Will we ever move away from block scheduling?

[Anonymous]

Never, I hope. Block scheduling is so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - I like the point about tests being spread out and more time to complete homework. It just really stinks when you miss a class.

I like the idea of doing block scheduling 4 days a week and one day with all the classes.

Why? My first thought as a teacher is this is the day I’ll give the test. They rarely need an entire block. Your kid might have 3, 4 or 5+ tests on a day if others think the same. I’m glad my school doesn’t have this schedule.

How are your tests not taking the entire block? How are you asking any meaningful questions? The AP exams are 3 hours, it makes sense for unit tests to take close to 90 minutes.

At our HS, 9th graders cannot take AP classes. And neither can MS students, who also have block scheduling.

Block scheduling may be appropriate for juniors and seniors - but not for younger students.

It also seems to be more of a problem with this generation. I’ve been teaching MS for 15 years, and it was less of a problem when I first starting teaching…the complaining alone is so annoying.

Not surprised. In elementary school they shuttle them from thing to thing to thing every 2 seconds on the theory that "kids don't have an attention span" and if you're the kind of family that has higher expectations for your kid it is very annoying to the kids. I mean - they have recess as 10 and 20 minute blocks now. Kids can barely settle in and ever try to pay attention to anything for any length of time in school, so they don't build up the stamina to do it.

Expect kids to pay attention longer younger - within reason of course - and they will learn. We've gone the opposite direction, actively shortening their attention span. Handing toddlers an iPad every time there's a 5 minute delay somewhere doesn't help, of course. But the educational establishment could fight back (not using ST Math and Lexia might help FCPS, hint hint)

I used to volunteer in the elementary schools and the day was not that different than generations before. It was the work that was different. A lot of group work. A lot of interactives. Not a lot of individual reading and writing and math practice. Desks all turned together. There are a lot of benefits to this and I think more kids are turned on by school than in the past but it doesn't help build stamina as well. If they would get rid of some of the screen time, I think it would be the best of both worlds in elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every day is a much better way for anyone and everyone to learn. Every other day is not.

Math classes, music classes, foreign language classes know this and explicitly prefer traditional period scheduling. English classes and science classes want longer classes for labs - but those don't happen every class.

Block scheduling is one of the several reasons for the decline of education and resulting lowered test scores of the past 10-15 years. Why do educators choose methods that reduce learning and education?

I’m 53 and I had block scheduling beginning in middle school (1980s), so it is likely not why test scores are allegedly low — give me a break. It prepares students for college, and gives them a day to work on their homework/reach out to their teacher. My current middle schooler likes it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go back to six periods and attending each class every day. This is the way.

This is how FCPS was in the 80s and 90s.

6 periods only means kids can’t take band/chorus/orchestra plus a language. It wouldn’t work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

Obviously many educators prefer block scheduling, that's why FCPS has it. That doesn't mean it's the best way for students to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

Obviously many educators prefer block scheduling, that's why FCPS has it. That doesn't mean it's the best way for students to learn.

Parents and kids like it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

Obviously many educators prefer block scheduling, that's why FCPS has it. That doesn't mean it's the best way for students to learn.

Prove this.

It's much more proven that outsourcing the teaching of grammar to Lexia for elementary kids is harmful. Can we change that first since it's shown in study after study?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

Obviously many educators prefer block scheduling, that's why FCPS has it. That doesn't mean it's the best way for students to learn.

What are your credentials to refute what students and educators feel is best?

[Anonymous]

My kids (11th/10th) HATE block scheduling. They both say that the teachers only teach for about 20-25 mins and then the rest of the class is for doing work but most kids don't actually do work, they just mess around on their phones or talk.

My 11th grader feels that 1/2 of his day is wasted because he finds the classwork to be easy and will finish quickly but he still has to sit in his seat and bide his time until the next class.

And still - the number of kids who don't turn in homework or classwork is unbelievably high. So... how is this better academically??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

Obviously many educators prefer block scheduling, that's why FCPS has it. That doesn't mean it's the best way for students to learn.

Prove this.

It's much more proven that outsourcing the teaching of grammar to Lexia for elementary kids is harmful. Can we change that first since it's shown in study after study?

Consider when your child (or you) learns something - swimming lessons, riding a bike, music lessons, a foreign language, anything. Taking a lesson once a week is a very slow way to learn a skill. Taking two or three lessons a week is better, but often children need to swim every day before they actually learn to swim. The music instructor will tell parents that it's better to practice for 5-10 minutes 5 times a week rather than for an hour on the weekend. Daily sports practice is what the best athletes do. Etc. Our brains learn best by doing something every day, not two or three times a week. This is intuitive when we think of skills. Why is it hard to believe about school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids (11th/10th) HATE block scheduling. They both say that the teachers only teach for about 20-25 mins and then the rest of the class is for doing work but most kids don't actually do work, they just mess around on their phones or talk.

My 11th grader feels that 1/2 of his day is wasted because he finds the classwork to be easy and will finish quickly but he still has to sit in his seat and bide his time until the next class.

And still - the number of kids who don't turn in homework or classwork is unbelievably high. So... how is this better academically??

Please forward your comment to your school principal, your school board member, the regional superintendent and the superintendent, everyone. At least after your younger DC has graduated, if not now. Let the administrators know how their preferred schedule is bad for students and for learning.

[Anonymous]

Block scheduling is the worst.

My kids text me during the day (what happened to the no phone policy???) and I’m always asking why are you texting in the middle of class. They always tell me that they are done with all their work and their teacher told them they can do whatever. This happens too often. There is a good 20-30 minutes at the end of every class where the kids are just playing around. Ask your kids. Ask their friends.

I don’t blame the teachers for this at all. They can’t keep kids focused for that long.

Kids need math every day. They need language every day. Feel free to argue with me, but you won’t convince me otherwise.

By the time they are seniors, it’s possible that they are ready for block scheduling, but up until that point they just aren’t.

Taking short breaks and walking through the halls to switch classes is so beneficial. It clears their heads so they can focus better. It’s also good for their health.

Block scheduling is great for science and labs, but that’s pretty much it.

I’ve never seen any studies on this, but Id think kids retain information better when exposed to it daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids (11th/10th) HATE block scheduling. They both say that the teachers only teach for about 20-25 mins and then the rest of the class is for doing work but most kids don't actually do work, they just mess around on their phones or talk.

My 11th grader feels that 1/2 of his day is wasted because he finds the classwork to be easy and will finish quickly but he still has to sit in his seat and bide his time until the next class.

And still - the number of kids who don't turn in homework or classwork is unbelievably high. So... how is this better academically??

Non-NOVA.

This is where our HSers are. They also find few teachers who use the entire time for instruction so they do use the extra to finish up (most homework...thereby leaving them time after school for ECs or their jobs). But it's frustrating because the others are, like you said, often on their phones or chatting and that can be quite disruptive. And like a PP mentioned, they're often the very ones not turning work or begging for extensions.

One year, we had a semi-hybrid schedule (1st block every day, remainder in a Day 1/2....for a total of 7 blocks). It was great for classes like language and math but stunk (sometimes literally) if you got stuck with PE in that 1st block. Now, we're on an 8-block, 2-day schedule with 4 different lunch slots and a daily 20-minute "enrichment" or "wellness" period. It's a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids loved block scheduling. They went to a secondary school so they had block from 7-12. They enjoyed not having homework in every class every day, enjoyed only focusing on a few classes a day, and having more days between classes to finish assignments.

Right? And they like dessert with every meal too.

We don't do things because kids like them, or because they are convenient for adults, we do them because they are best for kids. Or at least, we should.

How on earth is block scheduling where there is more time to focus on the subject every other day remotely equivalent to dessert, which is an extra treat? Many teachers strongly prefer teaching in the block models and feel it’s better for students.

Obviously many educators prefer block scheduling, that's why FCPS has it. That doesn't mean it's the best way for students to learn.

Prove this.

It's much more proven that outsourcing the teaching of grammar to Lexia for elementary kids is harmful. Can we change that first since it's shown in study after study?

Consider when your child (or you) learns something - swimming lessons, riding a bike, music lessons, a foreign language, anything. Taking a lesson once a week is a very slow way to learn a skill. Taking two or three lessons a week is better, but often children need to swim every day before they actually learn to swim. The music instructor will tell parents that it's better to practice for 5-10 minutes 5 times a week rather than for an hour on the weekend. Daily sports practice is what the best athletes do. Etc. Our brains learn best by doing something every day, not two or three times a week. This is intuitive when we think of skills. Why is it hard to believe about school?

My kid takes pitching lessons. She has a lesson every other week. She practices >4x/week (out of season and in). In traditional schooling models class is a lesson and homework is the practice. Or at least this is true in MS/HS - less so in ES, but even then it can work in the upper ES grades.