If you bother to ask teachers in our building, you will find out that many are quite disturbed and angry about the number of interruptions to their teaching time. In the last two weeks (10 class days) alone, my first period AP Chemistry class has been all but canceled by various interruptions on four separate occasions.
The first time it was the day we returned from spring break when nine out of my twenty students took their “personal free day.” The PFD is given to students who raised their quota for the yearly fund drive. I have no real problem with this, except where it involves so many students that I am effectively forced to give a study hall instead of teach. The next day I had planned several important review problems, only to find out that the band members in first period were going to meet with the band directors for an important announcement. We were promised that they would only be 5-10 minutes late, and on time if an exam was scheduled, but none of my 11 band members arrived until 20 minutes into the period. One of the English teachers told me that he had an exam scheduled but his students were 20 minutes late as well. The band director has these students 5th period, but apparently the news could not wait until then. As it turns out, the news was important, but could easily have waited until his class, resulting in another unnecessary class interruption.
Thursday of that week the third interruption to first period took place. Twice a year, all students who received a 4.0 GPA for the semester are honored in a ceremony before school. Invited parents and free teachers watch as each 4.0 student is called by name and given a certificate of achievement. The process usually begins at 7:30 and takes 20 minutes, returning students to their first period 5-10 minutes late. This year they got a late start; my 9 missing students not returning until 35 minutes into the period. The next Tuesday all the A.P. English Language students (14 of my 20 students) would miss the whole period for a “pre-administration meeting.” In the past I complained to the Guidance person in charge, suggesting this be done after school. I was told that this would interfere with their sports practice, which is apparently more important than my class time.
Ironically, this year the A.P. Pre-administration conflicts with students being let out of class to set up for a performance of the school Musical for local grade school students. The powers that be deciding that the play was more important than pre-administration; class time being placed on the bottom rung importance ladder again.
Some of my colleagues will never cease to vigorously complain when these regular interruptions occur.
I have given up; realizing that my complaints about the need for more class time fall on deaf ears. While the administration would strongly deny this, what I do in class will never be valued as much as what other people do for the school.
