe your line manager and if all he or she can do is offer a sympathetic ear then that is a start.All research into the area of work related stress indicates the value of talking about pressureearly rather than late.

The Principal has been very open in outlining the ongoing financial pressures facing the college.Continued financial uncertainty and talk of cut-backs mean that no change in the way we areworking is not an option. Things will and must change and it is our response to those changesthat generates stress.

In all areas there has to be a recognition of what is

desirable, necessary, achievable.

Workload Management


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In

nage c ent ads there s a need to ork ore ntelligently, y ocusing on the things that are important or

ob success and reducing the time e spend on low priority tasks. Job analysis is the first step in doing this.

1) Analy y

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n and $ # # %

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& ' at ' as to ! done. W ' at # s assessed # n $ erforman ce reviews? W ' at can ! e left?

2) Understand the ( olleges strateg y and c lture . What is our mission statement? What role do we $ lay in contributing to it? How can we ensure we succeed in delivering those tasks and responsibilities that contribute to it?

3) Look at those that are successful in managing their workload. What are the y doing that

we are not?

4) Work openly with the college to gain those things necessar y to achieve a reasonable work life balance.

5) ( onfirm with line managers what you intend delivering . And line managers look to bring out the benefits of team work, sharing and collaboration .

6) ) ee the successful achievement of all of this as a team effort . A them V us attitude contributes to fatigue and disillusionment .

Pra cti c 0 1 steps:

i) Look to the Learning 2 odel and use all those ideas and strategies that you put into 3 chemes of Work when Ofsted loomed. We reall y do want our students to be come

4

ndependent Learners , 3 elf 2 anagers , Effe ctive Workers et c. 2 ake the students do more . 5 hey should be working harder than us. We alread y have our A levels,B5 ecs et c....

ii) 6 ont reinvent the wheel if someone has alread y delivered , then share resour ces but contribute as well as absorb .

iii) Evaluate work balance between you and students . Who is working the hardest? What can the y usefull y do to redress any imbalance? Peer marking, produ ction of Powerpoints following resear ch, production of wall displays as tea ching resour ces .

iv) How often do you set work that will require you to mark it? 7 an this be evaluated in terms of usefulness? Reduced?

Recog 8 ise th 9 t ch 9 8 ge h 9 s to t 9 @ eplace; you might become ill if you don t change.


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v) Can classes be allocated to allow work to be duplicated between classes so that tea chers are tea ching the same units to different classes?

vi) Can introdu ctor y lectures be delivered to big groups so that time is made available to colleagues to do other things than tea ch?

vii) Plan the setting of marked work so as not to clash with other classes

viii) Use online, self marking testing if appropriate

ix) Evaluate the provision of extra- curri cular activities is the gain worth the hours of effort?

x) Evaluate the need for parti cular training c an this be delivered online at a time more convenient to colleagues?

xi) Engage in long term planning some times of the year are worse than others . What can we do to plan for this?

xii) Consider very carefull y the need for meetings and ensure you are not A

ust meeting for meetings sake


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B ang H B ad H B C B

Why do this? D

mplementing work/life balance initiatives is not only about improving the lives of tea ching staff , it is also a highly effe ctive way to raise academic standards . Benefits often include:

redu ced stress and sickness , and lower cover requirement greater motivation , morale and physical and emotional wellbeing increased

E

ob satisfa ction and improved re cruitment and retention improved tea ching and learning, better time management , and greater effi ciency open and honest relationships and greater awareness of staff and student needs increased quality of leadership and management and more trust between management and other staff greater cohesion and communication between governors , senior management and all college staff , and additional capacit y to improve communication between the college and local communities.

http://www .tda .gov.uk/remodelling/nationalagreement/worklifebalan ce .aspx

What can F anagers do to assist colleagues with achieving a more productive workload? Again some ideas that were the product of cross college discussions:

1) Listen and talk to colleagues . We know you are at least as stressed as the y are but it is good to talk and its good for them to know you are aware of their load.

2) G ry and timetable so colleagues might be able to redu ce preparation by tea ching the same units to different classes . Not always possible of course and for some colleagues , unwelcome.

3) Consider caseloads . H ome classes are tiny in comparison to others and be open in re cognising the implications of this in both dire ctions . Perhaps it is time to stop counting classes and start counting students .

4) Be aware of the demands of different t ypes of students .

5) Repeatedl y changing tea ching rooms is hugely stressful . G

ry and timetable to redu ce movements wherever possible .

6) Explain the intri cacies of the timetable . I

t is simply a myster y to many staff and yet dictates so much about our working practi ce .

Stress Reduction Kit

Directions:

1) Place Kit on Firm Surf ace 2) Follow dir ections in Cir cle 3) R epea t st ep 2 as necessary or unti l

uncons cious4) If un cons cious, cease str ess r eduction activity


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Using the Learning Model to get more from students

7

Make time, learning how tolearn

One week induction week learning to learn, preparingfiles & materials

Reading Weeks

Some time allocated in the year when students can reinforce their contextual and wider knowledge of the subject by undertaking guided,specific research and reading. Noneed to attend lessons and teacherscan use the time to work on their own priorities.

Student peer marking - see work done inthe English department using Peer Marking.

Using peers to support other students; egworkshops, specific topics. Gill Thompson

has done a lot of work using studentmentors.

Develop group researchskills among students less intensive preparationand marking

Teach students to create studentled and self managed subjectreviews good investment of time. Jon Myers has some ideasin this area.


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Using the Learning Model to get more from students

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Give green light to staff toreduce contact time bydelivering in 4 hours andspend half hour per week tosupport students on particular topics

Students to set the Question and answer scheme.

Students devise own questions and writemarks schemes based on AssessmentObjectives.

Subjects share Lecture series on topics thatare cross curricula.

Break the dependency of students early on they

can learn from each other not solely from theteacher.

One session per monthwhere class only consists of those the teacher wants tosee.

College wide policiesNo marking late workNo extension to deadlinesNo accepting work byemail?

Incorporate reflective activitiesand logging intoweek/fortnight schedules these dont need marking!

Develop students groupresearch skills needs clarityand outcomes leads to self assessment also

Look into GoogleWave

In larger subject (more thanone block) run pooled lectureswith research homework set.Frees up other tutors for one toone sessions

Ask students to create a charter of groupexpectations and have student ledv lu ti n m tin nc m nth.

Using the Learning Model to create time to support students


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Q uick Wins

9

Set useful work, dont mark allof it.

Mark with a few lines of feedback

Reference to numbered elementsof the marking schemes

Say no to seeing student whenyou have other tasks to do

Say no in class when they havethe instructions in front of them

Peer assessing (cut down markload)

Peer teaching (learning sets)

Esthers cardsStudents present.

15 minute reprise at endof one hour sessions onlyfor those students whoneed it

Questions & Answer activities

Students complete in class/homework start of next lesson students bring in tocomplete you know if they have done itand youre checking its right. SeeTeachers Toolkit* for activity ideas

*Ginnis, P (Crown House Publishing)

Marking : Peer marking/self marking requires trainingand assessment in lesson

Target specific pieces of work

Use system of 2 teacher with shared groups to repeatlessons. Cuts back onindividual loads

Collective departmental

planning Marking Less annotation, morehighlighting/signposting linkedto mark scheme Also leads todiscussion in lesson


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Q uick Wins

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1 day per month no teaching but anin-college planning day studentshave independent study

Presentee-ism break thehabit, it makes others feelguilty

Stop working for one day aweek

Tidying up

Finish on time 5mins early isok

Stop giving up break in prep and

desk sorting

What do you need to do in order to enjoy your work? DO IT!

Students will be gratefulOnly accept work by deadline notafter

Point of communication for SSMs

Remember you are trusted

There is no choice, in thelong term

Change must happen!Go with your professionalinstinct on marking load, etc. you will be supported by thecollege

Work Life Balance Musts


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Q uick Wins

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P his is the beginning of a process not the answer to all our woes. Q

t is intended to be a collaborative engagement with all of our staff .

Q

t has been edited by J err y J anes and you are welcome to blame him if you find the humour and st yle not to your parti cular taste . P his document is not a commitment by anyone to anything .

Q

t will we hope , simply open up a dialogue.

P he College is aware of the increased stress on ever yone, Academic and Business R upport and is activel y seeking ways to address this . We would like to invite you to be part of this process .

P ogether we are so much stronger .

B e aware of what is currently on offer:

Counsellor - J an R ymes

Counselling is about exploring any worries , anxieties or problems that you feel are interfering in your personal or professional life .

Q

t is a chance for you to be listened to , for your worries to be taken seriousl y and to be supported in rea ching your own decisions.

Book an appointment with J an

P elephone: 01420 592396 (c onfidential voice-mail)

E mail: S [email protected] Chaplain - Bill T atthews

Book an appointment with Bill

E mail: bill.matthews@alton college.ac.uk Your line manager

Any member of the R enior T anagement P eam

P ake up Yoga! R taff C lub runs one evening a week

Advanced Practitioner sessions for general worries and concerns or to offer us the benefit of

your wisdom F ortnightl y Frida y 12.45 1 .30pm.

Buddy up with someone outside of your work area . R hare ideas and woes. Q

ts good to talk .

The Quality and Development team working with HR are planning a number of events and training to boost work life balance. Wat ch this space.

And Finally


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Qu i i

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Almost...

Picture ourself ear a stream. irds are softly chirping in the crisp, cool, mountain air. o one kno s your secret place.

You are in total seclusion fr om that hectic place called"the orld".

The soothing sound of a gentle aterfall fills the air ith a cascadeof serenity. The ater is clear. You can easily make out the faceof the person you're holding under the ater... There no .....feeling etter?

Th i lly i the end...

workload management booklet

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