Then we’ll quickly review some best practices for teaching in the block. We’ll start by looking at the mindset that causes a lot of block scheduling’s biggest problems. So that’s what we’re going to focus on here. But one issue with block scheduling seems to persist, a problem that is highlighted in the letter above, a problem that is still voiced by teachers and students today: The ineffective use of the longer block of instructional time. They’ve even found solutions for some of the problems it presents, like offering shorter periods for classes like math and band, where consistent daily practice is more important. On top of that, having extended blocks of time would give teachers the opportunity to dive more deeply into their content.Īnd in many cases, schools have been successful with block scheduling. The idea behind the change was that with less transition time between classes, fewer instructional minutes would be wasted, and the kinds of behavior issues and bullying that can crop up during class transitions would also be cut down. This type of schedule became popular in middle and high schools in the 1990s as an alternative to the traditional schedule, where students attend the same six to eight classes, 45 to 50 minutes each, every day. This letter articulates the concerns some teachers, parents, and even students have about block scheduling, where class periods last 80 to 100 minutes and only four classes are held each day. It’s obvious that this format wastes valuable class time - and that doesn’t include the time students waste by talking, singing, and becoming restless all-around as a result of the lengthened class periods.” Under block scheduling, the students are now in groups trying to “discover” facts that used to be communicated instantly when teachers actually taught. Now teachers are no longer teachers, but merely guides - glorified baby-sitters, if you will. Classes used to consist of core subject material being communicated to students by individuals rich in knowledge and experience. Under block scheduling, they have become little more than glorified playtime periods. ![]() Classes used to be places where serious learning took place. Block scheduling has resulted in less emphasis on core content and more on gimmickry. My observations of block scheduling have been a shocking education for me. ![]() ![]() (My school) operates on a block schedule - a concept I had never even heard of until I accepted (this) teaching position. “I am…a first year high school math teacher. This is an excerpt from a letter written to a Charlotte, North Carolina newspaper in 2002 by a first-year math teacher, a man who was vehemently opposed to block scheduling. Sponsored by Raymond Geddes and Kids Discover
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