Not when you are either coaching or sponsoring a club. Plus work is not over when the bell rings at 3:00. There is planning and grading homework, quizzes, tests, essay, etc that has to be taken home.

 

So how do other professionals do it? Most work 8-5 (if not more) M-F, and many are involved in school organizations or other community activities, yet they still manage?

Doable, but it would hurt your performance in all areas.

 

Somebody has to coach and it is also a way to supplement your income.

 

Coaching sports doesn't take away from those other activities you mentioned, such as grading papers, lesson planning, etc.?

So how do other professionals do it? Most work 8-5 (if not more) M-F, and many are involved in school organizations or other community activities, yet they still manage?

 

ARe they involved everyday?

 

I coach and the only night I am in before supper is on Wednesday night. It is not uncommon for me to put in 70-80 hour weeks from Monday-Friday once games get started. That is not counting Saturday in which we usually have a F or JV tournament going and sometime a V game that night.

Coaching sports doesn't take away from those other activities you mentioned, such as grading papers, lesson planning, etc.?

 

Yes coaching sometimes does take away from that and you catch back up on the weekend. So you put in more hours on the weekend.

Considering that added $$$$ to my salary allowing me to pay off my college loans to get my degree, AND (you missed it) I could do my master hours in the SUMMER, it was a priority for me and I did it during the summer months.

 

I would argue that trying to do your college work during the school year lessens your effectiveness as a teacher. You are spending time that you could spend on lesson plans doing classtime, class work, research, etc, etc.

 

You want your teachers focusing on their students, than you WOULD NOT want them spending their time out of the school on other things.

 

The masters program that I did was year long for two years - three semesters each, 12 hours/semester. I could see a BIG difference in how it affected my teaching. As an undergrad, I was always proud of putting my best effort forth obtaining my degree. In my graduate program, I put it behind my teaching priorities...when I didn't, I knew that my students were not receiving my best. So...I settled for "B's" in those masters classes - except those that were during the summer when I wasn't juggling teaching, coaching and masters degree - those were A's!

ARe they involved everyday?

 

I coach and the only night I am in before supper is on Wednesday night. It is not uncommon for me to put in 70-80 hour weeks from Monday-Friday once games get started. That is not counting Saturday in which we usually have a F or JV tournament going and sometime a V game that night.

 

Many coach their kids sports, which usually entails 2 practices and 2 games a week.

 

I don't think summer breaks should be shortened, and many of the reason's listed in this thread are the exact reasons why, but continuing education most certainly shouldn't be one IMO.

Well, there is most definitely issues for the community.

 

I would want churches to become very active in providing child care and activities for families on that Monday to offset the cost/problems the 4-day week would bring.

 

I would see it as a great outreach activity for churches.

 

I liked the training that the HS students received to be childcare workers. This seems to me to be a good way to earn money. One of the biggest benefits looks to be giving a day in which doctors appointments can occur without missing schools, so I would think that parents would chose that day to miss work to take them to those appointments, as opposed to one of the four school days.

I liked the training that the HS students received to be childcare workers. This seems to me to be a good way to earn money. One of the biggest benefits looks to be giving a day in which doctors appointments can occur without missing schools, so I would think that parents would chose that day to miss work to take them to those appointments, as opposed to one of the four school days.

 

I thought that was good too. Researched to find out which of the 5 days was missed the most and had that one as the day for students to be off.

 

Imagine the club projects that could be worked on for that day, too. Being a former DECA advisor, I would have put that day to work tremendously.

I thought that was good too. Researched to find out which of the 5 days was missed the most and had that one as the day for students to be off.

 

Imagine the club projects that could be worked on for that day, too. Being a former DECA advisor, I would have put that day to work tremendously.

 

I'm with you on that! As a senior class sponsor, we already have days set aside BEFORE school starts to begin working on some of the activities that occur throughout the school year. It would be great to have students be able to do that on that Monday they have off. Before someone says something about it, you wouldn't believe how many kids want to be up at the school (high school, anyway) on their days off

 

What is DECA, btw?

I can't believe it! The teachers contributing to this thread actually work more than a hundred and eighty days, seven hours a day. They don't spend the entire summer break kicking back their heels watching soap operas and eating junk food. Who knew?

 

I always get a kick out of my friends who like to yammer about how easy teachers have it. I often wonder why they aren't teachers themselves, but I soon realize that the vast majority wouldn't last a week in the classroom.

Someone mentioned an early start on reading. Our son parlayed an early start (entered a 4 year-old day school class a couple days after turning 3) and a voractious appetite for reading into a National Merit Scholarship, graduating magna from Vandy, a PhD in English Literature and a job teaching freshman writing at Harvard. Now I'm the first to recognize that a study with a sample size of 1 isn't especially significant from a statistical standpoint, but I certainly agree with the "get an early start on reading" philosophy.

I'm with you on that! As a senior class sponsor, we already have days set aside BEFORE school starts to begin working on some of the activities that occur throughout the school year. It would be great to have students be able to do that on that Monday they have off. Before someone says something about it, you wouldn't believe how many kids want to be up at the school (high school, anyway) on their days off

 

What is DECA, btw?

 

Used to be (maybe still is) Distributive Education Clubs of America. High school clubs emphasizing business.

Edited July 22, 200917 yr by mcpapa
fat fingers

Explain.

 

Strictly anecdotal, Clyde. From conversations with several teachers who (on a strictly anecdotal level; nothing scientific) say that there is quite a bit of review after the Christmas/New Year's holiday that is necessary to get students back to speed.

 

From elementary statistics class, I remember that for the most part, "spaced practice" is more effective than "mass practice"; and I feel certain that many of the advocates of year-round instruction will say the same thing. However, I'm just going on what teachers have told me. Who knows - maybe they just say that to justify that long summer break where they do nothing.

Are you saying parents are responsible for teaching reading or responsible for getting them ready to eventually to go to school? It is parents responsibilty to get them ready for school. It is not the schools responsibilty. Parents need to step up and assume their duties as parents.

 

Totally agree, but I wish school started a year earlier than it does. I also feel bad for the kids who have parents that don't care. That's why the year earlier may help them more than anyone.

I'm with you on that! As a senior class sponsor, we already have days set aside BEFORE school starts to begin working on some of the activities that occur throughout the school year. It would be great to have students be able to do that on that Monday they have off. Before someone says something about it, you wouldn't believe how many kids want to be up at the school (high school, anyway) on their days off

 

What is DECA, btw?

 

To put it in state testing lingo....DECA is to Marketing classes as FFA is to Agricultural classes.