Willingness to Put in the Necessary

Willingness to Put in the Necessary Time

You cannot achieve greatness by working from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Teaching, like every other serious profession, requires time. Dennis Littky, an award-winning principal, said, “You can't be a great teacher or principal and not work long, long hours” (personal communication, November 11, 1988). By investing time—to prepare for class, to go over student work, to meet students outside of class, to talk to parents, to attend school meetings, and to serve on school committees—a great teacher indicates to students that she or he sincerely cares about their learning.
When well-known and respected teacher Thomas T. Lyons retired from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, after a 36-year career, the many tributes he received from former students overwhelmingly focused on the time he spent with them (Rimer, 1999). Lyons interviewed every youngster individually at the beginning of the school year. One student, Julie Stephens, said, “Mr. Lyons must have invested at least 20 hours in me” just on one paper (p. A6).
Most teachers belong to a teachers' association, union, or other organization that represents their interests. Typically, some formal document or agreement specifies how many minutes per day or hours per week they must teach; how much unstructured time they are entitled to; how many meetings they must attend; and the compensation they must receive for additional work beyond the usual load. Great teachers respect this agreement and acknowledge that it protects their rights, ensures academic freedom, and spells out good professional working conditions. But they don't hesitate to go beyond the contract voluntarily and often—for example, by meeting with a student study group during the teacher's preparation period or after school—in order to meet the needs of their students.