8-periods (block schedule, three electives) in middle school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid would have loved to have 5 core classes, the required PE, plus 2 electives.

And for high school, 8 classes instead of 7 would mean 5 core, 2 electives, and 1 slot for misc grad requirements like PE, health and tech.

This should be equitable throughout the county not an option at only select DCC schools.

4 core: ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science
1 required: PE/Health

Agree on equity. Perhaps each other MS could pick a theme, akin to the interest-based magnets, and require an associated course each year, then offering either 1 (if all schools were to be 7 periods) or 2 (if all went to an 8-period block schedule) electives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The middle school block schedules were instituted to preserve elective slots where a magnet-program-mandated course took one.

There are no mandated electives in the DCC middle schools. Maybe you mean the application based magnet programs.

I'm not sure you read my PP correctly. It referenced the magnets (not all, perhaps) as the ones having 8 periods, not other DCCs, and these do have additional class mandates.

For example, TPMS (used to be application/ranked-profile based before it went to universal review/lottery) had an 8-period block schedule to accommodate the magnet CS class. They are moving back to 7 periods this year, largely, to my understanding, because they wouldn't protect teachers' time, demanding 6 classes/2 planning periods where some other block-scheduled schools afforded a 5/3 split, each as compared to the more standard 5/2 split with a 7-period day. The 8 periods meant that magnet students had been able to take two personal-choice electives (e.g., foreign language & instrumental music); now, they will have one.

SSIMS has an 8-period block schedule to accommodate the double-period language class for the language immersion programs (another type of magnet, even if not termed such). FWIW, I think that it also facilitates scheduling of support classes for the relatively high population (not the most in the system, but still higher than many) of those needing such. The extra period means that language immersion students retain a single personal-choice elective; others are required to take a foreign language class all three years, leaving 2 personal-choice electives, as at other schools.

If the Middle School Magnet Consortium schools do not have a themed-program requirement similarly taking a class slot, that would be interesting. My understanding, there, that there is such, with 8 classes leaving the standard 2 personal-choice electives, could be incorrect. Is there an informative link that might be shared?

I think an 8-period block schedule works pretty well, and, perhaps in sugesting that for all middle schools, each could make a theme class more or less mandatory, preserving 2 personal-choice electives. Of course, either personnel costs (with 5/3) or teacher burden (with 6/2) would increase, and the County Council would have to fund the former.

The thoughts of DCC-favoring inequity might be relevant if other magnets in the county did not make similar program accommodation. Otherwise, the complaint should be directed towards such decisions favoring magnets, in general, and not the DCC, where middle schools without magnet programs (and some with them) don't afford the 8-period block schedule. It's not like DCC has school choice for middle school (outside ot the MSMC, which is only 3 of 9 and partially open countywide) -- or any really effective school choice in high school, as the overcrowding & relatively lopsided demand don't accommodate most non-assigned-school preferences.

DP. Not meaning any offense, but your writing is not very clear, so I don’t think it’s the fault of the PP to not understand your “correct” meaning.

Parkland magnet definitely mandates two science classes each year.

Westland magnet and the upcounty criteria-based magnets have 7 periods, not 8.

I'll take none, but I will note that the misunderstood response was to a one-sentence post:

"The middle school block schedules were instituted to preserve elective slots where a magnet-program-mandated course took one."

The longer post took the time to explain that, in light of the misunderstanding, with detailed examples.

[Anonymous]

MCPS is not going to move to block scheduling systemwide. The union won’t allow 6 period days, and a 5 period day for teachers would be more expensive for MCPS.

If MCPS mandates the same across schools, it will be for a 7-period day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid would have loved to have 5 core classes, the required PE, plus 2 electives.

And for high school, 8 classes instead of 7 would mean 5 core, 2 electives, and 1 slot for misc grad requirements like PE, health and tech.

This should be equitable throughout the county not an option at only select DCC schools.

4 core: ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science
1 required: PE/Health

Agree on equity. Perhaps each other MS could pick a theme, akin to the interest-based magnets, and require an associated course each year, then offering either 1 (if all schools were to be 7 periods) or 2 (if all went to an 8-period block schedule) electives.

Core=ELA, math, science, social studies, world language

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid would have loved to have 5 core classes, the required PE, plus 2 electives.

And for high school, 8 classes instead of 7 would mean 5 core, 2 electives, and 1 slot for misc grad requirements like PE, health and tech.

This should be equitable throughout the county not an option at only select DCC schools.

4 core: ELA, Social Studies, Math, Science
1 required: PE/Health

Agree on equity. Perhaps each other MS could pick a theme, akin to the interest-based magnets, and require an associated course each year, then offering either 1 (if all schools were to be 7 periods) or 2 (if all went to an 8-period block schedule) electives.

Core=ELA, math, science, social studies, world language

Not in MCPS MS. Lanugage is considered an elective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love our block schedule at Loiederman. Plenty of time to get things done without rushing, or to rehearse properly, or to redo math work until it is done right. Plenty of time to catch up on assigned reading and finish homework so it doesn't have to come home. No daily rush through so many different things. The teachers break up the class periods into different kinds of activities so there is no concentration challenge. My ADHD kid is thriving, and I'm now a believer in this kind of scheduling.

Very glad to hear this feedback as a new family at LMS this fall!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love our block schedule at Loiederman. Plenty of time to get things done without rushing, or to rehearse properly, or to redo math work until it is done right. Plenty of time to catch up on assigned reading and finish homework so it doesn't have to come home. No daily rush through so many different things. The teachers break up the class periods into different kinds of activities so there is no concentration challenge. My ADHD kid is thriving, and I'm now a believer in this kind of scheduling.

Very glad to hear this feedback as a new family at LMS this fall!

Not guaranteed to continue beyond this year. That’s the point of this whole thread. With the program analysis changing all schools in the 2027-28 school year, the block schedule will likely disappear. How else will MCPS justify the extra staff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love our block schedule at Loiederman. Plenty of time to get things done without rushing, or to rehearse properly, or to redo math work until it is done right. Plenty of time to catch up on assigned reading and finish homework so it doesn't have to come home. No daily rush through so many different things. The teachers break up the class periods into different kinds of activities so there is no concentration challenge. My ADHD kid is thriving, and I'm now a believer in this kind of scheduling.

Very glad to hear this feedback as a new family at LMS this fall!

Not guaranteed to continue beyond this year. That’s the point of this whole thread. With the program analysis changing all schools in the 2027-28 school year, the block schedule will likely disappear. How else will MCPS justify the extra staff?

The block schedule is not just a magnet schools. There are schools with 7 classes that have a block schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love our block schedule at Loiederman. Plenty of time to get things done without rushing, or to rehearse properly, or to redo math work until it is done right. Plenty of time to catch up on assigned reading and finish homework so it doesn't have to come home. No daily rush through so many different things. The teachers break up the class periods into different kinds of activities so there is no concentration challenge. My ADHD kid is thriving, and I'm now a believer in this kind of scheduling.

Very glad to hear this feedback as a new family at LMS this fall!

Not guaranteed to continue beyond this year. That’s the point of this whole thread. With the program analysis changing all schools in the 2027-28 school year, the block schedule will likely disappear. How else will MCPS justify the extra staff?

The block schedule is not just a magnet schools. There are schools with 7 classes that have a block schedule.

I have a friend in another state whose HS does true block schedules for the year around 8 class. 4 classes 1st Semester and 4 classes 2nd semester.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8-periods (block schedule, three electives) in middle school- that is an example of things that are available for some kids in this county but not all. Three electives is wonderful. Why isn’t this available everywhere not just in the DCC?

I certainly would not want that for my ADHD kid. She would have difficulty focusing for so long and needs the breaks between periods to move.

She’ll never make it to college if you baby her like this.

[Anonymous]

Block scheduling is terrible. Kids these days don't have an attention span longer than 10 minutes let alone 80 minute periods. 45 minute shorter classes daily is much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love our block schedule at Loiederman. Plenty of time to get things done without rushing, or to rehearse properly, or to redo math work until it is done right. Plenty of time to catch up on assigned reading and finish homework so it doesn't have to come home. No daily rush through so many different things. The teachers break up the class periods into different kinds of activities so there is no concentration challenge. My ADHD kid is thriving, and I'm now a believer in this kind of scheduling.

Very glad to hear this feedback as a new family at LMS this fall!

Not guaranteed to continue beyond this year. That’s the point of this whole thread. With the program analysis changing all schools in the 2027-28 school year, the block schedule will likely disappear. How else will MCPS justify the extra staff?

The block schedule is not just a magnet schools. There are schools with 7 classes that have a block schedule.

I have a friend in another state whose HS does true block schedules for the year around 8 class. 4 classes 1st Semester and 4 classes 2nd semester.

It is horrible for students taking AP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Block scheduling is terrible. Kids these days don't have an attention span longer than 10 minutes let alone 80 minute periods. 45 minute shorter classes daily is much better.

Completely agree. Plus from the Loiderman poster, it sounds like block scheduling means they do all their work in class and have no homework. I’d rather have my kid get instruction each day and be expected to do homework on her own. That is how it is in my school and it works well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Love our block schedule at Loiederman. Plenty of time to get things done without rushing, or to rehearse properly, or to redo math work until it is done right. Plenty of time to catch up on assigned reading and finish homework so it doesn't have to come home. No daily rush through so many different things. The teachers break up the class periods into different kinds of activities so there is no concentration challenge. My ADHD kid is thriving, and I'm now a believer in this kind of scheduling.

Very glad to hear this feedback as a new family at LMS this fall!

Not guaranteed to continue beyond this year. That’s the point of this whole thread. With the program analysis changing all schools in the 2027-28 school year, the block schedule will likely disappear. How else will MCPS justify the extra staff?

The block schedule is not just a magnet schools. There are schools with 7 classes that have a block schedule.

I have a friend in another state whose HS does true block schedules for the year around 8 class. 4 classes 1st Semester and 4 classes 2nd semester.

It is horrible for students taking AP.

Maybe , maybe not. Just demands a different study/review process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8-periods (block schedule, three electives) in middle school- that is an example of things that are available for some kids in this county but not all. Three electives is wonderful. Why isn’t this available everywhere not just in the DCC?

I certainly would not want that for my ADHD kid. She would have difficulty focusing for so long and needs the breaks between periods to move.

She’ll never make it to college if you baby her like this.

Ignore the troll.