[Phys-L] Re: HS schedule

[Scott Goelzer <s.goelzer@COMCAST.NET>]

There are some significant hidden problems with block scheduling. I
have some first hand experience since
I was one of the first products of trimester block scheduling in a
progressive Houston district during the late 70's. Four 1.4 hour
blocks per day.

Problem #1:
In a perfect world, teachers would use the extended block to rotate
activities and parts of the curriculum to make for a full and rich
educational experience. Some teachers do this (two of mine in HS did).

More often is the case that there is a traditional 45 min lesson
followed by a 45 minute in-class assignment - the same pattern to
which most teachers are accustomed. Is this the way it should be? No,
but it is the reality. The consequence for me was NEVER having any
out-of-class homework or studying to do. This left me grossly
unprepared for college even though I graduated near the top 10% of my
class. One of my first college impressions was to wonder what are all
these people were doing carrying all these books around all the time.
I had a very tough freshman year as a consequence. It took me about
three semesters to learn how to study, which was most expensive. I
still highly resent how under-prepared I was for college.

Problem#2
The long block is very suitable for upper level students, but this is
small percentage of the population. It is sheer madness to expect a
lower functioning class of freshman to have a productive and focused
90 min on a single topic. My school runs a compromise between block
and traditional by running one double period per day and rotating
that period out the next day. For my honors physics, this is perfect
for lab. The time passes easily and the bell rings unexpectedly. For
the skills level freshman teachers, they must rotate activities every
15 min to even hope for a positive experience - they dread the double
block. My wife teaches this level and prep. for six activities can be
too much work. A walk around the school during a double will show too
many classes taking tests or doing seat work for the double - or
using the educational panacea: teacher-in-a-box.  My vocational prep
physics class has trouble staying focused and we do nothing but
activities and experiments.

The double period really does not work well with most of the school's
population, but it sure does sound like a great idea on the surface.
(I classify it with merit pay and physics first)

Scott


*******************************************
Scott Goelzer
Physics Teacher
Coe-Brown Northwood Academy
Northwood NH 03261
sgoelzer@coebrownacademy.com
*******************************************


On Sep 16, 2005, at 11:01 PM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

> When I taught Chem. at N. Salinas HS the schedule was four block
> classes
> + a shorter "study hall" and two "nutrition" breaks.  The length
> was v.
> ~ 1.4 h.  I liked it --  less xam. time, grading, fewer students, etc.
> Only disadvantage was I had to prepare for a longer class time.  I
> couldn't understand why the chair hated it.  W/ a new principal and
> that
> chair's, inter alia, spear heading a change, it happened last year.
> It's
> five classes 50 min. no study hall and only a lunch break.  Jeff is
> delighted, first because the new schedule results in a longer total
> teaching time and more compact lecture / discussion, etc. Second he
> thinks the teaching will improve, because so many of the teachers gave
> up interacting w/ their classes after an hour and had them do home
> work
> -- (this appalled me.)  He said he'll now have enuff time to spend
> nearly a week on radioactivity -- this one concerns me.
>
> bc
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