This year students have noticed that once again teachers are being pulled out of class for meetings, leaving the students with “sub plans” and sub teachers.
Some students feel the meetings are excessive and disruptive to their learning.
Fiona Goldman, a sophomore, says, “Teacher meetings once every two weeks affect my learning and my preparations for the Regents I will have to take.” She believes these meetings are making it difficult for them to consistently learn and build off the materials they are learning in class.
The main problem with the meetings, says Jack Grados, a sophomore, is that they “disrupt the normal schedule.”
When considering the potential disruptions, Julie Ippolito, an English teacher, suggests, “It would be helpful to collect some data to find out if it is affecting student learning.”
Ippolito, like other teachers, feels the meetings could leave their students at a disadvantage, but believes some meetings are necessary. “Missing eight days of class two years in a row is a lot of time lost in student contact,” Ippolito said.
However, some think these meetings are helpful to the success of the students because the new strategies which teachers are learning in the meetings will make it easier and more exciting for students once the teachers return from the meetings with new skills and information.
Arianna Stassa, a sophomore, says, “Teachers use the strategies they have learned in [workshops]. It helps because it keeps the student engaged.”
Learning new ways to teach the same material is important because often teachers become boring and repetitive to the students. These meetings allow for the teachers to “use what they learn and apply it to class,” Adrien Pierce, a sophomore says.
