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Teachers say new prep time law gives them a better voice in helping students
Posted: 7/20/2009 4:32:24 PM
A new law giving educators more of a say in getting time to interact with their students and preparing lessons goes a long way to helping kids in the classroom, teachers say.
Governor Jim Doyle today (July 20, 2009) signed into law a mandate that makes teacher preparation time a mandatory subject of collective bargaining. It means teachers now have more of a voice in how they spend their day, opening up opportunities for more student interaction and more planning on behalf of educators. The effort, a WEAC Legislative Agenda item, is part of WEAC’s longstanding push for collective bargaining reform.
Marcia Modaff, a physical education and health teacher in Dodgeland, said teacher prep time gives educators more time to devote to students. It allows teachers to take extra time after a class to go over lessons with a student or get students caught up after an absence, Modaff said.
“It’s all about what’s best for the students,” she added. “To do a good job in the classroom, you need adequate time in the building to prepare.”
The law, which goes into effect in 2011, recognizes the importance that proper preparation time has in a child’s education. “The ability of educators to tailor lessons to best meet the needs of their individual students is an essential part of the educational process,” said Mary Bell, a teacher from Wisconsin Rapids and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.
“When teachers and education support professionals have adequate time to thoroughly prepare lessons for their classes, students reap the benefits,” Bell said.
Teacher preparation is about much more than planning lessons and gathering materials needed to teach a demanding curriculum, said Marnie Langlois, teacher at Red Apple Elementary School in Racine. It’s about reaching students and devoting more resources toward their education.
“Considerable time needs to be spent teaming with other professionals in looking at student data, differentiating instruction according to individual students’ needs and assuring that students with disabilities get what they need out of my classroom. It is also spent individually counseling students, communicating with parents, documenting individual interventions, field trip planning, technology troubleshooting, student discipline and, of course, grading.”
The law requires staff and school boards to talk about the appropriate amount of preparation time in their local schools as part of the bargaining process. “It’s always a positive conversation when we talk about what will improve a child’s education,” Bell said. “It’s time well spent.”
Planning can make a significant difference in student learning from elementary through high school. Planning time built into the school day allows educators to share strategies that work in their classrooms, design standards-based units, and determine the best approaches for particular classes and students based on assessment results.
“It’s simple,” Bell said. “Educators who are the most successful in the classroom have time to plan and organize lessons for students. Prep time is an important part of a school’s success.”
