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A Teacher's Journal 44: One Teacher's Point of View on Year-Round Schooling
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I got an interesting phone call this week. A reporter got me on the line and asked, "So I've been following your blog and haven't seen you write anything about year-round schools. How do you think most teachers will respond to the possibility of a large-scale conversion to year-round education in Wake County?"
Talk about a challenging question, huh?!
Even though I've worked on a traditional calendar for my entire career, I wasn't sure I even knew where to begin. After all, I'm only one teacher with one point of view that is heavily influenced by my life-circumstances. I'm not a parent yet, I'm deeply committed to teaching as a profession, and I've got 17 years until I can retire! Each of those factors shape the way that I look at all issues. I'm certainly not capable of speaking for teachers who find themselves at different points in their lives or careers, but personally, I see many advantages in the year-round schedule.
First and foremost, I believe that year-round calendars provide a built in opportunity to offer remediation experiences for students struggling to master basic skills or enrichment opportunities that extend learning for high-achievers. In many ways, I wonder if we've limited our capacity by holding to a 180-day school schedule designed for an earlier time. Whether offered by the school system or companies interested in capitalizing on a new market, intersession academic programs hold real promise. They may also create new opportunities for teachers to supplement their incomes, addressing a major concern that many young teachers have with a year-round schedule.
I also know that by the end of each school year, I'm mentally and physically spent from the grind! Believe it or not, teaching is demanding work. We are constantly "on," working with roomfuls of children who each bring their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Finding ways to individually tailor instruction to each child is our most important -- and difficult -- task. As one of my colleagues recently wrote, "We constantly stay late and leave exhausted from strategizing and planning for our students. Even small changes can collapse our fragile house of cards some days." As a result, I think the built in breaks provided by a year-round schedule would extend my career in the classroom.
When I look at three-week intersession periods from a teacher's perspective, I see other opportunities as well. What if interested teachers could choose to work 11-month contracts and spend time engaged in meaningful professional development over the course of these "breaks"? Could we build the intellectual capacity and human capital of our system in this way? I know that I'd jump at the chance to examine and perfect my craft throughout the course of a school year and add a month's pay to my salary at the same time!
Are there weaknesses in a year-round schedule for teachers who are used to a traditional calendar?
Sure.
We need to consider the needs of specialists and physical education teachers who often automatically become twelve-month employees when schools are converted. Teachers in these positions don't enjoy the same opportunities for time off as core area teachers and serve increased student populations as well. Burnout and increased turnover rates for these experts are a very real threat that cannot be underestimated.
We also need to ensure that there are ample opportunities for faculties to work together to build a shared sense of purpose and commitment. Without a unified vision and direction, schools will struggle to produce the kinds of gains that we have grown to expect in our community. Because there are few times that all staff members in a year-round school can work as one, extra attention will have to be paid by administrators to developing a strong core of faculty leaders that can bring continuity to the teachers of different tracks.
Other details are also essential to address. Teachers must be guaranteed the opportunity to work on the same track as their children or spouses. While this may pose initial challenges because of the number of teachers involved, to do otherwise would be a significant issue. Colleges must adapt too, developing continuing learning opportunities tailored to the changing schedules of educational professionals. A change that will affect thousands of school employees is bound to have other "ripple effects" that will require flexibility and creative thinking to resolve as they arise.
All in all, though, I'm convinced that Wake County's traditional-calendar teaching force will approach any changes in scheduling with a sense of optimism. Collectively, we will adjust and continue to provide the high-quality instruction that has drawn national attention to our system over the past decade.
Now how will parents or taxpayers respond to a large-scale conversion to a year-round schedule?
That's a blog for someone else to write!
Posted by William Ferriter at 05:10 PM on April 10, 2006 | Leave Feedback
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