The right to disconnect is critical for teachers’ wellbeing – and that of their students.
We live in an age where there are more and more demands on teachers. A student submits an essay at 5pm and expects feedback by 8pm. A parent has a concern and expects an answer within the hour, even in the late evening.
The submission from the independent schools argues, correctly, that there are times when teachers need to be on duty or contactable. Some of these are known and scheduled activities: boarding school staff on duty; teachers on school camps and overnight excursions; adults supervising or coaching co-curricular activities offered in our schools.
But teachers are also people with hobbies and interests, with families to care for, and they need time away from work for themselves, to recharge the batteries, to regain the equanimity to do it all again tomorrow. And answering parents’ demands and concerns immediately may seem efficient and empathic, but there are compelling reasons why a more measured response is beneficial. When teachers take time to process parents’ requests, they can consider the broader context and all possible options and their implications. Immediate answers may not account for all relevant factors.
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