Most of the time, classroom teachers in Texas are subject to the scheduling decisions of campus principals. Most of the time, that is, except for 45 minutes a day.
State law guarantees classroom teachers a minimum of 450 minutes of planning time every two weeks, in increments no smaller than 45 minutes. For that period of time, a teacher can be required to stay on campus and work, but what she works on is up to her. She can not be required to attend meetings, or to work on cum folders, or to "help out" in an absent teacher's class.
The planning time must be within the instructional day, not tacked on after the kids leave. The one exception to that is a primary teacher whose students are released before the rest of the school.
Teachers can be required to attend meetings or work on specific projects with planning time that is over and above the 450 minutes/2 week minimum requirement.
What can we do to assure that we have this "planning time"? Last month had 23 teaching days. I had 6 days without a planning period. I had to come in "early" (half hour) three times - one for team leader meeting, one for parent teacher conference, and one for staff meeting. I had to go to an AFTER school PLC meeting from 4:30 to 6:00 and then go to a PTA meeting later that night from 6:45 to 8:00. (Both were called "voluntary" even though I felt pressured to go- and I certainly didn't feel they were voluntary!) I also had a "mentor" meeting from 4:00 to 5:00 on another day. I also had 10 Special Ed. meetings DURING the day. (ARD's, and/or staffings) I went to a mandatory TAKS M Field test training and a 5th grade SAT 10 testing during the school day. I 'field" tested two of the mornings. I also had to spend 3 mornings testing students for the ARD's that I went to.
All of the above meetings, etc. pulled me away from my students.
Now, I should say I feel lucky. Our two life skills teachers have not had a planning or duty free lunch since the beginning of school.
I went to my principal and when I told her I did not feel that I should be spending my evening hours working on school work, she said two things. First she said if I had to work late to get things done, then I should. The work I am talking about is writing & updating IEP's, putting grades in the grade book, and writing lesson plans. I assumed that's why we have "planning periods". She also told me I was "laid back" I felt this was a nice way of saying "Lazy".
Any advice?
Posted by: Ellen Schulz | October 05, 2009 at 06:08 PM
Last year our principal made us stay twice a week to plan until 4:30 pm. Plus we had the weekly school meeting until 4:30 pm. And on top of that, he arbitrarily took our 45 min."planning time" during our instructional day to review scores, have meetings, etc.
We are trying to talk to him to change things this year... But we may have no other alternative but to do it through or union.
With so many teacher layoffs across the country, many hesitate to raise their voices or go to their unions. And so they end up burned out, stressed, and sick by midyear.
Why is it so difficult for principals to visualize the link between the teachers' welfare and their productivity? Happy/healthy teachers = happy/successful students.
Posted by: Rpgaby | August 17, 2010 at 04:45 PM