Instructional Load Calculator

About the calculator #

This calculator is designed to support K-10 teachers check their instructional load.

Your maximum instructional load depends on where you work. If you’re a primary teacher, your maximum instructional load is 42 hours each fortnight. If you’re a secondary teacher, your maximum load is 40 hours a fortnight.

This calculator is not designed for college teachers or teachers who work in both secondary and primary classes. If that’s you, please contact the AEU for advice if you have any questions or issues.

If you want to learn more about instructional load and DOTT, check out our fact sheet:
Instructional Load and DOTT Fact Sheet

Download the calculator to get started #

Getting started #

1. Download a copy of the AEU Instructional Load Calculator
2. Open the calculator. It should open in Microsoft Excel.
3. If Excel asks you to allow Macros, agree. The calculator uses Macros and won’t work properly without them.
4. When the calculator opens, you should see the Summary tab:

5. Continue reading for instructions on how to fill in the Summary

If Macros are blocked… #

Excel might block Macros even after you agree to enable them. If this has happened, you will need to unblock Macros to continue.

If Excel has blocked Macros, you’ll see an alert like this at the top of the Summary screen:

To unblock Macros…

1. Open File Explorer and go to the folder the AEU Instructional Load Calculator is saved in. Unless you chose a different folder when you downloaded it, it will be in your Downloads folder.
2. Right-click the file and choose Properties from the pop-up menu
3. At the bottom of the General tab, select the Unblock checkbox and select OK
4. Return to the Instructional Load Calculator in Excel and continue to the next set of instructions

Fill in the Summary #

1. Enter your name
2. Enter the year (and term, if you like). This is just for your own reference, so include whatever information is useful to you.
3. Fill in your employment details, making sure to enter your correct FTE.
4. Follow the next set of instructions to enter your Timetable on the next page. The rest of the boxes in the Summary will be calculated automatically using the information you’ve already entered and the Timetable information you’ll enter next

Switch to the Timetable page #

1. At the bottom of the screen, you will see two tabs: Summary and Timetable
2. Click on the Timetable tab to switch to the Timetable page

Complete your Timetable #

1. Under Monday of Week 1, indicate whether you work on this day by selecting either Yes or No from the dropdown
2. Fill in the start and end time for Session 1
3. Repeat Step 2 for all Sessions you have on a Monday
4. Enter any DOTT time you have during the educational day for Monday (in minutes)
5. Repeat steps 1-5 for each day (or use the Copy buttons) to complete the rest of your Timetable
6. Once your Timetable is complete, return to the Summary tab to see your instructional time and your DOTT time breakdown

Why can’t I see my self-directed DOTT time? #

The calculator will not calculate your self-directed time if you are being asked to work above your maximum instructional load. You’ll need to get the issue of your instructional load resolved first so that your self-directed time can be calculated.

If you’ve entered all your information correctly and the Summary tab indicates that you’re over your maximum instructional load, please contact your AEU rep or the AEU office for advice and support.

If you are at or below your maximum instructional load, the calculator will show how much self-directed time you’re entitled to when you have DOTT time during the educational day. 

Recording questions or issues #

You can use the Notes section on the right hand side of the Timetable tab to enter any questions or issues that you’d like to discuss.

e.g. You might record that you are timetabled to receive certain blocks of DOTT time during the educational day, but you frequently lose these due to the school’s inability to cover staff absences with relief teachers.

You should save a copy of the calculator with your notes, then get in touch with the AEU support team to discuss.

Timetable FAQs #

What do I record as a Session? #

A Session is a period of instructional time. This is the time students are in class and learning, plus a couple of other cases.

The following all count as instructional time and should be recorded as a Session:

• Home group time
• Daily PE
• Whole group teaching
• Small group teaching
• Assemblies
• Supervising your own class for lunch eating
  

What doesn’t count as instructional time? #

• Supervision before the school day commences
  e.g. If students can enter a primary classroom 15 minutes before the bell rings to start the school day, this is not instructional time and should not be included in Session time
  
• Supervising a class other than your own, or supervising multiple classes, during lunch
  e.g. If you and your colleagues take turns supervising multiple classes at lunch, this counts as supervision and should be recorded as DOTT, not instructional time

What counts as DOTT (Duties Other Than Teaching) time? #

DOTT time during the educational day means time students are receiving instruction, but you are not on class (this is sometimes referred to as non-contact time).

At least 50% of your DOTT time during the educational day must be self-directed and you cannot be directed by the school to attend meetings, supervise students, etc.

This calculator will help you to determine your self-directed DOTT time.

How do I record DOTT time in my Timetable? #

Add up all your DOTT time for the educational day in minutes and enter the total into the DOTT time section at the end of the day.

Example:

Kai is a primary teacher. During Session 1 on Monday, they have 40 minutes of DOTT time when their students go to PE. They have another 40 minutes of DOTT time in Session 2 when their students go to Art.

To record their DOTT time, Kai would add up the total of their DOTT for the educational day in minutes and enter this total (80 minutes) into the DOTT section at the end of Monday.

What if I have a day where I’m at work, but not teaching? #

If you’re at work on a day when you have no teaching duties, you need to record your working hours (minus your lunch break) in Session 1 for the day and record these hours as DOTT by converting to minutes and entering the total minutes in the DOTT section for the day.

Example:

Molly is a kinder teacher who works 0.7 FTE. Molly teaches kinder 3 days a week. She also works for 7 hours (not including her lunch break) every second Thursday, but doesn’t teach on Thursdays.

To record her fortnightly DOTT day, Molly would set Session 1 of the Thursday in Week 1 to show her 7 working hours. To do this, Molly would enter the Session 1 start time as 8:30 AM and the end time as 3:30 PM.

Because all of her working hours on Thursday are DOTT time, she would then convert her 7 hours of work to minutes and enter this total (420 minutes) into the DOTT section at the end of Thursday).

Using the Copy buttons #

If you have the same sessions every day, you can copy Monday to Friday using the button in the middle of the page and then use a button copy everything from Week 1 to Week 2.

You can also edit the Timetable after you’ve copied it, so you can edit your DOTT information and add, remove or edit the times of Sessions if needed.