Concerns of Prep Time for the Upcomming School Year

When I was first employed by my current school district, I was very pleased by the block schedule and the amount of preparation time I had every day. I was given one 90 minute period every day. I thought it was a paradise to have and hour-and-a-half every day to prepare materials, grade papers, meet with parents, and complete administrative tasks.

For the upcoming school year, the district has decided to go back to a traditional 45 minute period day. I still get one period for prep time, but now it is only forty-five minutes long. I am still very much appriciative of the time I will have to prepare. I have worked in a district where the teachers only had once a week. However, with my prep time being cut in half I am starting to wonder about priorities.

When I was a student myself, I remember having a lot of multiple choice tests. (They are much easier to grade, and save a teacher a lot of time.) However, I always wondered at their efficacy to accurately show what a student knew or did not know. Because they are easier to grade, they are easier to pass.

I also remember that most of my teachers shut their doors after school was over. There were few teachers that let students into their classrooms shortly after the bell rang.

So, those are my two concerns. By losing precious prep time, I am worried that I may have to either cheapen my assessment, or reduce after class hours. Although I do already use multiple choice tests, I also use a lot of written and project based assessments. In the past I have also been able to let students into my classroom almost every day after school, and I have even been known to stay after 6 PM on occasion helping students. However, next year I will not have time for all I want to do without having to find ways to save time.

So, do I rely primarily on multiple choice assignments and test, which can be easily graded, to save time? Or, do I tell my students that I can only help them two days out of the week for an hour so I can use the rest of my after school time for grading? In my mind, these are tough questions.

I know that I expect more from my students than an average teacher. This is why I often have students in my room every day after school, but if I will no longer be able to provide them the time they need for extra help, am I obligated to make the class easier for them to pass? Or is there a way to use multiple choice tests without making it too easy for students to pass without mastering the content?

I think I will rely on multiple choice test more often next year in order to cut down on grading time. I would rather risk making the tests a little too easy than risk not giving them enough time for help. Then again, I guess the real test of my teaching abilities would be to find a way to keep the standards high even though there is less time available. I hope I can find a way, but only time will tell.

Dabbling with Distance Education

Going to college, I had the opportunity to take some of my classes online. I enjoyed those class as it allowed me to work according to my own schedule. Even now that I am an educator myself, I still fulfill some of my required staff development via online classes. I think now it is time for me to move on the the next step with my distance education. Now I am teaching online!

It all started when my mother mentioned that my youngest brother was needing some help with math. She wanted to send him to a summer class, but had a hard time doing so without having to cancel their summer vacation. So, I offered to tutor my brother online. She liked this idea because it would give my brother the much needed review with missing out on summer vacation (not to mention cheaper too).

Soon after that, one of my former student's parent contacted me with questions about where to find a tutor. I mentioned to her that I was tutoring someone else online, and that I would be happy to tutor her son as well. Then the idea came to me that tutoring online is a great way to meet individual student needs, and because there are so many free or low cost tools on the web I could offer my services for low rates. (Ideologically, low cost education is important to me. In my opinion, the more people know the better off everyone is. I have seen tutors asking as much as $100/hr! I am all for being compensated for my time, but that is outrageous. Currently, I am charging only $15/hr.)

So, I very recently decided to go public. I put up a website, registered with some online whiteboard and appointment booking sites, and set up a PayPal account. Not only has this experience been a lot of fun, but I think it will also allow me to sharpen some of my fading teaching skills. Teaching at a large high school is interesting, but it really lacks the one-on-one attention that I would like to give my students. Tutoring online will give me the opportunity to practice the art of one-on-one teaching.

Oh, and if you are interested in a tutor, feel free to check out my website.