Get Schooled

By another teacher

March 14, 2006 07:14 PM | Link to this

I’m really not in love with the block. I teach math, and it seems that we never have a day of drill and practice. In order to teach the required objectives, we must teach new material every single day. Even for me, sometimes 90 minutes gets to be too long. I do vary my activities to the best of my ability.

I don’t think we’ll ever go back to the traditional schedule for the following reasons:

We now teach 6 credits a year instead of 5 for no additional compensation.

Our students tend to get into the most trouble between classes. When the number of classes per day goes up, so does the opportunity for mischief.

BTW, our school was on a 4 x 4, but changed to an every other day block. We now have up to 180 students at one time. I can’t keep up on my paperwork, especially doing grades 6 times a year for 180 kids. YIKES!

By tiredteacher

March 14, 2006 07:37 PM | Link to this

Schools may think about traditional scheduling if the legislature decides to mandate the start date. If schools start late in August end of course testing will take place after Christmas. If schools are on traditional schedule end of course testing will take place in late May. Block scheduling is great for Career and Tech Ed., but academic classes need to go all year.

By Leia

March 14, 2006 08:58 PM | Link to this

It is particularly hard for a student who comes from a school with block to a non-block school. We see that a lot at our school. The student is lost and never seems to be able to come back.

By Jeff

March 15, 2006 08:06 AM | Link to this

I agree Leia. I had a student come from a block school where she was in the same class that I had her for, but we were on Chapter 8 (Graphing) and she was on Chapter 1 (Order of Operations). It was impossible for her to makie the leap, and she dropped within 3 weeks. (Hopefully she went to another school, but I don’t know.)

By V for Vendetta

March 15, 2006 08:45 AM | Link to this

I don’t like the idea of block. I’m just hoping it doesn’t come to my school. In my opinion, you cant get something for nothing in education and that’s all block is trying to do. Cram too much in.

By Sandy

March 15, 2006 08:48 AM | Link to this

Block scheduling does work. I am from Atl but currently live in Ft. Lauderdale. Most schools here are on block schedules and work perfectly even with AP classes. I have 2 daughters, both in AP classes and have had no difficulties even with the adjustment coming from out of state. Give it a chance.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 08:51 AM | Link to this

While I have no personal expirence with Block Scheduling I do believe after a lot of reading that the success of this type of instruction would be largely dependent upon the teachers ability to adapt to this teaching strategy and being provided with the proper staff development by a schools administration to implement the program.

While I’m sure there are many drawbacks to block scheduling, I do percieve some real advantages. Not to be argumentative but heres a list of what I feel are advanatages.

I’d appreciate some of you that have actually taught these schedules enlightening me. Thanks.

1) lengthened classes should reduce the amount of instructional time spent on classroom administration And with the amount of paperwork required by NCLB this would mean less time by teachers filling out all this silly paperwork.

2) lessons can be extended and maintained with greater continuity

3) “Another Teacher” mentioned discipline in a previous post. Discipline should improve in direct response to the reduced number of class changes

4) a less fragmented schedule would allow students to focus on fewer courses at one time

5) teachers would benefit from additional planning time. (of course y’all would be at the mercy of school administartion on this one)

6) when absent, students have fewer courses in which to make up work.

7) students who need remedial assistance or who fail a course during the first semester have the opportunity to repeat the course during the second semester.

8) advanced students have the opportunity for acceleration and enrichment as was stated in the article.

9) schools would be able to offer a wider variety of elective courses, enriching the students education.

10) additional class time would enable teachers to engage students in interactive learning. since we learn when we do, I think this would be a good thing

By Leia

March 15, 2006 09:12 AM | Link to this

jim d - A colleague of mine who teaches on a block schedule in math made the analogy that Block Scheduling is akin to taking a road trip and seeing beautiful scenery, but going about 100 miles per hour!

FYI - Block Scheduling does not lighten the paperwork load! When students are absent, they have even more work to catch up on. Students who fail the course may not have the opportunity to take it again the second semester - the course may not be taught then; students already have a hard time focusing and staying attentive for 53 minutes - why do you expect them to be better for a 90 minute block?

By V for Vendetta

March 15, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this

True, there ARE benefits, but as stated on an Arizona State research website “the average attention span of high school students is eight minutes”. I think block could be made effective, but there are so many variables that need to be dealt with before a school takes on a major change like that. It also brings to my mind the old saying “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. While there are many ways to educate children, I have never perceived the traditional way to be BAD. My hope is that schools are not changing just for the sake of changing. I hope they have a REASON to change.

People who have taught block… what are the pros and cons? Let us know. I’m curious to see how it would work out. I’ve heard both positive and negative viewpoints from friends. I’m not really in favor of it, but I am curious.

By Austin

March 15, 2006 09:31 AM | Link to this

I went to high school in Utah and our school was on a 4 (120 minute) classes one day and 3 (120 minute) classes the next. We called them red or black days (school colors). On black days we got out of school at 1:10pm, red days was 2:50pm. Therefore the classes stayed year long classes, so we stayed on schedule with the rest of the country in AP courses and what not. I think everybody loved that type of block schedule. Most of us couldn’t fathom only a 50-55min class period. I think it’s better for education, since it takes a bit of time to settle kids down when they come in. Any disruptions take time to diffuse. With a bigger block of time to teach theses disruptions have less of an impact. Also, you can get through a biology video and still have time to talk about it or move on to something else. Shop classes have more time to work, rather than spend time getting ready and then clean up. Same thing goes for physical education class.

By Dick

March 15, 2006 09:39 AM | Link to this

I have always tried to go by the old statement “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Education was not broke back in teh 60’s and 70’s, but yet our intelligent elected officials decided to fix it. I feel they (officials) are getting exactly what they had planned on getting, a third rate education system.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 09:41 AM | Link to this

Ok Leia, would you please help me understand?

Block Scheduling does not lighten the paperwork load!

Having fewer classes and more students wouldn’t lighten that load? For some reason I was under the impression it would.

When students are absent, they have even more work to catch up on.

Granted they’d have more in the one subject, but with 2 fewer classes?

Students who fail the course may not have the opportunity to take it again the second semester - the course may not be taught then;

From what I’ve been reading classes would be available. Am I misinformed?

students already have a hard time focusing and staying attentive for 53 minutes - why do you expect them to be better for a 90 minute block?

I suspect it has to do with the interactive part of the class, but couldn’t attest to that. If you know of one, would you please provide me a source to research this?

By jim d

March 15, 2006 09:47 AM | Link to this

Thanks Austin, A word to the wise though. Don’t mention YRE on this blog, people go balistic on you.(Mostly parents)

Been there done that.

By Rod

March 15, 2006 09:56 AM | Link to this

Block schedule does not work. Children have a limited attention span as do adults. So imagine getting a child or young adult to sit in a sit for ninety minutes and pay attention to a teacher. The ability of a teacher to teach a subject for ninety minutes is also impossible. I have a daughter who is a honor student at MLK High School. Her biggest complaint is that there is too much idol time in the classroom. In last year’s physical education class, which was a requirement, she became proficient in playing spades due to the amount of idol time. I see no benefit in the block schedule.

By C.R.H.

March 15, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this

Block scheduling is just a way for kids to cram in more courses and for kids that fail courses to have more opportunities to get the course to graduate on time. They don’t always get the courses they need because they aren’t always offered each semester.

I have taught both schedules, block schedules suck! The paper work doesn’t diminish. The discipline problems don’t diminish, they just get more disruptive. Contrary to popular belief not EVERY minute of EVERY class EVERY day is going to be as “entertaining” as some of these students prefer. So they just sleep or act out. 90 minutes is too long! Also I have to cram more material instead of bite sized chunks. They don’t have time to let the new material “simmer”, we have to keep adding new concepts.

By Paul Scanling

March 15, 2006 09:59 AM | Link to this

4x4 means fewer students and longer planning time per day. It also means that tests, such as end of course testing or AP exams may happen when the student is not taking the class. Student could potentially go an entire year without taking a subject such as math. First semester freshman year and then second semester sophomore year. How much will they retain given a year off? Alternating day means that the students have just as many classes as regular schedules, but they meet every other day. It’s hard to keep continuity when some weeks you see them only twice. Attention spans are another issue as most teenagers, even some adults, have trouble staying on task for that length of time.

Block scheduling also presents resource issues. If only half of a grade is taking a math course rather than the entire grade, the school needs to own only half the number of textbooks. Returning to a seven or six period day will result in major expenditures of textbooks.

Teachers love having 90 minute planning periods. Ask some of them to return to shorter planning periods with more classes to teach and they will not like it.

4x4 also presents scheduling problems for courses like arts or AP courses. Most schools don’t have more than one section of an AP course, yet some students can have conflicts that can’t be resolved and not be able to take a course.

There is no such thing as the perfect schedule. They all have their problems, but having taught in both 7 period day and block scheduling, I’ll pick 7 period day every time.

By high school teacher

March 15, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this

Be careful what you wish for… After teaching on the block for 9 years, I wanted a change. I thought that the block was not as effective as a traditional 6 period day. Well, I am in a new school, on a traditional day, and I can’t keep up! 50 minutes of planning is not enough time to make phone calls, plan, and grade (90 minutes isn’t either, but it’s better). My academic kids suffer on a 6 period day because their elective options are limited. However, on 4x4 block, some remedial kids suffer; they need math every day to reinforce the skills. Kids in band and chorus take that as their elective both semesters, thereby decreasing their options as well.

I have come to the conclusion that block scheduling is easier on a teacher, but not necessarily on a student. Teachers must be innovative and allow time for students to move! Think about it this way: the average class change time is 6 minutes. That means students sit for 3 hours (two 90 minute classes) with only a 6 minute break. Ask teachers to do that during an inservice, and you will see mutiny!

Block scheduling is cost-effective; those systems who might have to go off the block will spend tens of thousands of dollars on textbooks and teachers in academic areas.

The downfall: there is less instructional time on the block. On a traditional schedule, students are in a class for 50 minutes for 180 days, which is a total of 9000 minutes of instruction. On a block schedule, students are in a class for 90 minutes for 90 days, which amounts to 8100 minutes of instruction: a deficit of 900 minutes!! Sorry for the long post!

By HB

March 15, 2006 10:09 AM | Link to this

One of the biggest advantages I’ve heard for block sheduling is it more easily allows for different kinds of learning activities to take place during class. I once worked for an education program where students traveled to DC to learn about civics, history, and governtment. Every night we held workshops with activities such as students playing the role of Supreme Court justices, breaking into small groups to tackle a topic then coming back together to discuss, tag team debates. The workshops were about 1 hour 15-30 min, and we were able to hold kids attention because that was enough time to complete 2 or 3 different activities, so they didn’t get bored.

Many teachers who accompanied the students to DC talked about how block scheduling had allowed them to incorporate similar activities into their own classes — something they had not been able to do in the past when classes were only 45 minutes or so. Longer classes meant they could lecture for a while and still have plenty of time for something more interactive that allowed students to use and improve their critical thinking skills.

By mustangtech

March 15, 2006 10:26 AM | Link to this

I graduated several years ago from a school that used block scheduling. Anyway, we had 8 total periods including a study hall as the 8th period. Monday we would have all 8 periods, 50 minutes each like a traditional school day. The rest of the week was block with Tuesday and Thursday being periods 1,3,lunch,5,7. Wednesday had periods 2,4, lunch, 6 and a 50 minute studyhall, meaning we got out 45 minutes earlier on Wednesday than everyother day of the week. Friday was 2,4, lunch, half a study hall, 6, and the other half of the study hall. This allowed for long ‘Senior Lunches’ on some Fridays. Usually 1 of the two short study hall periods was used for some activity. Everyone loved this system because you still had the same classes all year and you had each class 3 times a week. I took two AP classes (Calc and Government). Block scheduling allowed us to go deeper into the subject matter than we would have been able to in a regular period. Usually nothing got done on Monday since everyone was so used to the block. On Mondays it seemed like once you got going good it was time to change classes. So teachers figured this out and Mondays were used primarily in some classes for quizzes and whatnot.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

March 15, 2006 10:27 AM | Link to this

I can’t believe this is even a hot topic in education in GA. I’m 34 years old and my high school, which was 7th - 12th was block scheduling. I moved from elementary school into this environment.

It’s been hard for me to understand the educational setting in GA. I have lived in this state for 16 years, stayed after graduating from college. I would think, that the educational process would be clearly defined in 2006. However, there is still confusion at all levels.

Block/Non-Block - why is this a hot button topic at this stage of the game?

By posterchild

March 15, 2006 10:37 AM | Link to this

My 2nd year of teaching consisted of teaching an exploratory foreign language class to middle schoolers on a 110-minute period/every other day block schedule. IT WAS HELL. The principal would usually announce the wrong day (A day/B day), and confuse the kids. Hence, they would not show up to the right class. I’m pretty sure the only reason it was implemented was to keep them out of the hallway during class changes. So, instead of kids acting up at lockers, they just acted up in class more because 110-minutes without being able to go to the bathroom (we were strongly discouraged to let them out) is tough. I can’t even imagine sitting through a grad school course for 110 minutes without being able to use the restroom or drink water. Not a big fan of block, if you can see :)

By jim d

March 15, 2006 10:44 AM | Link to this

Amazed, I think perhaps becuase some schools use block and other don’t there is still debate.

And I’m really confused about there not being a reduction in paperwork as has been stated by a few bloggers today. I was pretty certain that one of the most burdensome paperwork tasks dumped on teachers was the IEP process. Yet with fewer students, as was stated by Mr. Scanling in a previous upthread post, bloggers here insist there is no lightening of the load.

What am I missing?

By Michael

March 15, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this

I do not agree with block scheduling. We have educators telling us that we need year around schooling so there will not be a laspe in memory and then they want block scheduling where you might have math the first semester one year and the second semester the next. A whole year of seperation.Where is the consistancy? Also there is no way that the extra class time can be effective in cramming in more coverage of subjects. The attention span and memory abilities just do not work that way.

By G

March 15, 2006 10:59 AM | Link to this

Block has been a horror for arts programs, particularly in music. Most schools systems have gone to alternating days rather than allow students opn 4 x 4 block to put 25% of their total time into band, chorus, dance, art, or the like. Most music teachers will tell you that you get more retention from students 50 minutes per day 5 days per week than in 100 minutes or less every other day. You reach a saturation point when you go past a certain amount of time.

There is also a serious oversaturation problem in some subjects, particularly in foreign languages and math, where there is only so much that students can absorb per day, no matter how the instruction is adjusted.

I’m a recent retiree from teaching, and I was under the block for most of the last decade. Sure, the long planning times were great, and it was nice to change groups of students twice a year so you wouldn’t be stuck all year with the worst of your problem children.

The point, though, is that school is supposed to have student learning as its first priority. Unfortunately, the real reasons that so many systems are sticking with the block is that it’s cheaper to run schools with it, and students can get in more courses per year (8 vs. 6 or 7). I feel that students learn better in a 6-period day, that they retain more, and that their needs are better served. Most of the teachers at my old school would return to a 6-period day in a heartbeat. But it’s money that makes the educational world go around, not the interest of the students.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

March 15, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this

I’m not concerned about who uses Block/Non-Block; my point is that a school system should already have their preference in place by now.

I’m always interested in Innovative ways to improve education, but how the classes are structured - should have been defined and fine-tuned to efficiency at this stage.

Clearly we can identify which classes need extra days/time allotted, such as Math, English and Science – which were usually allotted Monday-Wednesday- Friday time slots for 7 – 9th grade. There weren’t that many students registered in the higher-level math, science and English courses – so they were allotted Monday-Wednesday-Friday time schedules for 10th – 12th grades. Tuesday and Thursday were used for P.E, History, Home Economics, Band, Foreign Language and other subjects (auto shop, nursing programs, business, etc).

The teachers alternated study hall on the days when they did not have classes to teach and used the extra “free” time as a planning period. We always knew that Tuesday and Thursdays were our English, Math and Science teachers planning periods or study hall – which were used to provide extra help in those subjects.

By Mellinda

March 15, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this

I love the block sheduling for my children. I have a daughter who had a hard time retaining the information but after the CCSS went on block scheduling her grades drastically improved and that is what is important is that whatever is good for the children.

By G

March 15, 2006 11:38 AM | Link to this

Scheduling can be a nightmare in block, especially for small high schools where students travel to other schools for special services, like a vocational high school. It also makes it a horror to schedule classes that run year-long vs. semester-length classes. The compromises that have to be made and the short-changing of some subjects and areas is just a horror for all involved.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 11:46 AM | Link to this

From reading this blog today a couple of things can be deduced;

1) some people love block schdeuling

2) others hate it

and

3) the jury’s still out for some of us.

What I find interesting though is that it seems parents and students pretty much like it and teachers are well split on the subject.

By sped teacher

March 15, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this

as a teacher who has taught within block and traditional scheduling, I must say that I prefer block scheduling. I’m one of those teachers who love working on hands on assignments (in other words, I use very little worksheets) and it allows my students and I more time to work on a concept. With the traditional scheduling, after getting the kids settled, then handling administrative duties, it leaves us with only 30 minutes of instructional time per period—our periods are approximately 45 minutes each. The kids on my caseload have a difficult time remembering all the work they have to do. Don’t let there be a quiz or test in ALL FOUR CORE CLASSES—my students (mostly LD and ADD/ADHD kids) have a near heart attack.

I say all of this to say that in the long run, I find that block scheduling is a better deal if and only if (or iff for you math teachers smile) we teachers plan correctly for the time.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this

sped, I’m still trying to figure out some earlier posts and I know that you spend a great deal of time with the IEP paperwork, do you notice any difference in it between Block/non block?

By darrell

March 15, 2006 12:01 PM | Link to this

when i graduated from high school in louisiana in 1994 block scheduling wasn’t available, i was able to finish high school in three years by going to summer school and taking extra courses, i have an 18yo cousing that is graduating in may that did the block scheduling and actually finished school in december, if children are going to attend college early then i think block scheduling is great and it will prepare them for college by changing classes every semester

By hs sped

March 15, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this

My students need 55 minutes of math, IN THEIR FACES, every day. They absolutely, would not survive on a block schedule. I hope my county never tries it. The part about longer planning periods? What’s a planning period? ha ha ha

By high school teacher

March 15, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this

Jim D, I will disagree with the other teacher posters. I do think that there is less paperwork involved. For one thing, I can recycle my lesson plans from first semester and use them second semester. Secondly, I don’t have as many students at one time; granted, I have more throughoutht the course of the year, but the student load at one time is smaller; hence, the paperwork is reduced.

Studies have shown that the block schedule has no correlation with test scores. Schools on the block score the same as schools on a traditional day.

The block schedule (and a traditional schedule, for that matter) is as effective as its teachers. If you don’t have good teachers, then the block is not effective. The same, however, can be said of the traditional day.

By Jeff

March 15, 2006 12:26 PM | Link to this

Block is horrible. Where I went to school, U.W.G, EVERYONE said block is the best because teachers have more time to teach to different styles of learners. I believed it and then signed on with a school that does block. What a mistake!

The kids attention span can’t handle 90 minutes. Kids act up, and then you have the rest of the year dealing with ADD, ADHD, and just plain old behavior problems in such a long time span.

Keep it simple. Stick with the way we all learned: 50 minutes classes.

Get em in and get em out.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 12:31 PM | Link to this

HST,

Thank you for clearing that up for me, also for confirming that failing students may have another opportunity to take your class again in the same year.

By a reader from Marietta

March 15, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this

I fought this one in Cobb county, Marietta school systems. My kids are out of school now, but I still know what I know. Research is out there that shows over and over and over again that students do not do as well in testing (SAT and end of year exams) in block as compared to traditional. Block started in Canada. Canada no longer uses it because studies showed, it does not work. Students fall behind. Teenagers do not have a terribly long attention span. An honest teacher will tell you (as well as studies show) 45 minutes and they loss them. So stick them in hour and a half classes and waste their time and tax payer dollars. . Take it from someone in the TV broadcast industry, how many 90 minute shows can you watch in a row and really get it? Parents beware of teachers who love block. They get longer breaks. It works for them. But who is the customer here… our students. Block block.

By Zoe

March 15, 2006 12:39 PM | Link to this

Please keep in mind that block schedule should really be used only on the high school level. I can not imagine it working at the middle school level. I think ideally block schedule works only if it was A/B block with 4 classes one day, 4 different ones the next day. This would actually create more paper work for most teachers because teachers would have 6 classes- 3 on A day, 3 on B day and a planning period each day. Also, teachers could have 180 students instead of 150 as a maximum course load. As a positive, the planning periods would be longer and students would have an opportunity to earn 8 credits in a year rather than 6. Also, this is a better solution than straight block with the same classes everyday. It would eliminate the complaints of students taking sequence classes such as math or a foreign language with huge gaps of time between them. A/B is similar to a college type of schedule. School systems would probably not need as many remedial before school and after school classes because students could make up their classes during the regular school day. Students only need 22 credits (or 24 for a college prep with distinction diploma) and with A/B block, students could earn up to 32 credits in their high school career. In addition, some students could graduate at the end of their junior year. I am really hoping that my school system can see the advantages of this.

By Jeff (Original)

March 15, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this

I agree with the new Jeff completely. 2 of my classes are H#LL anyways on a 50-min schedule. I would have quit two weeks in under block with these kids!

By Tammy

March 15, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this

At first when my daughter started high school I thought block scheduleing was stupid.. four years later.. It has been the best thing to ever happen. It gives the teacher so much more time with the students and can they use that extra 30 min for questions and discussions. She has been an honor student all four years.

By a reader from Marietta

March 15, 2006 12:49 PM | Link to this

Tammy beware of the “honor student” status. Georgia has pumped up GPA’s according to national statistics. Some blame it on the HOPE. Out of state schools look at where these honor students are from and are well aware that Georgia’s GPAs are pumped.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 12:49 PM | Link to this

Wow Zoe,

I hadn’t considered that. A three year HS program could potentially reduce the number of students requiring services to a point where new school construction and trailer usage would be next to nill.

Interesting thought.

By sped teacher

March 15, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

As far as IEP paperwork, it’s the same whether you are on block, modified block, or a traditional schedule.

My preference for a block schedule has nothing to do with me getting a longer break—I only had a planning period EVERY OTHER DAY when I taught at a school using block scheduling (We had A/B days Monday-Thursday, and a traditional day on Friday). Experience has taught me that Iwas able to cover more of a concept, get more in depth with it, and answer more of my students’ questions when I had 90 minutes vs. 45 minutes—my experience. I say this to say that what works for Johnny at school A may not work for Kim at school B. All kids are different and block scheduling vs. modified block scheduling vs. traditional scheduling should be decided at the school level with parental, teacher, administrative, and student input, not at the district level by someone who is 10 plus years removed from the classroom.

By high school teacher

March 15, 2006 12:56 PM | Link to this

Unfortunately, Jim and Zoe, most schools won’t allow students to graduate early because they would lose funding, which is based on the number of students enrolled at the school. If half of the senior class graduates in December, the school would lose money for the rest of the year.

Many counties have actually increased the number of credits to graduate. Douglas County, for example, increased the required number of credits required for graduation to 28, but I think that has changed because of complaints from parents.

By jim d

March 15, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this

Then perhaps WE need to change the laws.

By ally

March 15, 2006 01:09 PM | Link to this

I graduated in 2001 from a high school using 4*4 Block which gave us 90 minute classes. There are pros and cons no matter what, but from being a student I can tell you the following ( I did graduate college prep with honors):

• Block can be a great thing for fine arts and technical courses. In art class we actually had enough time to have a lecture and then try stuff out. I took 3 years of drafting and it allowed us enough time to learn new programs and play around to get the feel of what we were doing besides just doing projects. In those areas it works great.

• Math could be hell. I took an AP Calc class my senior year which taught differentials and integrals all in one semester. It wasn’t until I entered UGA that I found out most of my friends from other systems and schools had that in separate semesters and I can tell you from my experience and that of a few friends that went from my school to the bigger colleges who had Calc split we all had a hard time and were lost. No matter how we had done in high school, college level Calc killed us because we couldn’t pinpoint where to stop and I had a friend convinced he should be doing integrals all day every day when they didn’t teach it in one of the courses.

• Science classes usually work out better if they have labs and it made it easier to perform labs because we weren’t always in a rush to get in and out.

• English and History courses are kind of mixed. If the teacher does nothing but lecture all day every day then most students will hate it and sleep or whatever their vice is. If you can jump around a little or take a quick break, usually they’ll pay better attention but with the schedule and the way things are many times you won’t get as much covered as you should. I know my American History class started right before the Jamestown settlement and we didn’t get past WWI. The last week of class we had to watch videos that summed up each decade so we had a clue what happened and that hurt many of my classmates when they got to college if they didn’t already have an interest in History because they knew nothing of what had happened.

A few perks of the schedule is that it prepared me to sit through long classes in college which others struggled with, I was able to take more courses in Math and Social Sciences that I wanted to take, and it didn’t make college such a big transition for me class-wise. However, not every class is offered (or offered enough) each semester, languages can be hard if you don’t continuously get the next class each semester, AP classes can be taken in Fall and then you can have a couple of months before having to remember the material for the test and in some classes (like English) you read less novels in regular level classes because they rush through the work quicker. Only in AP classes do you read a decent amount of novels that are not included in the typical anthologies used for classes.

(I apologize for this post being so long.)

By John

March 15, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this

Block scheduling is a disaster. It causes students to fill their schedules with junk classes with no more than half the day devoted to serious academic work. Those schools who adhere to a more traditional schedule have their students enrolled almost the entire day in real classes with real learning. Block scheduling is another wasted educational innovation.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

March 15, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this

From what I’m reading most of our posters have a problem with completing a single class in a semester and I can agree 100% with them. The only classes completed for a semester when I was in school was Health, P.E., drivers Ed and other electives. None of our core classes were taught or changed from one semester to the next. If you had Algebra I, you had it all year unless you decided to drop completely.

If GA’s block scheduling is a rush to complete graduation requirements, then that’s where the problem lies.

For the anti-block scheduling crowd, you can plan your class time where you won’t bore or lose a child’s attention. My Geometry teacher had a great strategy, where we used the last 30 minutes building Geometric (??) problems using leggo(??) blocks, construction paper, etc… The art students loved it. My English teacher would allow us to write short stories or poetry and read them allowed to the class. My history class use to do current events on anything – because my teacher said it would all become HISTORY some day. We received extra points for those current events.

Also, our AP classes were taught year long on a block schedule.

I think some people are trying to sell block scheduling as a RUSH job to complete school. It’s suppose to allow more class time, period.

By a teacher

March 15, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

A major impetus behind block scheduling is not to improve instruction or increase credits, but to ease registration problems (scheduling four classes rather than six per semester) and discipline problems (students aren’t out in the hall as much, which is where most problems occur.) I would have more respect for administrators who advocate the block if they just admitted they like it because its easier for them. Most, however, pretend that it will enhance instruction. Its time to put this educational fad to rest in the same dustbin with the open classroom!

By CAM

March 15, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this

Even some of the middle schools are looking at 90 - 120 minute blocks.

By a reader from Marietta

March 15, 2006 01:32 PM | Link to this

I don’t think pushing students quickly through high school is a solution whether it saves the system money or not. I would rather have my kid get a good education in a trailer than a bad eucation at the Taj Mahal. Aren’t we talking about a valid education here? Graduating early should be up to the student and the parent based on the students maturity and ability. There is a price to pay for it though and that is the fees of summer school. So is the system really losing?

By posterchild

March 15, 2006 01:45 PM | Link to this

Yes, Zoe, I had 180+ kids every 9 weeks. So, if you do the math, I worked with about 720 students that year. There was plenty of paperwork, and yes, block is definitely suited for a high school level.

I went to school some in Germany, and I like how many of the European countries schedule their classes (different times on different days, and some days you don’t have the class at all).

By mellinda

March 15, 2006 01:53 PM | Link to this

I still say the block schedule is much better. If the kids only have a 55 minute class by the time the teacher gets the kids settled down and takes roll the teacher only has 30- 40 mins to go over the material and if you have a student who does not retain the material in a flash then that student is either left behind or left out. I have a HS student who graduated in December on the block schedule. Its according to how hard the kids want to work. I have a child who graduated 2 years ago and it took all 4 years with all the block classes because she doesnt retain the information as fast as other students. She is not a spec ed student either. Some ppl just need the extra time for the teacher to teach.

By The Coach

March 15, 2006 02:46 PM | Link to this

From my observations, I have noticed that stronger students tend to thrive on the block, and weaker students do not. Of course, we are on a modified block at my school, and the courses are year long, so AP gets the full year. Still, the math teachers hate it, the science teachers love it, and everyone else is in between.

By Robert

March 15, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this

As with everything, there are pros and cons.

Science teachers have the time to actually set up and discuss a thorough lab experiment. This is a good thing.

Even on a regular block schedule, our school has year long AP classes. This does mean that the particular AP student will not be able to take 8 classes for the academic year. Our AP scores are above average.

Teachers that were “brought up” in block love it. They know how to use the full 90 minutes properly, scheduling different activities throughout the 90 minutes to maintain student interest and to reinforce lessons.

Teachers that were “brought up” in the 6 period day hate it. They don’t know what to do with the so-called extra time since they are used to only a 60 minute class. Then, these same teachers complain when they suddenly realize that they are behind in content.

As a teacher in a block schedule, I love it. I teach fewest numbers of students, only having 3 classes. I grade fewer papers. I do less administrative work (for example, I only take roll three times a day). I am able to create meaningful lessons using all 90 minutes.

I agree with the poster that said block is great for the move advanced kids, but horrible for the slow kids. For the middle kids it is probably a push. However, the State of GA is continuously telling us to push students to improve and to teach up and not teach down….. Using this theory then, block should be great, right?

By Alice

March 15, 2006 03:21 PM | Link to this

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that in DeKalb that when most schools (note some did not) adopted the block schedule, they upped the number of credits to graduate to 24. Under a block schedule, a student can earn 32 credits. This is a big cushion allowing many more students to graduate.

Dr. Brown was looking for fast ways to make improvements on paper that would have boosted his resume. Teachers were given no training and DeKalb’s test scores continue to fall.

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

March 15, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this

The block scheduling during highschool, helped me a lot when I started college. I was use to having the same classes Monday-Wednesday-Friday and the same on Tuesday-Thursday. It was even better to have the opportunity to choose between those classes being in the morning versus the evening. It also gave me the push to take a full load every quarter.

Any classes held using Block scheduling should be taken the full year, because the students are being introduced to new material. All the core subjects taught in public school should be in-depth and not an Overview of the material.

Anyone who can’t adjust their planning to allow for 90 minutes of class time from 60 minutes, without having been trained to do so, should not be in education. It should be harder to go from 90 minutes to 60 minutes.

By nikki

March 15, 2006 04:12 PM | Link to this

My son is in middle school in Dekalb County. This year his school went to the block scheduling. He loves it and so do I. He needed more than 50 minutes in his math classes. Since his school has gone to block his math grades have improved.

By Leia

March 15, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this

nikki - Is your son learning 90 minutes worth of material in math class, or is it taking him 90 minutes to learn 50 minutes worth of material?

By Highschool student

March 15, 2006 04:54 PM | Link to this

I’m a high school student in school on the block system. I love it. Being in gifted and advanced classes, the work load is huge. Having to only deal with four difficult classes instead of eight makes things a lot easier to handle. Of course, at the end of the semester, it’s also good to know that you will never have to return to a class you despised again!

By Ken Roberts

March 15, 2006 04:56 PM | Link to this

In the last 7 years I’ve been to 4 different high schools and 2 universities, most of the high schools used “normal” scheduling and one (cobb county) used block. Im here to tell you that I LOVED block compared to the rest. How in the world can a kid keep up with 6-7 different subjects in a single day? It blows my mind that people thought this was a good idea to begin with; by the time you finally start to learn something its time to move on to your next class. The high school system does not fit under the “if it aint broke dont fix it” saying, it is VERY broke and needs to be fixed. If you ask me, modeling public schools after the university system as much as is practical is a good solution. Block scheduling for example resembles college, only a few classes per day lasting 1 semester each. If you do not pass a class, you are you are not held back but instead can make it up during the next semester. It also allows smarter kids to finish faster or take more advanced courses.

By V for Vendetta

March 16, 2006 08:23 AM | Link to this

Never thought this thread would get so long!

By Amanda

March 16, 2006 08:37 AM | Link to this

I experienced both types of scheduling when I was in high school. We were on regular scheduling my freshman year and then switched to block scheduling for my last 3 years. I liked block scheduling much better. I felt like it gave me more time to understand the concepts that were being taught, and it also gave us time to do work in class, so that if a question developed, we had a chance to ask the teacher while in class instead of trying to figure it out on our own at home. Although the classes did get a bit long at times, I appreciate the experience in retrospect. My Tuesday/Thursday classes in college were an hour and 10 minutes and they seemed short to me. I think the block prepared me to concentrate on one subject for a longer period of time, which is an invaluable asset in college. I had two AP classes while on the block and my school chose to have both classes run through both sememsters of the school year. The only problem this presented was what to do in class after the AP exam. Overall, I loved block scheduling and would recommend it!

By pro-block

March 16, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this

As a parent, I support block scheduling. I went to a high school that followed a block schedule. We had a 7 day schedule that rotated continuously. So instead of Monday being the same every week, it would always change. Monday could be A-Day, B-Day or C-Day, etc. (through to F-Day) It worked well because there was always plenty time to discuss each topic thoroughly, have guest speakers and even watch a film/documentary on the topic if need be. Every school should explore block scheduling for the enrichment of Georgia’s kids.

By Ginny

March 16, 2006 10:11 AM | Link to this

I think the only people who really should have any say in whether or not block scheduling “works” are the students and the teachers. I’m sorry but people that have not been in the situation, or gone through both types of classes (block semesters and the old school quaters, with seven classes a day), cannot really accurately convey an opinion about which is best.

My high school switched to block when I was a junior and I, for one, can say that the block was much better. We learned much more than we would have. During any given class you spend the first ten to fifteen minutes going through attendance, papers, calming down, ect. You might actually get 30 minutes of teaching time in. Lab classes would have little to no hope of actually being able to perform and finish any given lab that might actually have a value to the class.

With block scheduling, the teacher still has more than an hour of teaching once that first ten to fifteen minutes in gone. In general, they actually get more teaching time than they would in a full year, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Labs have time to be completed. Discussions don’t have to be abruptly cut off. I learned much more during the block scheduling and, in general, it worked much better.

If it means altering your teaching style, then alter your teaching style. It’s your job. I think block scheduling works much better in the long run and is a very good preperation for the schedule and work load of college.

By oldteacher

March 16, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this

Ginny, I agree that we should be in both situations before we pass judgment. I would love to have more time in my classes.

By Teacher2

March 16, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

I have not taught on a block schedule, but some of the arguments for it bother me. Several posters have mentioned being able to teach only 30 minutes of a 50 minute period. At my school, we are required to teach bell-to-bell, which means when the students walk in they have a bell-ringer activity that they must finish while the teacher takes roll (within the first five minutes of class). Immediately afterwards, the bell activity is discussed (for my class it is usually a journal warmup for the day’s discussion topic) and formal instruction begins. There is no instructional time lost to administrivia. Teachers who cannot use their time wisely in a 50 minute class certainly should not argue for a block schedule. If they lose 20 minutes per period per day on a regular schedule, just think how much more time they would waste on block?

By Robert

March 16, 2006 12:10 PM | Link to this

Teacher2 - You say that you spend no class time on administrative duties? How can this possibly be? Don’t you take roll (record who is absent) in your classes? That IS an administrative duty. Don’t you sign excused absence forms? Don’t you do ANY of the administration?

If your school does not require any of this, then I need to transfer to your school!

And, if you do any of this, then obviously you can see that the shorter your class time and the more number of classes you teach, then the more overall administrative time you spend in a single day. It really is simple math.

By Edd Williams

March 16, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this

Block scheduling is a disaster. As a teacher it creates more problems than one can possibly imagine and you do lose time. Another problem is the semester system. We need to return to the quarter system. It just plain works better.

By David200

March 16, 2006 02:43 PM | Link to this

Robert, if you’re calling the roll in class everyday, all I’ve got is one question: Why? Don’t you know who your students are by now? Don’t you have a seating chart? Can’t you count to 25-28 and see who’s missing in under 3-4 minutes?

Boy the stories I could tell you about block scheduling. I had to write an 40 page paper in my doctoral class about block scheduling. In short there are no reputable studies showing block scheduling increasing learning - none. The best that can be said is that block scheduling has no effect in certain types of students. That’s the absolute best that can be said - no effect! In many cases studies which claimed block scheduling succes showed a negative correlation! The authors then performed a Likert survey of the students and faculty and asked them how well they liked block scheduling. I ask you, if you were a teen-ager and were asked would you like to have six classes and have homework every night or would you like to have 4 classes and no homework, which one would you pick? Duh.

On the science classes having more time for labs, comments. That’s just bogus too. I’m now taking 80 minutes in lab where I used to take 45 minutes. The students have just spread out the time. Under a 45 minute lab, the students had to read the lab the night before and arrive prepared to work. Now they read the instructions in the lab and kill 40 minutes by asking, “what do I do now?” The response of only allowing them 45 minutes fails to take in the effect of parents calling the principal and complaining about me hurrying their son up so much that he gets a bad grade.

As far as the comments about giving more time to do “special teaching” goes, that’s bogus too. We have a curriculum to teach, folks! It was designed to cover 180 days of instruction. We USED to only require 2 courses in science for a high school diploma. Now we want the kids to take 4 sciences, calculus, quantum mechanics, etc so the kids can “get a good job” when they get out. Our curriculum has INCREASED not decreased. Block scheduling means less seat time for the student. We are supposed to cover 2 concepts per day instead of one. Kids have a hard time with one concept; therefore, we cut back the instruction. At the end of the day, we end up with 1/2 a class taught with the student receiving full credit. Don’t talk to me about time for “suppliments.” We don’t have time to teach anything but the basics.

If you go back to the first school performing block scheduling, you’ll find a burnt-out faculty looking for ways to get high-discipline students out of their classes. The idea was that if they only had “Johhny” for 90 days instead of 180 days, the teachers could survive. Three years later, after the smart kids had transfered out, the SAT schores were matched. Naturally they found exactly what you would expect; however, the faculty had not lost any more faculty members.

Administrators like the block because the discipline problem now happen in the classroom rather than in the halls. It the teacher’s job to solve those, not the administrators. It also allows the administrators to hire fewer teachers. Under a 6-period day, teachers taught 5 classes. We now teach 6. They’ve picked up 6 teachers for the price of 5.

Let’s see on a medical note. Learning is a function of neural growth. Is learning affected by how long my rear-end is in a seat or how long I have to study a subject? Is it better to cover a subject for short periods over a longer time of have my rear-end in a seat for a longer time each day and a shorter calendar time? Colleges used to be on a quarter basis - 5 hours a week for 10 weeks. The faculty said they needed longer time for the information to sink in and went to a semester basis of 3 hours a week over 18 weeks. Which one has smarter perople: high schools or colleges?

I’m sorry guys, the best that can be said is that with smart, motivated kids block scheduling doesn’t HURT them; with regular and lower-ability kids, block scheduling hurts them.

If wishes were fishes, we’re all be rich, but facts are facts.

By C.R.H.

March 16, 2006 04:35 PM | Link to this

It does NOT take 10 -15 minutes to get administrative crap done in class or get a group “calmed down”. There is a TON of time lost in the block…mostly with what we call “independent practice time”. We used to call that “homework”! Now they just do it in class…what a waste.

By CAM

March 17, 2006 08:15 AM | Link to this

It takes me about 5 seconds to make sure all my kids are here and mark them present/absent. It takes a little longer to settle middle schooler down, but even though my class is only 45 minutes, I have a good 40 minutes of teaching time.

By jim d

March 17, 2006 10:18 AM | Link to this

Teachers loosing time because of block scheduling might benefit from time management training?

I’m not saying this to be argumentative or to infer they are wasting time. Merely a thought since some teachers seem to like the block and don’t feel they are loosing any time. I’m really kind of curious as to how we can have two extremely different opinons on this subject from teachers. Might it be the subject matter they teach that really causes such a divide?

Y’all don’t need to fire away at me, just help me attempt to understand why such a big difference in opinons.

By Beth

March 17, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

I currently teach on the block schedule. I love it. I have three classes each semester, and average fewer than 90 students each semester. As a high school English teacher, I can’t imagine grading 150 essays or tests. I enjoy breaking the period into sections, and I know that I have time to remain on a subject longer than expected if I need to. I think that the science teachers also enjoy block scheduling. Labs are better and there is more time for teacher modeling before beginning the lab work. My students also like the block schedule because the homework load is less. Most students only have two core classes per semester (which generally have the highest homework load). I hope we never switch back to six or seven period days.

By Laura

March 20, 2006 02:01 PM | Link to this

High schools in Texas are going back to the traditional schedule. Block scheduling costs more. It requires more teachers.

By Ernest

March 20, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

Patti, thanks for making this a blog topic and thanks to those that contributed! I’ve been away on business this past week and could only read the postings.

While understanding of the benefits the 4x4 brings, I’m concerned whether there is ‘bell to bell’ instruction going on in each class along with the impact of not having math and AP courses every day during the year. I was hopeful DeKalb would consider a modified block, albeit allowing a/b block for certain periods/classes or running 3 50 minute classes as an overlay on 2 blocks, giving the opportunity for 3 everyday classes (this would result in a max of 28 credits versus 32 with the 4x4). I will acknowledge this may be logistically challenging, based on the needs of each school.

I am concerned with some of the data that has come back regarding block and its impact on academic progress, even in our own state. I hope we realize the benefits administrators hope for with this type of scheduling.

By June Blackmon

March 23, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this

Although my daughter, as well as many other students and teachers like the 4x4 block schedule, missing math for a year is scary. I amd currently about to pay for tutoring because I fear my daughter will in no way be able to do her best on the SAT, having not had math in almost a year. The tutorer has noted how much of the early lessons she has forgotten because it is not being taught continually. Procrasination is not the answer. I hope they change things around real soon.