Governor Easley released results from the NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey.
I have little doubt that this will be the most quoted survey question:
In an average week of teaching, how many hours do you spend on school-related activities outside the regular school work day (before or after school, and/or on the weekend)?
None: 2 percent
Less than 3 hours: 17 percent
More than 3 hours but less than 5 hours: 24 percent
More than 5 hours but less than 10 hours: 28 percent
More than 10 hours: 29 percent
There is a Hawthorne Effect going on here. Teachers will likely inflate the hours they report because they are aware of the implications of that response – for example, teachers deserve more money because 81 percent spend more than three hours on school related activities outside the regular work day.
Of course, we have no way of verifying the validity of these responses because this is a survey and not a study. We have no idea what these activities are. Does talking to a student in a shopping mall constitute an activity? Does thinking about school qualify? Can a teacher credit driving to and from work as an activity?
