Stuff like this really grinds my gears.

Bill Ferriter, a teacher in Wake County, challenges Jay Greene’s claim that teachers work an average of 36.5 hours a week. Ferriter reports that he puts in 73.75 hours a week doing school related activiites. (Notice how Ferriter makes sure that his hours are more than double Greene’s figure.)

Ferriter claims that his experience is common among teachers in North Carolina. Citing the Teacher Working Conditions Survey, he says that over half of the state’s teachers spend an average of 3-5 hours a week involved in activities like coaching, tutoring, chaperoning field trips and sponsoring clubs. He also notes survey results showing that over half of the state’s teachers spend between 5-10 hours a week preparing lessons, grading, holding parent conferences and attending meetings.

There are many reasons to doubt the validity of the Teacher Working Conditions Survey. After all, it is a survey and not a study. Thus, there is no way to objectively verify the participants’ answers. Moreover, only 1/3 of the state’s teachers responded to the survey, and there is no way of knowing if the respondents are a representative sample. It is unlikely that they are, since most teachers throw stuff like this away as soon as they receive it. I did.

More to the point, who cares how many additional hours Ferriter puts into his job? It is what all professionals do. And for every Ferriter there are teachers near retirement that do the minimum required work to get by. When all is said and done, the number is closer to Greene than Ferriter.

I am glad that you work hard, Bill, but get over yourself.