As we approach the first quarter of the year it is a good time to evaluate our new schedule. From a teaching standpoint I see both positives and negatives to the new schedule. There is a positive of teaching the same class on an A day then being able to modify it based on how it worked for the B day. The time of the period also allows you to cover more in one session of 80/85 minutes than it would it the old 45 minute segment.
The biggest problem that I see is that I do not see students everyday. I think it is extremely hard to build continuity this way. I remember one winter when we did not have any snow the test scores for that unit were my highest of all time. I was comparing test scores of students who had class everyday to the past where we often had snow breaks. While I have a longer time each period over the course of the year you lose two weeks in the 85 minute day and four weeks in the 80 minute day. So while we have longer time periods I always feel rushed to cover content and sometimes pass over or shorten discussions on certain topics.
While I have thought about having student do work for me, due on the day that they do not have class it seemed a bit unfair. If every teacher did that then students would have eight periods of homework each day besides the 80/85 minutes they had to sit. Which leads to another problem that the brain is not designed to sit that long in one place. We humor ourselves by thinking if we put them in groups that they have moved around for (ten seconds) to then sit together for another ten minutes. While this is better than not moving we still need a way to get the blood flowing.
So what do people think about the new schedule? If you had a choice would you switch back or would you stay with this one? Why
The four period schedule has its advantages and disadvantages, but so far I believe the negatives outweigh the positives.
ReplyDeleteOne of the largest issues I have with the new schedule is that every weekend is like a three day break from both A day and B day classes. This throws me off every time we come back because we are expected to pick up right where we left off, but often we don't remember where we left off.
I also feel as though we are the test dummies of this new system. The teachers who have not taught block before seem like they don't really know how much they are able to fit into the longer periods. In some classes we routinely finish 5-10 minutes early, and we use this time to work on homework. Though beneficial to our nightly work load, I do not think it is an efficient use of our in class time.
This winter is also supposed to be especially bad, and though I enjoy snow days, it’s very possible that we would only have one A or B day in any given week if we have off on Tuesday or Thursday. This would create a large gap between a teachers A and B day classes, and may require inconvenient lesson changes in order for one class to catch up.
As for the whether I would switch back to the old schedule, I think it is too soon to say. We have only had 9 week’s experience with it, and I think it does have the potential to be a good way of preparing for the schedule many of us will have in college. Though I see many flaws and few benefits, I don’t think it’s fair to view the schedule as a failure, at least not yet.
I agree with most of Will’s comments, though there are a few points which I would add. In listening to people complain about the new schedule with obnoxious frequency, it seems like the problem is more that we don’t want to be told to do things differently than we were, rather than an actual flaw in the system. But that does not address the question. Overall, I have found the new schedule to be acceptable, with a few drawbacks.
ReplyDeleteHaving longer periods in some classes is beneficial, but some subjects do not require or are hindered by it, and some teachers have not be able to capitalize on it. Science classes which have always included a lab , math classes, and some social science classes seem to have benefitted from the increased amount of time, and the second night to complete homework. Students who do their work and take care to make sure they understand material, I think, are able to do better work when given more time to discuss problems together and to seek assistance from a teacher as necessary. Other classes, however, do not require more than 45 minutes. Studio classes, for instance- all of my portfolio work is done outside of school, and my assignments are self-driven, so really the 85 minutes in which I am required to sit in that class have become a study hall for all the homework I didn’t have time to do the night before. This does not bother me much, as I need the time, but it does seem wasted. The teacher could be teaching other people rather than baby-sitting me (and honestly I don’t think most of us require close supervision).
As far as how teachers have chosen to use the longer classes, some have adapted excellently and run the lessons seamlessly so that the time lapse does not negatively affect students. Others seem to have taken the longer periods as less pressure to finish a lesson in 45 minutes, and do not productively use the extra time. One of my classes in particular has been given almost entirely to review of material that we have either been taught previously or should know as intelligent individuals. As a result, those of us who are going to be held responsible for the material on the AP exam later this year have mountains of self-taught work to complete outside of school, and do virtually nothing during the class. And in this subject, other coursework cannot be done, so it truly is a waste of time (as a side note, using class time to review material that some students have chosen not to learn or remember seems counterproductive- if they need to review, they should have the initiative to do so on their own time rather than relying on a teacher spoon feeding it to them, or accept the lower grades which they receive).
To discuss the benefits of the new system, I think that most of its merit lies in that it is different. Changing the way we approach school work as forced many students out of the rut of relying on teachers to hold their hands every day. We now do more work on our own, and have to readjust to find a system which will enable us to work efficiently. In doing so, I think that we have all learned more about our actual classes than we might have otherwise, and also more about ourselves- how we work best, and how to adapt to new circumstances (because really, not doing so in inexcusable). As far as whether or not I would prefer the old schedule, I would probably vote to keep the four period days, largely because of the extra class we can now take.
I think that the most pressing issue here is the fact that we have to sit for such long periods of time. Sitting has been correlated with deadly afflictions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The most frightening aspect of this problem is that it cannot be fixed with extra physical activity: the only solution is to sit less often and for shorter periods of time. I have never heard this issue being discussed among teachers, administers, or students, and the lack of attention that this problem is getting is concerning. I don't know if reverting back to the seven class day would fix this problem, but the block schedule definitely made it worse.
ReplyDeleteSources: http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think
http://www.m.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20130221/too-much-sitting-linked-to-chronic-health-problems
Jack, I have always felt if I was in charge I would have standing desks because sitting is a hard thing to do. The four period day poses many obstacles that have been stated an=d also many opportunities. It is can we leverage the opportunities..
ReplyDeleteI also wonder how the every other day works for someone who is struggling in the subject. As teachers we do just start where we left off but can everyone make that transition. I have offered the question if you are confused with anything please ask at the start of the period but not many people take me up on the offer.
Anna summed up most of my opinions about the block schedule. Another point I'd like to add: the block schedule lessens the amount of tests that fall on the same day. In previous years I would have frequently have five or six tests on one day and it would be extremely stressful. So far this year the most amount of tests I've had in one day was three and it is easier for me to prioritize my studying as necessary because I already have the discipline to do so. In previous years, I would just not study for some tests because I would be so focused on others, and that is not how it should be. One observation: students stop paying attention in classes because they didn't have the time the night before to study for all 4/5/6 tests they had the next day.
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