So there is a subtile pressure to just teach the same things over and over. Because I've created all of the material, I know how it will work. In terms of time? I'm talking three times more prep to teach something new vs. teaching something old.

Of course I still take on new courses and develop new worksheets, lessons, test, tons of material. But this isn't officially part of my job, I just like teaching. I do the work for the love of the game and because it's more fun being good at your job.

There are "summer curriculum development grants" and this helps a little, but it's not always work done during the summer.

Right now I'm organizing my old worksheets and tests so they will be easier for other teachers to use. I know the department head will be pleased with this, and the other teachers will like it, but it's extra work and "not counted"

I think most jobs can look like this. And I don't have a great solution. I just wish teachers were recognized more for this kind of work.

To put it more succinctly: the way my job is structured "teaching" is thought of as something I do in a classroom with students. Maybe "teaching" is also grading papers and writing comments about how students are doing.

But teaching is also developing materials, deciding what to teach, how to teach it. Research, testing lesson ideas, refining them, tailoring the lessons to particular groups of students, or individual students.

Teaching is creative work. And this might be a bit of a hot take, but I think if a "teacher" is just using canned lesson plans and never making their own, just marching through the standards by the book they aren't really doing a good job.

I remember early in my career a principal tried to tell me "you don't need to write lessons they are all right here they came with the textbook" and showed me the canned lessons like I was just going to do those and call it "teaching" I nearly lost it.