HIT: ELEM: How much work do you do at home?

[Sue Dowdell <mamabear0758@MINDSPRING.COM>]

Hi...I've just finished re-reading the 60 responses that I received and the
results are pretty consistent. Some respondents seemed to think that I was
looking for less work at home, I don't mind working at home at all.
No...just looking to eliminate the endless correcting that I have done
during the past 20 years.  I LOVE doing the lesson planning and websearching
that is part of the teacher's job. (To think, I may have time to read again!
AND it will be part of the job!)
Anyway, off my soap box.

Just about everyone said that they did the following work at home:
1. read reviews and articles (SLJ etc.)
2. prepare for ordering and some did order (using non-budget moneys) from
home.
3. READING lots! To be able to recommend books to students, for booktalks,
etc.
4. Web Research: to plan for units of study, evaluate the sites, etc.
5. Lesson planning (also including PowerPoints and bulletin boards)
6. Planning for special events: book fairs, author visits, etc.
7. READ LM_NET and other listservs

Some respondents also indicated the following
1. Design/update webpages
2. preview videos
3. develop staff training
4. repair and process books
5. tech planning
6. write newsletters; letters to parents
7. write grants
8. developing AR Point tallies

About a third of the respondents indicated that they do not bring home much
work; perhaps an hour or so but they stay later, go in earlier, or spend an
extra day on the weekend at work to catch-up occasionally.

While some (a quarter of people or so) did say they do not bring home work
at all, most brought home PLENTY - up to and exceeding 10 hours a week,
depending on the person and their needs. The difference for those who had
been in the classroom before said that the type of work was certainly more
enjoyable and that they worked harder IN the library than they did in the
classroom (w/in the physical space.) No one advised me against the move at
all, but those people probably don't spend time on listservs, do they?

It was said more than once that the elementary school is certainly more
demanding than middle school and high school situations and that if I had a
choice I should pick a school with a flexible schedule to give myself  more
time to do work within the school day.

About a quarter of the respondents indicated that they did give grades to
their students. Most were behavioral/citzenship grades and the classroom
teacher would give academic ones. However, there seems to be some growing
indication that grades may loom in our future.

In all, I found the answers given to me most gratifying. You are a great
bunch of people who LOVE their jobs. I am very hopeful to be able to join
your ranks in the near future. Thank you to all.

Sue Dowdell
Grade 5 Teacher
MLS Student - SCSU
mamabear0758@mindspring.com  (sorry for forgetting this last time!)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
 See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
    http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=