How many teacher planning periods should one get if he or she teaches in a K-8 school?

Question

I am curious how the majority of schools distribute free periods or planning periods to their teachers.

Answer 1

The planning periods are usually covered by the labor union contract with the union. It is a matter of negotiation and not necessarily education./

Answer 2

In my experience as a middle school teacher, there are 7 45-minute classes plus a few short supervision times. Out of that time we get one 45-minute class period for individual planning time and we get one 45-minute class period for team planning with the other grade level teachers.

In K-5 elementary schools the teachers' planning time varies by day and time of day. It is my understanding their time occurs when the students go to art, music and the gym.  

Answer 3

Based on where I live:

Elementary school teachers (K-5) get about a 45 minute block of time for planning when their students go to "specials," classes like PE or music.  The elementary schools aren't broken up into class periods per se, although the teacher / grade level is expected to come up with a schedule and adhere to it.

Middle School (6-8) teachers get 2 planning periods and teach 5 classes.

High school (9-12) teachers get 2 planning periods and teach 4 classes.

Middle and high school teachers on the block schedule get 1 planning period and teach 3 classes.

Answer 4

In my area, the school day is split into periods for 6th-8th grades only.  I teach in a K-5 school.  From what I know from subbing a couple of years ago, the 6-8 teachers didn't have any planning periods scheduled into their days and K-5 teachers don't teach in periods, so our planning periods are before or after school.