Re: workload's effect on quality

[Herbert H Gottlieb <herbgottlieb@JUNO.COM>]

On Mon, 07 Jan 2002 20:55:02 -0500 Joe Heafner <heafnerj@VNET.NET>
writes:
> Hi.
>
> How would one go about setting up a program to ascertain the effect
> of teaching load on teaching quality? It seems very nebulous to me,
> since "quality" is very difficult to define much less quantify.
> Cheers,
> Joe
>
> Due to my excessive teaching load, I cannot reply to email during
> the business day.

To answer such a question, it is first necessary to define the terms
"quality" and "teaching load".  You are correct in stating that it is
very difficult to define and quantify the term "quality".  But it is
almost as difficult to define all of the aspects involved in your other
term ,"teaching load".

By teaching load do you mean:

1. The total number of students in all of your classes each day?

2. The total number of homework assignments, lab reports, and tests that
you
must grade and return each day?

3. The total number of underachievers, discipline problems, culturally
deprived,
emotionally deprived, and academically deprived students in your classes
each day?

4. The number of administrative reports, cafeteria assignments, hall
patrols,
parent conferences, study hall supervision, and school bus problems that
you must handle EVERY DAY?

5. The science teaching apparatus, audiovisual equipment, computers, and
science lab apparatus that you must order, inventory, and maintain?

6. The total number of DIFFERENT subjects for which you must write lesson
plans, and teach each and every day ? For example ....  Physics,
Chemistry, Mathematics, Earth Science, AND remedial English as well?

7. ... and does the total load include writing recommendations for your
students who are applying for college, attending parent-teacher meetings,
providing student guidance, supervising graduation exercises,
etc.etc.etc.etc???

Yes, Joe Heafner it is almost as difficult to define teaching load as it
is to define teaching quality.  However, I am sure that someone will join
the long line of teachers who have tried to do so  in the past ....and
I'm just as sure that several of them who will embellish their efforts
with laudable statistics to earn EdD doctoral degrees in the process.

Herb Gottlieb from New York City
(The infamous home of ground zero)