Through the survey, teachers shared a variety of ways their schools have attempted to provide more noninstructional time for teachers. Some recurring comments are noted here. Many districts allow teachers to use professional days to go to workshops, to attend conferences, and to visit other classrooms. Obstacles to this approach include the lack of qualified substitute teachers in many states and the feeling that students are shortchanged when the teacher is away. Because this method also requires that teachers invest additional time in the preparation for a substitute, it can deter some teachers from taking advantage of these kinds of professional development opportunities.
Many districts use late starts or early dismissals to provide teachers with noninstructional time.
Teachers and administrators however believe that this strategy leads to the loss of valuable instructional time. Many parents also object to this approach because of the difficulty in finding child care. In some cases the school bus companies dictate the time schedules, so schools have little or no control of the times their days begin and end. Teachers need time to reflect on their current teaching practices, learn about and implement NCTM's Standards, explore new programs and available resources, and learn new mathematical content. Teachers responded enthusiastically when time was provided to collaborate with colleagues, share materials with peers, compare methods of lesson presentation, learn about and implement different forms of student assessment, and explore an ever-expanding array of technological tools and their appropriate uses.