“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.”
Fyodor Dostoevsky
ASOSA officially ended in the second week of April, and although the agreement struck between management and Teacher unions stated “There will be a carefully managed and supported restoration of working practices in schools including the issue of an agreed communication,” some schools were already adding to teachers’ workload within 24 hours of the agreement being signed. The think1265 project aims to protect staff by ensuring everyone knows what their obligations are under current workload reduction agreements, and how to stand up for those rights when they are breached.
Too busy to read on? Here’s how you can help right away:
Sign our petition calling for Paul Givan, the Education Minister, to ask schools to implement our think1265 Charter, and employ a Best Practice approach to implementing the workload reduction agreements you already have. Share the site on Facebook, Twitter (X), Pinterest, Instagram, or WhatsApp!
Got a few more minutes? Here’s the low-down on what think1265 is all about.
During the industrial action which just finished, teachers across Northern Ireland were engaged in “Action Short of Strike Action”, or “ASOSA” as it’s often called. Because excessive workload was central to the issues teachers were in dispute about, teachers refused to engage with a significant number of tasks that they would typically be asked to do by school managers. This left teachers largely free to focus on their core role – facilitating the teaching and learning of our young people.
Tellingly, student performance in Northern Ireland remained high, while teachers reported an increase in their general wellbeing. Many commented on how great it was to finally get some time to focus on their family or themselves, instead of bringing their job home with them every day. But now there are already signs that the bad old days are about to return.
The Workload Vicious Cycle
When school leaders begin to act in this way it fuels a vicious cycle of deteriorating industrial relations in the education sector from which nobody benefits.
The principal (not Principal… most of the time) reason this cycle happens is because workload agreements are not fully implemented in a school. And this is not simply to do with school leaders – although it is their responsibility to implement these instructions. Teachers themselves are partly to blame, because we don’t stand up for our rights.
Many teachers don’t stand up for their employment rights because they simply don’t know what they are. Many Principals don’t implement workload agreements because they simply don’t understand what they have to do.
think1265 aims to change all that, and finally break the workload vicious cycle.
think1265 is a teacher-led and trade union facilitated campaign to finally bring to life the workload reduction agreements we have agreed over the years. It has three very simple strands, and they all centre around the 1265 hours of directed time that Principals are allowed to direct teachers to work.
1. Educate.
We’re putting together as detailed and clear a guide as possible about what teachers’ rights are with regard to Directed Time, breaking it up into specific issues you might want more clarity about. By knowing what the rules and regulations actually say about X,Y and Z, teachers and their Principals can have proper professional conversations about using their 1265 hours in the most impactful way for the learners, while maintaining a high quality work-life balance at the same time.
2. Equip.
We’re building tools and guides to help people – including managers – sort through the Directed Time Budgets, and ensure that they are planned properly and realistically in good time for the academic year. After all, everyone in a school has the same objective – to do the best for their students. The first step in doing that is managing the available resources, and the most precious resource available is teachers’ time.
3. Campaign.
Overarching the other two strands is our “think1265 charter,” which are 10 simple “Best Practice” aspirations for schools to work toward. This will ensure that teachers’ workload and work-life balance is placed at the top of the agenda in school planning.
Alongside this we have a petition for all stakeholders – teachers, support staff, parents, managers – to sign, calling on Paul Givan, the Education Minister, to ask schools to sign up to our charter as a Best Practice approach to their obligations under the agreements between teachers and management side.
If all of us – teachers and school leaders – finally implement our workload agreements, we can build a better education system for everyone.
Here’s what teachers say about think1265
Designed and produced by teachers and trade unionists. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information on this site, members and representatives are advised to contact their own trade union reps before taking action which might leave them in breach of contract. © 2024 think1265