In Australia (New South Wales), a normal classroom teacher only receives 2hrs per week face-to-face release. This time is generally not with any other colleagues. When we need to collaboratively plan we do it after school in our own time. So I feel your pain, but I wish I had 3 to 4 hrs per week it would make individual planning a lot easier. =)

I happened to be researching information on course prep time for a business project and came upon your article. As a former non-certified US teacher for one year over 10 years ago, someone who has trained in the military and now an employee in the private sector planning training in a professional context, whether US or elsewhere, I generally see a continuing trend of management not recognizing the need for prep/planning time for many tasks they want performed, to include training. It's as though they assume that the persons hired know everything relevent to the task asked of them to perform and the lack of recognizing that even if you do know what to do and how to do it, each task/training/lesson is unique to each requirement or group the training will be given to, so you need time to prep to do it. A recent project management book I'm reading emphasized the need to make a request for prep/planning time, which is essential to successful project development, execution and results. I would venture to say that this applies to our education system as well and that the benefits that would be gained by not only the teachers (who'd be more confident and relaxed when deliverying their lessons), would utlimately be extented to their students and thus the future culture and economy of our society. It may seem grandious to go from the one to the other in my brief benefits analysis, but teachers ARE a vital foundation to the development of the society, as parents are to the central unit of that society, the family.

In New Zealand we get one hour of release time per week. This is often combined so that you can get a morning out of the classroom every three weeks. We have team meetings for co-operative planning. If we want to set up mentoring or other observations, the school has to find the money for it. We don't generally have specialist teachers so we have to plan and teach for health, PE and the arts.
I guess the grass is always greener somewhere!

That is some inspirational stuff. Never knew that opinions could be this varied. Thanks for all the enthusiasm to offer such helpful information here.

Upstanding subject. I agree with you most. I think I dont agree with all of your comments. It will be very much appreciated if you can elaborate it more. Im a fan of your writing style though. Keep it up. More power to your web log.