Education’s Yossarian
book in 1999 called Teacher Time. But I can’t find anyone in education around here who has even heard of it.
Mrs. Swaim is a former Arlington County teacher and a former Washington D.C. school board member. Mr. Swaim is an economist who argues that giving American teachers the time they need to do the job properly would cost “an amount somewhat less, relative to the size of the economy, then the 1980’s defense build-up.” I had a cup of hot chocolate with them the other day, and we all decided that schools in America are not going to get better until this teacher time issue gets resolved. Renowned education professor Larry Cuban agrees with that in the forward to the Swaim’s book.
But the issue will never get resolved as long as it’s not even on the public’s table. So, next time you find yourself complaining about your local school, look up the Swaim’s book, and take note of their amazing statistics. (Two of the more eye catching: 1. America’s teachers are the most overworked in the developed world. 2. Even working a 60 hour week, teachers have an average of just 12 minutes per week to prepare for each class.) Then call your local policy makers to suggest they do the same.
And remember it was a crazy man who told you to do all that.
Don Cudd
March 20, 2014 @ 12:18 pm
Thank you Mr. Rosenblatt. I hope that one day my “resignation” will prove helpful to the cause of getting teachers (particularly beginning teachers) more time to do their jobs well. I have not totally given up on ever teaching again and, in fact, have been putting a few feelers out to see if I might end up as a full-time teacher again in Brazoria County, the locale where I currently reside. Who knows?
I appreciate your suggestion about the Print/PDF button. I know there is a way to do as you suggest, and I have put that on my to-do list for the site. :)
Norman Rosenblatt
March 19, 2014 @ 11:57 am
Dear Mr. Cudd: Thank you for your letter to the Houston Chronicle. Although I have never been a teacher, I respect your efforts to educate the future leaders of the US. It is indeed a daunting task and we lost a valiant soldier when you resigned. I hope things have improved dramatically for you.
I wish your Print or PDF buttons would produce a good presentation of your essay. Instead it includes everything on the web page.