Curriculum & Staff Development

Time Is Precious

Committee meets to discuss possibility of additional time for teachers

by Brad Best

October 03, 2006

Time is a very precious commodity. In this fast paced world, it is most trying to find the time to be our very best. This holds true not only in our personal lives, but in our workplace, as well. Finding the time to do our best with all of the state and federal requirements, as well as the student achievement initiatives that we are exploring is practically impossible. Our staff researches, plans and teaches all day long ... it is difficult to make new progress or to implement new strategies without setting aside the necessary time and resources.

Last spring, the idea was tossed about in regard to providing our teaching staff with additional professional development time so that they could address all of the requirements and research-based initiatives. The initial reaction was mixed. Some in the community felt that it was necessary to provide time to teachers in order to progress. Others felt that any dismissal of classes would be too much of a disruption for families, especially in the area of supervision of their children with both parents working. Both are valid and important issues.

Over the last month, a committee of parents, teachers and administrators will continue to meet to discuss possible solutions to these concerns. We have identified the reasons behind the need, some potential "hurdles" and a number of possible considerations for solutions.

One of the recommendations of the committee was to provide information to the general public about the additional requirements of teachers and the learning initiatives that the school district is researching or implementing to promote student achievement. Over the next couple of weeks, I hope to shed some light on the reasons why we feel that teachers need additional time to address issues and make improvements. Please come back and visit the Curriculum & Staff Development section of this web site from time to time for new articles. I hope that they are helpful in the discussion. The next article, on standards and assessments can be viewed by clicking here.