TIME FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS PROFESSIONAL-DEVELOPMENT

This paper describes how educators in one school conceptualize time wi th respect to their work and with particular regard for accomplishing professional development activities. Data are drawn from interviews wi th classroom teachers, specialists, and the principal involved in a la rger two-year qualitative study of teachers' self-initiated peer suppo rt projects. Eight dimensions (categories) of time were extracted from interview transcripts and three underlying themes were identified: co nnections between educators' life-worlds and their teaching practice, school as a time-based economy, and strategies for using time accordin g to individual needs. Multitasking, linking strategies, and the abili ty to balance personal and organizational time factors were important influences on educators' engagement in meaningful professional develop ment projects. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.