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.