| Description: |
Concern exists that common planning time (CPT) is being eliminated in middle schools around the country, and researchers have been called to join a national study to look at the impact of CPT. These studies will not only provide research needed to understand how CPT is being used, but also help educators in making decisions about the continuation and use of CPT. This chapter features the findings from a qualitative study of 6 middle school teams. The research questions include: (a) what benefits do middle school teachers perceive of CPT? and (b) what are the challenges of CPT for middle school teacher teams? Teacher-perceived benefits include communication among teachers, professional support and sharing of ideas, support for students, and uniform policies and procedures. Teacher-perceived challenges include dysfunction, time, competition, and conflict among teams, core teachers and noncore teachers, and administrative interference. |