Impact of the Distribution of Non-Instructional Time of Primary-School Teachers on Student Learning

Abstract

This research aims to determine the incidence of the percentage of time that Latin American teachers of Primary Education allocated to different no teaching related tasks on the academic achievement of students in Mathematics and Language. We have conducted a study with 256 teachers from 9 countries in Latin America and 5,610 students. The information was collected from the teachers’ distribution time as well as the characteristics of students and their environment, and performance in Mathematics and Language through validated tests for all countries at the beginning and at the end the course. Using Multilevel Models with four levels of analysis (student, classroom, school and country), it has been found that an increased focus on three tasks significantly improves student achievement: the lesson preparation, correction of assessments, and work with families. And, conversely, a greater emphasis on administrative tasks lowers achieving students. With these results, empirical evidence is provided on the need for teachers to have suitable working conditions to adequately perform their jobs. Thus, it is necessary to consider that the work of teachers is not only being with the group, you also have to let time and prepare appropriate spaces for their work in the classroom. Similarly, whatever is minimizing administrative tasks performed by teachers result in greater student learning, probably because teachers are devoted "to the important"