The Hidden Cost of Teaching: When Planning Time Becomes Unpaid Labor

You land the job. The description sounds perfect for a flexible, part-time schedule abroad. The company is a big name, they provide the materials, and the initial training makes it seem straightforward. You step into the classroom excited to teach.

But a few weeks in, the reality begins to sink in. The promised “provided materials” aren’t quite what you expected.

The Methodology Mismatch

You’re trained in a specific, rigid teaching method. It’s the company’s brand, and your performance is graded on how well you stick to it. Then you open the official lesson materials.

They don’t follow the method.

Suddenly, your “planning” isn’t about reviewing—it’s about completely rewriting every lesson from scratch. You’re essentially doing unpaid curriculum development, just to make the company’s own content fit the company’s own rules.

The Vanishing Paycheck

This is where the math gets painful. You’re only paid for contact hours—the time you’re physically in front of students. But what about the hours spent?

• Deciphering and fixing inconsistent online materials
• Reformatting activities to match the required methodology
• Creating logical bridges between mismatched topics

That time adds up. When you factor in a commute, your effective hourly wage plummets. You start to feel less like a professional and more like a volunteer.

The “Free Time” Expectation

Then comes the new expectation: administrative tasks and student assessments. The instruction is clear—this should be done “in your free time.”

This formalizes the unspoken rule: the real work of teaching happens off the clock. Your paid hours are just the tip of the iceberg.

Is This the Industry Standard?

This situation leaves many new-to-abroad teachers asking one burning question: Is this normal?

For some large, franchise-style language chains, the answer can be uncomfortably close to “yes.” A business model built on high student fees and low instructor costs often relies on this gray area of unpaid labor. The promise of a reputable name and provided resources can mask a system where the teacher absorbs the core operational costs: time and expertise.

Navigating the Situation

If you find yourself here, you’re not powerless. Here are ways to manage:

• Track Your Time: Log all hours worked, in and out of the classroom. The data is powerful for your own awareness and any future discussions.
• Seek Clarification, Politely: Frame questions around success. “To ensure I’m teaching the methodology correctly, can you point me to the pre-aligned materials for Unit X?” This highlights the system’s flaw without confrontation.
• Efficiency is Key: Stop perfecting. Aim for “methodology-compliant enough.” Your time has value.
• Know Your Worth: This experience is a crash course in contract scrutiny. For your next role, ask specific questions: “How are materials aligned with the teaching method?” and “What is the typical paid-to-planning time ratio for this course?”

The dream of teaching abroad shouldn’t include exploitation. By recognizing these patterns and advocating for your professional time, you protect your passion and steer your career toward more respectful and sustainable opportunities.