Which School Schedule Fits Your Needs?

The United States Department of Education said years ago that "the following areas represent the common core all students should master: English and language arts, mathematics, science, civics, history, geography, the arts, and foreign languages. This core defines a set of expectations students abroad are routinely expected to meet. American students can meet them as well." In doing so, the government and schools added hours onto the school day, in different ways. The hours must be constructive and completely used, however. Here is an overview of ways schools divide their days.
Block scheduling is extended class periods that are around 90 minutes long. Some classes meet every day, others every other day. Schools require students to earn more credits.

Pros:

• Students and teachers have more class time to get settled and later, to review.


• Research, group projects and cooperative learning occur more because of their lengthy nature.


• Students have less homework, as the extra class period is meant for studying.


• Schools can offer a variety of classes, such as a leadership or gardening course.

Cons:

• If students are absent, they miss over an hour of instruction. Dependent how the day falls, they may not be in that class again for a week.


• If teachers are absent, a substitute struggles to fill 90 minutes with a class and material she does not know.


• Students with an attention focusing disorders struggle to pay attention for long periods of time.

The standard 7-period day has class periods about 50 minutes long. Dependent upon the school's size, students have a five or ten minute traveling period between classes.

Pros:

• Students meet every day, which gives them consistency.


• Students hear material repeated frequently, which aids in learning.


• Homework assignments are typically short.


• If students or teachers are absent, only one short class period was lost.

Cons:

• Students and teachers feel rushed to begin and end. Less processing occurs.


• Students are responsible for homework, as the class period is meant for instruction time.


• Classes are pretty typical, with little variety.

Additionally, schools have added "early bird classes" and eliminated study halls. Schools made an extra period at the start or end of the day to create a feeling of unity. School schedules are frequently altered, all in the goal of helping students. Some schools use a combination of these mentioned schedules. Schools often accommodate different learners with combined schedules. Students and teachers like and dislike these schedules for different reasons. Research has not shown what exact class schedule helps in learning the common core areas. What do your students prefer? Do others connected to the education field have a strong opinion?

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