The Time Crunch: What Aspiring Educators Need to Know

By: Mary Ellen Flannery, NEA Senior Writer

Published: October 7, 2024

First Appeared In NEA Today for Aspiring Educators, Fall 2024

“I got a new sewing machine for my 21st birthday. I know, even my mom was like, ‘Madison, you’re too much!’” says Aspiring Educator Madison Woosley. “But I love to quilt. It’s my way to chill out.”

Not only is Woosley a full-time elementary education major at Morehead State University and president of Morehead’s Kentucky Education Association chapter, she’s also a Student Government Association rep and involved in Christian ministry. Three afternoons a week, she tutors. The other two days, she runs an after-school elementary education program—an experience she is documenting and studying as an undergraduate research fellow.

A female smiling and posing in front of a decorative background. — Madison Woosley, Morehead State University, Kentucky

It doesn’t leave a lot of time to stitch and baste. “My days are very full,” says Woosley, with a laugh.

As Woosley and other Aspiring Educators look ahead—beyond student teaching and graduation—this isn’t going to change. The crunch for time will be a constant throughout their careers. Indeed, 84 percent of teachers say they don’t have enough time in their day to get everything done, according to a 2024 Pew Research report.

That’s why it’s important for NEA Aspiring Educators to learn time-management skills now. Prioritizing work, setting boundaries, learning to say no, and making time for your own well-being are key skills that can be practiced and learned. Future educators also need to know how their unions can help.

Running Out of Time

In a recent national survey, K–12 teachers answered questions about their workloads. The most cited reason they can't get everything done? Ninety-eight percent said they simply have too much work. Other reasons include spending time outside of class helping students and covering for other educators.

98%

Just have too much work.

65%

Often have to perform non-teaching duties such as hallway or lunch duty.

72%

Often spend time helping students outside of class time.

51%

Often have to cover for another teacher’s class when they aren’t available.

The time crunch is a growing issue educators say. As students’ needs are increasing, parents’ demands are growing, and dictates on teachers’ time are multiplying. These burdens often lead to burnout, which causes educators to quit, which feeds the national educator shortage, which, in turn, makes more work for the remaining staff.

Who suffers the consequences when educators don’t have enough time? Students do! “Probably the biggest thing is students get less personalized feedback,” says New Mexico teacher Natalia Fierro, who, after teaching language arts for 20 years, recently switched to a media elective. “We probably also give fewer innovative assignments. There’s not time to plan them and get the resources for them.”

Of course, educators bear some of the brunt of the time crunch, too. A large majority (74%) find their jobs to be overwhelming. And although stress is common across the profession, it is more pervasive in elementary grades, the survey shows. It is also very common among special educators and specialized personnel, says Christina Rojas, a speech-language pathologist in Lancaster, Penn.

“It’s not about making our jobs easier,” she says. “The focus is students. How can we make this job manageable to provide better services to students?”

Solutions are possible, say NEA members, especially when educators work through their unions.

“How do we keep teachers in the classroom? How do we keep them from … burning out?” asks middle school teacher Michael Sniezak, president of Washington’s Eatonville Education Association. “The solution is to make it so teachers don’t feel spent beyond [reason].”

3 Things You Can Do Through your Union

Bargain for more planning time. Last year, in Portland, Ore., third-grade teacher Tiffany Koyoma-Lane had not one minute of planning time on Mondays and Tuesdays. This year, it’ll be different. Her new union contract provides “no less than 410 minutes per standard work week” with at least “one daily block of 40 minutes.” On top of that, Portland’s elementary special education case managers also will get “at least 40 minutes a day” for paperwork. In Lewisberry, Pa., high school teacher Jared Washburn’s union won additional pay for middle and high school educators when their planning time dips below 270 minutes across six days. (Or 320 for elementary teachers.)

Bargain for less work. In 2022, “everything we did in bargaining—our whole aim—was workload,” says Eatonville Education Association President Michael Sniezak, of Washington. Today, for example, if a third-grade class exceeds 17 students, the district’s options, per the contract, include “pay to the employee $13 per student/per day above the cap” and “an extra period of specialist time per week.” In Lancaster, Pa., Christina Rojas’ union won a 45 to 1 staffing ratio for speech-language pathologists, like her. “We are able to provide better quality, more one-on-one services for students, and more time for better evaluations and collaborations with teachers," Rojas says.

Advocate to your state legislators. Unions are legal in every state—but not every state allows them to collectively bargain. Flex your union muscles by meeting with state lawmakers. Currently, Virginia Education Association members are working to improve a state law that provides just 30 minutes of planning time to elementary teachers. (In Virginia, some local unions can bargain; others are working on it!) Last year, members of the Georgia Association of Educators helped pass a Republican-sponsored bill requiring districts to provide daily planning time. Unfortunately, many districts are failing to live up to the spirit of the law by requiring teachers to use that time before students arrive in the morning.

You Can Make a Difference!

While local and state unions tackle workload, class sizes, planning time, and other issues at the bargaining table and in statehouses, Aspiring Educators can help themselves, too.

A man smiling dressed in a tuxedo. — Jonathan Oyaga, California

Fortunately, Aspiring Educators already know a lot about time management! About 4 in 10 college students also work part-time (and 74% of part-time students), so it’s not unusual for students to learn how to juggle.

Jonathan Oyaga is an Aspiring Educator in Los Angeles, where he recently graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Today, he’s serving as president of the California Teachers Association Aspiring Educators and on the NEA Board of Directors, as well as working as a research associate at the UCLA Center for Community Schooling and a transfer specialist at Pasadena City College.

He and Woosley have advice for their colleagues.

5 Things You Can Do For Yourself

Realize that not everything can get done at the same time, Oyaga says. In other words, figure out what matters most to you and prioritize that work. Creating a to-do list is helpful for Oyaga.

Learn to say no. “I used to be a person who always said yes. It was almost like I felt honored to be asked and obligated to say yes,” Woosley says. “Through my years, I’ve let myself feel okay saying no, and to pour myself into the things that make me happy or give me purpose.” For example, Woosley’s undergrad research through the after-school program takes an enormous amount of time, but it brings her joy and it teaches her things that she will take into her classroom career someday.

Set reasonable expectations for yourself. Stop comparing yourself to your classmates and colleagues! “I’ve always been a perfectionist!” says Oyaga, but he has learned at NEA events that educators are constantly learning and developing throughout their careers. “Nothing is ever going to be perfect the first time. I’ve learned that primarily from the internship program that I now help coordinate, where we’ve created—and re-created—and revised our curriculum,” he says.

Make time for yourself. Woosley sets aside time on the weekends to power up her sewing machine and to visit with family in her Eastern Kentucky hometown. Meanwhile, Oyaga maintains his health and energy with regular trips to the gym and as many music festivals as possible! His other advice? “Go on vacation with your best friends!”

Let others help you. When classmates, colleagues, professors, administrators, etc., offer to help you? Say yes!

Mary Ellen Flannery

NEA Senior Writer