I wasn't surprised. I know all about the dedication of teachers on the one side, and the failure of our government to provide adequate funding on the other. Funding, the almighty dollar, is at the center of this struggle. The State wants teachers to work a longer day and a longer year, the union wants compensation for the extra time. Sounds pretty reasonable to me on the surface, but I wonder about how the time will be used.
Most teachers already spend much more time than the daily schedule mandates.
I'm not just talking about the papers and phone calls that get taken home each night. I'm talking about the afterschool meetings and collective planning that teachers organize and participate in on a regular basis. I know that there are some teachers who do keep this schedule, but I don't think I know them very well. I actually think we do need more time together, but I'd make a bet that the politicians and I have different ideas about how that time should be spent. Maybe some day I'll advocate more instructional time, but for now, we need more time for schools to meet and determine how they will meet the needs of all of our children.