Teacher Workload Calculator
Turn periods-per-week into contact hours, prep time, and total weekly load — with step-by-step math.
Weekly load
vs benchmark 45 h: -15 h
- 1.Contact = 30 × 40 ÷ 60 = 20 h
- 2.Prep = 20 × 0.5 = 10 h
- 3.Total = 20 + 10 = 30 h
How workload is calculated
Formula
Contact hours = (periods per week × minutes per period) ÷ 60.
Preparation hours = contact hours × prep multiplier (default 0.5, i.e. 30 minutes prep per teaching hour). Total = contact + prep.
Optional benchmark: RTE Schedule lists 45 hours/week including preparation for elementary teachers — your affiliation may differ.
Source
Contact hours = periods × minutes ÷ 60. Prep hours = contact × prep multiplier (user-set). RTE Act 2009 Schedule item 4: minimum 45 teaching hours per week including preparation for elementary teachers — used as an optional comparison benchmark only.
Frequently asked questions
What prep multiplier should I use?
0.4–0.6 is common for school planning. Lab-heavy or new courses may need 0.75+.
Does 45 hours apply to all schools?
The 45-hour figure is from the RTE Act 2009 Schedule for elementary teachers. Secondary, college, and private norms vary — treat it as a reference line only.
Can I enter multiple teachers?
Calculate one teacher at a time, or pass periods in the API per request.
Are co-curricular periods included?
Include them in periods-per-week if they count toward load in your school policy.
For developers & AI agents
The Teacher Workload Calculator is also available as a free, unauthenticated JSON API — no API key, no sign-up, CORS enabled for all origins. Send a GET request with the parameters below and receive the computed result as JSON, including the source of the format or formula used. Invalid input returns HTTP 400 with a JSON { "error": "..." } body.
GET https://knwdle.com/api/tools/teacher-workload-calculator| Parameter | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
periodsPerWeek | Yes | Teaching periods per week |
periodMinutes | Yes | Length of one period in minutes |
prepMultiplier | No | Prep hours per contact hour (default 0.5) |
benchmarkHours | No | Optional weekly hour benchmark (default 45) |
Request:
GET https://knwdle.com/api/tools/teacher-workload-calculator?periodsPerWeek=30&periodMinutes=40&prepMultiplier=0.5&benchmarkHours=45
Response:
{
"tool": "teacher-workload-calculator",
"name": "Teacher Workload Calculator",
"source": "Contact hours = periods × minutes ÷ 60. Prep hours = contact × prep multiplier (user-set). RTE Act 2009 Schedule item 4: minimum 45 teaching hours per week including preparation for elementary teachers — used as an optional comparison benchmark only.",
"contactHours": 20,
"prepHours": 10,
"totalHours": 30,
"benchmarkHours": 45,
"vsBenchmark": -15,
"formula": "contact = 30 × 40 ÷ 60; prep = contact × 0.5; total = contact + prep",
"steps": [
"Contact hours = 30 × 40 ÷ 60 = 20 h",
"Prep hours = 20 × 0.5 = 10 h",
"Total load = 20 + 10 = 30 h",
"Benchmark = 45 h → difference -15 h"
]
}