This is particularly effective for focusing on all-staff or interdepartmental issues. While many secondary schools provide time for department planning or meetings, these often occur at the expense of opportunities for schoolwide sessions. Using permanent substitutes is another strategy schools and districts are exploring in their search for more time. This practice is particularly effective in addressing teachers concerns about leaving the classroom. When a cadre of permanent substitutes is created, teachers, students, and parents recognize these individuals as a part of the school s team.
Permanent substitutes help to ensure a continuous learning pattern for students.
Scheduling common planning time for teachers who share responsibility for the same students, grade level, or content area allows them to use this time for professional growth as well as preparation. This strategy is a common practice in a number of other countries. For example, in Japan, teachers are in the classroom for approximately three or four hours a day and spend the remainder of their time working collaboratively with each other to design, discuss, and perfect lessons.