Traditional vs. Block Schedule
84When school starts and ends is different for every school and grade level. For high schools the day usually starts between seven thirty and eight o'clock and ends between two thirty to three o'clock. Many education reformers argue the school day, and year, need to be longer. The question is not always the length of the class but the effectiveness. So what kind of schedule is more effective, traditional classes that meet every day for approximately fifty minutes or some kind of modified schedule, or block, that meet for longer amounts of time? The answer depends on what you are trying to achieve.
Most of us remember high school as six to eight classes that met everyday at the same time. Your day may have begun with fifty minutes of algebra that felt like three hours, or your favorite science class that felt like it lasted only ten minutes. The traditional schedule has existed, with some variations, for decades. There is a familiarity with the schedule that can be good for students. They know exactly where they are going every day at the same time. The length of the class is long enough for there to be one or two different activities in class with out the students totally losing patience. For classes that require a great deal of repetition and exposure, like math and foreign language, the traditional schedule gives the daily contact with the students.
The traditional schedule also has its draw backs. The monotony of the schedule can be grinding. Going to the same place every day, especially if you really do not like the class, can be difficult. The constant disruption of classes changing is difficult for students. In an eight period school day there are seven transitions that need to be made. From a discipline standpoint, there are seven times in the day when almost every one is out in the hall together, which can lead to trouble. The traditional schedule almost forces teachers to rely heavily on lecture. There just is not enough time to get other projects or lessons done without being cut off or hurried by the end of the period. It is also difficult to end something one day and try to pick it up again the following day. Most students do not remember what was happening in one of their classes twenty-four hours before well enough to effectively finish the lesson.
The most commonly used schedule alternative is the block schedule. There are different kinds of block schedules but the most common is the alternating block. In an alternating block classes meet four per day for eighty to ninety-five minutes every other day. For instance, class periods one through four would meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of one week, Tuesday and Thursday the next week. Class periods five through eight would be the opposite. An intensive block would have four classes that met every day for ninety minutes. Schools using intensive block usually work on trimesters where a traditional year long class would last for two-thirds of the year. Another option is to have four days of the week on the block schedule with one crunch day where all classes meet for a shorter amount of time, like a traditional schedule.
The advantage of the block schedule is time. There is enough time in a class period to get different activities completed. For instance, the class could read an article, discuss it and write a response to it in one class period. A science class can complete an entire lab and discuss the results. Block schedule emphasizes depth of knowledge over breadth of information covered. Not as much material can be covered, but what is covered can be done better. Meeting every other day is also a nice break from the monotony of the class. The day in between also allows students some extra time on homework, and the ability to find their teacher for help before the assignment is due. Since there are fewer breaks in between classes, there is more focus in the class and fewer chances for issues between classes.
A disadvantage of the block schedule is the time. Ninety minutes can be a long time to sit in a class room and listen to a teacher lecture. Some students simply can not last for ninety minutes. Meeting every other day can be a problem in classes that need the repetition.
Having taught in both schedules at two different schools, the block schedule is a much more effective schedule for my subject social studies. There is no perfect schedule, but the advantages of the block out weigh the disadvantages.
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I understand the benefits from the teacher's point of view in favor of block scheduling but when it is all said and done; what is best for ALL students in the interest of learning? I have to say that block scheduling favors advanced students who can pick up on material well but for the rest of us who may need additional help (and depending where you are we tend to make up the majority) the traditional schedule is a slower pace allowing for help when needed.
MY HIGH SCHOOL TAUGHT US ON A BLOCK SCHEDULE. IT WAS WONDERFUL! SOME OF MY SIBLINGS STRUGGLE WITH SCHOOL, AND SOME OF US DO WELL, BUT ALL OF US AGREE IT IS MUCH BETTER DONE ON A BLOCK SCHEDULE. THE RUSH FROM CLASS TO CLASS IS GONE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE SAME HOMEWORK EVERY DAY. YOU GET A BREAK FROM HORRID CLASSES, EVEN IF IT IS JUST FOR A DAY. CLASSES SUCH AS FITNESS IS A JOKE WHEN YOU TRY TO SQUEEZE IT IN TO 7+/- CLASSES A DAY. YOU ONLY GET A 5 MINUTE WORKOUT. HOW POINTLESS!
I like the block scheduele as a student that acually gets to use i like hjow it give us less home work and tht we have more time durin the weekend to do other activites
The traditional schedeuele makes us have way more homework durin the week or weekend but the only thing that we benifit for this type os scheduele is tht we have less time in class and we can pay attition for the short amount if time that where in there
I must say, CMASSB doesnt really understand the concept of block scheduling. I never had it in high school and I wish I did. I am now actually righting a compare and contrast essay on it now. Block scheduling is supposed to help the students who need a slower pace class period. There is more time in the class and more one on one with the teacher for extra help. Longer periods are beneficial because when the class is only 53 minutes long, there is barely and time to acomplish anything. Plus, there ends up being a homework overload whish is all due the very next day. Time management is the key especially when block scheduling is involved. I just wish I could have had the opportunity to experience it. My school was talking about it, but never put it into action.
I feel that the debate between block and regular scheduling is really determined by the student and how he or she learns. If the student is very bouncy and dynamic then the regular schedule would work for them much better, and vice versa.
i am doing a debate for block vs normal schedules. My partner and i want block schedules.
Anyone have any good questions i can use to ask the other debate team
My kids high school is implementing a combination of both schedules and I am not happy about it. Both schedules have their pro's and con's but to try and combine the two and the worst part is that the computer is going to decide who gets what and in what format. There will be no consideration given to any kid for any reason, like ADD, ADHD, etc. It's like spinning the wheel of fortune to find out what your future holds. We are also told that there are no statistics to show whether this has been done before or if so what the out come was for the students. Parents are fighting it but our system is very stubborn.
I understand that the block seems fun, but there are some serious cons to the block...
1. It Costs More
For a school to run a block schedule, it first has to retrain its teachers to teach in a block schedule (transitioning every 20 min. within the class to a different method). Then it has to hire more teachers to keep consistent with the student to teacher ratio (preferably 20-25:1), and purchase more materials (books) to stretch out among the students. All of these things cost MONEY. Most school districts are cash strapped as it is.
2. It KILLS sequencial programs
Due to the lack of flexibility of the block, full year sequencial classes such as TV production, Band, Chorus, JROTC are seriously downsized or completely eliminated because students can not complete the course sequence. For example, in TV production 1, a student is learning about the equipment, roles, process, etc. In TV prod. 2, they are running the announcements, making productions and tapings, etc. In the block, by the time the student is trained in TV 1, the students requirements are preventing students from continuing the next stage of development and can not fit TV 2 into the schedule.
3. Attention Spans
Students now have an average attention span of 25-45 minutes (I have seen this). In a 90 minute course, a teacher may teach for the full 90 min., but only 1/3 to 1/2 of the info may be retained. It's like trying to fill a 16oz. cup with a gallon of water...you may get some water in (16oz.), but you'll waste a lot more.
4. It DOES NOT HELP WITH ACHIEVEMENT SCORES
This one is major. Most states give their required achievement test in the spring. Let's say that student A (we'll call him Joe) takes english in the fall of his freshman year. His school is on the 4x4 Block (4 classes, 90 min each, change to 4 different classes in the spring). So in the spring, he changes to a math class. We now come to sophomore year, and Joe does english in the spring. Joe has gone 12 months without having an english class, and the state will be testing him in 2 months. The test is going to expect Joe to be at the level of a 10th grader in the 7th month of school. By instructional standards, Joe is going to be at the level of someone in 10th grade in their 2nd month at best. He does horrible on the english portion of the exam. Now multiply Joe's scenario by 1000 students and different subjects. You now have the makings of a school being taken over by the state (the irony in this is that the state will suggest "Block Scheduling").
Some of you may want to look at Jeff Lindsay's article "The Problem with Block Scheduling" online. My opinions in this post are from my 10+ years in teaching in both traditional and block. By far, student achievement is better in the traditional setup.
Well I just graduated from High School and I actually liked the block schedule. I remembered that I transferred in the middle of Jr. High from one district with a traditional schedule to another with the alternating block schedule. At first it was very difficult to sit in a class twice as long as I was used to but after a couple of weeks it became the norm for me and I actually liked it better. I didn't feel rushed and could learn the subjects properly and our classes could have discussions with the teachers rather than the teacher trying to get their say in and us scribbling notes. I was an AP student and found that I learned better and could retain information while on the block schedule. I can hardly imagine having all of my AP classes in one day *shudders* I can specifically remember that science was a huge leap from traditional to block scheduling. Instead of spreading a lab out over a week we could take one day to prepare for a lab and then the next to perform it all in one setting. There are less distractions and you can finish your activities in the block schedule
And Joe, most High Schools have stopped using the 4X4, or Accelerated block for that reason. Now when people refer to the block schedule they think of the alternating block schedule (which is what I had in my 8th, and 10th through 12th grade years.) In my 7th grade and half of 8th I was on the traditional schedule, 9th I was on the 4X4 block accelerated schedule, and all my other secondary schooling was done with the alternating block. After experiencing all 3 of the types the Alernating Block or "A and B" schedule is the BEST.
In the Alternating Block or "A/B" schedule I would have 4 classes each 90 minutes long with usually 2 core classes and 2 electives each day. I would have my first 4 classes on an "A" day and the next 4 on a "B" day which would alternate throughout the year. For classes that were one semester they were 1/2 credit, for classes that were a whole year they were 1 credit, and for classes like band or football or JROTC that met every day for the entire year, or double blocked classes, would get 2-3 credits. It is a very good system.
I love the block schedule. Read the news article from NY Times called: "The 40 Minute Class, Out Like Bobby Socks". Don't ask me what bobby socks are but apparently they are OUT.
The article is based on a high school in Connecticut. The article was written in 1997 but nonetheless is a good article, supporting BLOCK SCHEDULING 100%. I a have a block schedule that's 4 80-minute classes each day and it alternates A B A B A one week and then vice-versa the next.
This has been going on for a long time now and everyone loves it. I feel I get extra time to complete the assignments without having a ZOMBIE HALEY the next day. That and a "trad. Sched." would interfere with my precious reading time. :D
To the teachers of social studies, I have a couple of questions. What does a lesson plan look like on say... the Civil War if you are using block scheduling? How many activities to you plan? What kinds of activities are they? Do you haves tests that last for 90 minutes? I have been in a modified block for years and I hate it. I want to see students every day. Also, 85-90 minutes is a long time. I believe that 5 different changes have to take place in each block period to hold students' attention. That is a difficult task for me for four preps. Sometimes I question if all the "enrichment" activities are necessary or are they just time killers. Our students live in a world of instant communication, yet educators are asking them to stay put for 90 minutes. Please write up a lesson plan from anything you teach and show me what you do.
DarrenB 3 years ago
I like being able to flow from one aspect of my Language Arts instruction into another in the 90 nminute block. I feel so rushed teaching in my current 55 min class.