I'm just stuck on the idea of an adjunct position being a once in a lifetime opportunity. Adjunct is one step above volunteer. It's not an opportunity to do anything except work nearly for free.

That’s one of the things I don’t like about teaching. If I need to take a half hour of leave for a doctor’s appointment, I’m charged 4 hours of leave. Then I end up working that evening to prep for upcoming lessons. So I can work 11-12 hours that day and still be charged 4 hours of leave.

One of the many reasons I’m thinking of quitting.

Non-teaching contract hours sounds like time they need you to be there otherwise it wouldn't be your contracted hours. I think you are off base asking to leave early for the purpose of taking on another job.

I'm unclear why you are getting pushback about the adjunct job. Is this a situation where students leave at 3, but you are contracted to be there til 3:30 and you are trying to leave at 3:05 to get to the adjunct job on time? In that case, no, you can't do that. You have to stay until you are contractually obligated to stay.

But I understand your feelings on the matter. I moved to a private school where I have a full time TA, and because of his help (and because this school has less pencil and paper work, less testing) I literally do NOTHING outside of contract hours. I leave as soon as the kids leave. It is very freeing and after decades of giving my time away for free, I now use my time only for me and my family. I also used to spend time after hours prepping things because my students came to me so severely behind (poverty, ESL, etc). I felt I could make a difference for them, and did, but a huge personal cost. Teaching very wealthy kids can be freeing because I know their families have money to pay for private tutoring if they need it. I do my best work during contract hours, but give nothing more.

Teacher here who normally works way more than contract hours (as so many of us do). Recently offered an adjunct position that only occurs during non-teaching contract hours and I am getting all sorts of pushback from admin. If they even allow me to take unpaid time (still questionable), it will essentially equal the pay from the university for the course I would teach. I would just break even financially, but I am feeling like if I did this, I would be super resentful of the extra hours I put in at school. I currently don’t resent that extra time, I consider it a necessary part of doing my job and maintaining a strong program as an elective teacher. This adjunct position is a phenomenal once in a lifetime feeling opportunity, though, and if I’m not able to get my school on board somehow with letting me take it, I know I will likely feel dissatisfied. Just feeling like a no-win situation atm and incredibly frustrated with the pushback given that I wouldn’t miss any time with students to go teach a college level course.