Block scheduling, part 2

Hello everyone,

I had some responses to yesterday's email, some written, some verbal.

One question I've been asked is am I in favor of block scheduling.

The short answer is yes.

The long answer was partly given yesterday, when I gave my personal pros and cons. Yesterday's answer may be clarified this way: I am aware of some of the pitfalls; I am aware that block scheduling is not always successful in every situation; if I were a voting member of the Garfield faculty, I would favor taking a shot at the present proposal--I think it has a chance for success (it's different in important ways from the high school I knew about in my youth that failed).

One thing I didn't say yesterday was that, when the late Val Aguilera and I were working on developing the performing arts SLC on A track, we talked about various alternate forms of scheduling that would accomodate some of what we wanted to do. There were problems imposing our vision of scheduling with the current school schedule, so we abandoned it. The current proposal would allow some of what we had wanted to do.

As with all complex decisions, one can be aware of difficulties and drawbacks (one should be aware of them, I think, in order to better ensure success), and still finally decide one way, then defend that way. For that reason, I think a good, healthy discussion of the pros and cons is useful. I would support going into the schedule change, but knowing what difficulties would be faced, being willing to face those difficulties, and being committed to making it work despite the difficulties.

The email below illustrates well what I mean:

I taught at a school with block scheduling in Kansas. Mondays and Wednesdays we saw periods 1, 3, & 5. Periods 2, 4, & 6 we saw on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays we alternated - week one, periods 1, 3 & 5. You get the idea.

Here are some potential problems. Two, sometimes three days a week, you have no conference period which can make for a VERY long day. Also, kids who are absent miss the equivalent of two days work. Considering the number of truancies in my classes, this could become a very big problem.

The good side is that you have more time to work with students and can do projects that require more time in class.

In other words: "Here are the drawbacks, but 'the good side as that you have more time to work with students.'"

Jeff Combe