Every teacher is entitled to a duty-free lunch and planning and preparation time. Except for a few minor changes made in the 1995 rewrite of the Texas Education Code, the statutes have essentially remained the same.
Duty-free lunch – Texas Education Code, Sec. 21.405 By law, each classroom teacher and full-time librarian gets at least a 30-minute lunch period “free from all duties and responsibilities connected with the instruction and supervision of students.” According to a Texas Attorney General opinion, the term “duty” would include a directive that teachers remain on campus during lunch, because it would relate to student instruction or supervision. Districts cannot require teachers to stay on campus during their 30-minute lunch even if the campus is “closed” for students.
The law provides exceptions—personnel shortages, extreme economic conditions or unavoidable/unforeseen circumstances—which give districts the right to require teachers to supervise lunches, but not more than one time per week.
The rules adopted by the commissioner of education set the bar very high before a district can assign a teacher to lunch duty. Scheduling problems do not create unforeseen circumstances. They exist when an epidemic, illness, or natural or man-made disaster leaves no one available to do the duty. An extreme economic condition exists when hiring a person to supervise lunch would cause the district to raise taxes to the extent that the district might face a tax roll-back election. A personnel shortage exists only after all available nonteaching personnel—superintendent and business manager included—have been assigned to the duty and the district has diligently recruited community volunteers to help.
Planning and preparation time – Texas Education Code, Sec. 21.404 The law entitles every teacher to planning and preparation time, during which the district can require the teacher to engage in no activity other than parent-teacher conferences, evaluating student work, and planning. Teachers must have at least 450 minutes of planning time every two weeks in increments of not less than 45 minutes within the instructional day.
Examples:
A teacher could have five 90-minute conference periods within a two-week period, instead of a 45-minute conference period each day. A district can provide 50- minute blocks of planning time daily, and exceed the minimum requirement, but it could not provide 50 minutes one day and 40 minutes the next.
A district cannot schedule a 7:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m. instructional day, and then give teachers 3:15 p.m.-4:00 p.m. to plan after the students leave.
Conference period cases often involve requirements for group planning or staff development during planning periods. According to the commissioner of education, if a district gives teachers no more than the statutory minimum planning time, the district cannot ask teachers to engage in group-planning during one of those planning periods.
Example:
A district that schedules 50-minute planning periods every day could ask teachers to plan as a group one day every two weeks, but the district could not take one planning period for group planning and another for staff development.
Are there any teaching jobs in MN? I grew up in MN and miss it terribly. I have spent the last two years in Mississippi with Teach for America and I want to MOVE back. I am a bit intimidated by the job hunting process. Any advice? Thanks!!!!
MN DOES have reciprocity with other states... about 20 actually. For MN certification you will probably need to take the state tests (praxis, etc) and maybe a couple classes dealing with state standards. If you have experience teaching, this should not be very difficult for you to do. If you are truly concerned, try to make contact with a representative at one of the many education fairs or someone from human resources at any MN school district. Any of these people should be better able to steer you in the correct direction :) I hope this helps! Good luck with your job search and congratulations on your completion in the competitive Teach for America Program!
MN does NOT have reciprocity with any other state and it is a pain in the butt to get certified here if you did not graduate from a MN state university. Trust me, I just went through this. I graduated from University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire but wanted to teach in MN. They gave me a temporary license and said I had to go through a MN university to get approved. The approval process through Mankato took me two full years of jumping through hoops, talking to MANY different people, changes in faculty, and different thoughts on what I was missing. Every person I talked to found more holes in my degree in UW-Eau Claire (which with some work I was able to prove I did at Eau Claire). It was a long process. But now I finally have a teaching license in MN.
On 1/16/08, Alaina wrote: > MN DOES have reciprocity with other states... about 20 actually.
She was a great lady. I'd like to send greetings from Japan. You folks do make a difference and you don't get enough credit. I was a poor student and Ms. Demuth told me "Life is full of rude awakenings." I'll never forget that.
Now I am on the Board of Directors for one of the biggest TV networks in Asia, am General Manager of the third largest FM network in Japan, and President of one the the biggest TV production companies in the country.
My son needs help with first year freshmen Spanish. He was ill during the winter trimester and has fallen behind. Would like after school hours or evenings in person.
Hi. I actually am a Spanish teacher and live in Plymouth. I would love to help. Please e-mail me if you are interested.
On 2/25/07, Lee Kanten wrote: > My son needs help with first year freshmen Spanish. He > was ill during the winter trimester and has fallen > behind. Would like after school hours or evenings in > person.
The International Student Film Festival is accepting submissions for the 2007 competition. Deadline for entries is May 31, 2007. You can be any age to participate but must be a student when the film/video was produced.
Visit [link removed]
Good luck to all student filmmakers and film instructors of course! This is a great way to put your school on the map.
Chrissy Strassburg Festival Coordinator - Santa Barbara 5296 El Carro Lane Carpinteria, Ca. 93013 USA (805) 566-0198 (805) 566-9171 [email removed]]
I am considering going back to school to earn my teaching license in the area of secondary life science. Just a little background on myself: I have a B.S. in Biology and a M.S. in Environmental Sciences. I have been working as a Scientist for several years now. Before earning my M.S. I worked in the Environmental Education field. I have worked with students ranging from K-12. I have taught a variety of programs including after school science programs and programs where I was located at sites classrooms would come to on field trips.
During my graduate career I also taught college level Biology (the lab sections). I have loved all of my teaching experiences, but am not enjoying life as a Scientist. Prior to earning my M.S. I considered earning my teaching license, but decided to put it off (see if I enjoyed life as a scientist first). I think it is now time. My application is almost complete and, assuming I am accepted, I can begin the year long program this fall (because I am looking into such an in demand area). I am good with kids of all ages and enjoy working with teens. That being said, I am looking for honest input from current high school teachers (especially those in the life sciences). I understand this chatboard is often a place for venting, but I would appreciate both positive and negative input. I would like general thoughts on what teaching high school is like (I would most likely begin teaching in a Denver public school, where I am now and where I will get my teaching license, and eventually a Minneapolis public school). In addition, here are some specific questions I have before I make my decision.
1) What can I expect to be teaching? For example, how many different subjects/grade levels could I expect to teach? Even though I have a very broad range of coursework behind me, the only area I can get licensed in is life science because that is where most of my coursework is (not Earth science or any other science area). My original assumption is that I would get my license and then teach, say, 12 grade biology all day. But that doesn't seem to be the case. That isn't necessarily a problem for me, I just want to know what I would be getting into! And will I be able to find a job? I understand secondary science is an in- demand area, but science is a broad subject. Does this include bio teachers? Or only physics and chem?
2) My ultimate goal is to teach an honors or Advanced Placement class. Having taught at the college level, I saw how unprepared many students are coming into a science major. I want to prepare students to do well in a science major in college.
3) What is life like as a teacher? I understand the first few years are the hardest. How many hours a day are you working? What time do you get to school and get home from school each day? How much time do you spend at night and on weekends preparing for lessons/grading papers, assignments, exams, etc? Do you appreciate the vacations and summers off? I would like to have children in a few years - is this a good profession for a working mom?
4) Do you generally enjoy going to work as a teacher? Do you wish you had chosen a different profession, or never looked back?
Sorry this is so long! Thanks in advance for you thoughtful responses. I have also posted this question on the high school and science
The Archaeological Institute of America presents "Using Archaeology in the Classroom," a teachers' workshop.
When: July 11, 10:30-4 Where: Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Earn Continuing Education Units while learning how to incorporate fun archaeology projects into your classes. Combine science and social studies to make ancient civilizations and world cultures appealing! Talk to archaeologists, take a museum tour, create a shoebox dig. Appropriate for all K-12 teachers. The cost is only $50 and includes a great lunch.
The Archaeological Institute of America presents "Using Archaeology in the Classroom," a teachers' workshop.
When: July 11, 10:30-4 Where: Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Earn Continuing Education Units while learning how to incorporate fun archaeology projects into your classes. Combine science and social studies to make ancient civilizations and world cultures appealing! Talk to archaeologists, take a museum tour, create a shoebox dig. Appropriate for all K-12 teachers. The cost is only $50 and includes a great lunch.
MN DOES have reciprocity with other states... about 20 actually. For
MN certification you will probably need to take the state tests
(praxis, etc) and maybe a couple classes dealing with state
standards. If you have experience teaching, this should not be
very difficult for you to do. If you are truly concerned,...See More