Reply to APS Block Schedule - 90 minute core classes

Forum Index » VA Public Schools other than FCPS

Reply to "APS Block Schedule - 90 minute core classes"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I’m a HS teacher and have never taught anything but block. We don’t lecture the entire 88 minutes. In my class it looks like this: warm up activity/attendance question, [b]independent reading,[/b] maybe a [b]journal prompt[/b], mini lesson and group practice, [b]independent practic[/b]e. Or, warm up/read/journal prompt, “workshop” time where some kids are drafting, some are revising, some are in a small group with me while I reteach something.  [/quote]

So study hall for half the time. [/quote]

Um, no. Independent reading is important for building reading endurance, vocabulary, comprehension. It has measured and proven benefits. Journaling does as well, when students are writing to a prompt they are practicing the writing muscle and developing ideas they’ll later use in their formal written pieces.  Independent practice = the graded work on whatever skill we are currently working on. Maybe if you guys knew what words meant and what teaching looks like you wouldn’t be losing your minds over 88 minute classes. [/quote]

What are you doing while kids do independent work?[/quote]

OMG can we please stop second-guessing and armchair quarterbacking teachers?  Go look at that thread on FCPS teachers who are all miserable and want to quit!

This teacher probably has a million other things to do while kids are reading, including perhaps grading papers or planning the next lesson!  Why is there so much complaining.  Do we want our kids to have subs all year?[/quote]

Your response gets to my point. The county does not give them adequate planning time or support, and thus are allocating class time for administrative tasks to save money. That’s why the county likes block scheduling. [/quote]

Okay, so you prefer traditional scheduling where they have no time during the day at all to do those things and have to work all night at home?  That's why we are losing teachers![/quote]

I support the model where we have regular periods so kids spend more of their time at school engaged and learning, and then h[b]iring support staff and adequate teachers to allow teachers to be fully engaged in class time and not being work home[/b]. Stop putting words in my mouth. [/quote]

Sure, but that isn't happening, so pick your poison.[/quote]

My preference is to prioritize instruction time, and then teachers can advocate for more support.  Rather than downshifting expectations for in class instruction to gain paid planning time.[/quote]

So when are the teachers supposed to plan lessons for this instruction time[/quote]

The way the did for last centure, in a planning period.[/quote]

Read that FCPS thread about teachers quitting and how they talk about the increased demands from administration, more and more mandatory meetings and committees, not to mention IEP meetings and parents wanting to meet.  It's changed a lot over the past century and now appears to be at a tipping point.

Can we not just be grateful that teachers are trying their best no matter what the schedule is?  Why try to cut them down picking apart the 90 min. block as if they are wasting that time or getting away with something?[/quote]

How do they manage it at HBW???! Are teachers fleeing that school??[/quote]

Maybe it's smaller with fewer kids, so less extra stuff to do?  I don't know if they are fleeing.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics