Block Scheduling

[DossarLX ODI]

I don't know if my high school is actually being serious about doing this, but I just received my schedule and then realised it was a block schedule this year. After looking up block scheduling, I wonder if the department of education even bothered to look at statistics for it since it has been proven harmful.

In summary, Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day for a longer period of time. I have 7 courses each semester, but I only have 5 classes each day. It is not a constant schedule, and I won't be able to memorize it.

Main sources:

http://www.jefflindsay.com/Block.shtml

and wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_scheduling

This is one of several pages on the problems of block scheduling, a major educational "reform" that is being implemented across the country in spite of serious evidence that it is harmful to education. These pages are the work of Jeff Lindsay, who has children in the Appleton, Wisconsin School District

A study by the College Board found that students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses on a 4 x 4 block schedule score lower than do students taking the same AP course on a traditional full-year schedule.

Block scheduling has been criticized as resulting in class periods that exceed the attention span of students, resulting in less retention and watering down of the material to maintain interest. It may result in gaps of weeks or months where students are receiving no instruction in a specific subject like math or history, and critics say this results in retention problems and the need for more remedial review

Students who miss a block-scheduled day will miss a considerable amount of material in a single subject, possibly making it more difficult to catch up. Mid-term transfers between schools with different schedules is problematic due to the need to repeat certain material while other material has been missed.

And a statistic:

A University of Virginia study of 8,000 college students found that students who had block scheduling in high school performed worse in college science courses

Yeah, I have no idea how this type of scheduling is supposed to benefit the students. Even worse, I think it's only for the teachers. Does anyone else have a block schedule? I'd like to see opinions about this.

[Adamaja456]

Re: Block Scheduling

seems like your highschool wants you to fail

[psychoangel691]

Re: Block Scheduling

yea they switched us to block scheduling my sophmore year at first I was kinda like ugh about it but having a longer lunch and study hall was really nice lol. But that was a long time ago now lol damn I'm old

[DotKritic]

Re: Block Scheduling

They brought it in after I graduated. Glad they did because it sounds confusing.

[DossarLX ODI]

Re: Block Scheduling

yea they switched us to block scheduling my sophmore year at first I was kinda like ugh about it but having a longer lunch and study hall was really nice lol. But that was a long time ago now lol damn I'm old

Did it seem beneficial to your grades or did it harm them more than a normal period schedule?

[Xandertrax]

Re: Block Scheduling

Block scheduling definitely has it's pros and cons. I had it through middle and high school, and it's pretty noticeable where stuff is lacking.

Overall, it's really good with the humanities. Longer classes mean more discussion time, and the ability to reach an overall deeper understanding then if you have to cram it into a short period. Also, it works better with p2p critiques, since there's time to work more.

However, there's definitely drawbacks with science and math. Longer periods mean you have to try and fit a few concepts into one session, which can leave people behind quickly. Also, if the teacher is catering to the slower people in the class, it can REALLY slow the whole class down.

I don't think it harmed my education at all. However, I had a fairly unique high school education, so I might not be the best spokesman. I haven't had any drop in my grades, and I went from a block high school to a top-tier college.

I still think some sort of combination would be an ideal schedule. A few longer humanities classes, and a short math/science lecture that meets more often. Often, colleges do this, but I haven't really seen a high school that does.

And the attention span thing is obnoxious. If kids today actually cared about learning, longer classes would be to their adventage.

Kids these days...

[wickedawesomeful]

Re: Block Scheduling

I still think some sort of combination would be an ideal schedule. A few longer humanities classes, and a short math/science lecture that meets more often. Often, colleges do this, but I haven't really seen a high school that does.

All of the high schools I have attended have had both block and single classes

also blocks can blow me having to listen to the same person drone on for two hours makes me want to kill myself

[Vanilla Mnm]

Re: Block Scheduling

Hm, well I have block scheduling in my school & my grades are bad. I now have a new reason to blame my grades on. yay

[psychoangel691]

Re: Block Scheduling

It was a little weird and confusing at first but once you get used to it you'll probably like it better than having 9 periods a day. Gives you less homework to do in a day as well.

[Xx{neon}xX]

Re: Block Scheduling

Block schedules are terrible
1) too hard to concentrate with 2 periods of the same class
2) shortened lunch
3) its just sucks

[Nyokou]

Re: Block Scheduling

Boo hoo

I've done block scheduling since I was in 6th grade. It's awesome, in my opinion. And since I'm a senior this year and I'll be having study halls at the end of every day, I can go home early. Senior privileges rock.

[Garquillex]

Re: Block Scheduling

I had it my last two years of high school. Except we had 7 classes per semester and 6 per day. Every class was 1 hour long. Everyone loved it. I think 6 1 hour classes is far better than 7 ~48 minute classes. It feels like the day goes by faster, and you actually make progress in classes. It just felt so much better.

[dore]

Re: Block Scheduling

I had block scheduling (4 classes per semester, 4 a day, AP courses counted as an honors credit 1st semester and an AP credit 2nd semester). I have a pretty short attention span (never been diagnosed with anything because all those diseases are bull**** IMO) but you just have to know how to use the extended time to your advantage. Some teachers would give us short breaks during class which also helped. I think it ended up hurting my chances for being salutatorian (valedictorian got 100's in classes I'd get 99's in) because I had 8 semesters of band taking away opportunities for weighted points, but I still ended up going to my first choice school with its most prestigious scholarship, and my college grades haven't been hurt at all.

For more involved, discussion-based courses it's nice to have enough time to receive instruction from the teacher on a topic and have time to discuss it fully within a single class period. It's not as good for stuff like math and science (which is what quality of education seems to be judged by in lots of cases) but it can be better for everything else. It balances out, in my opinion.

[moches]

Re: Block Scheduling

I've had block scheduling for all of my middle school years and I like it a lot better than having 8 classes every day. I think it allows you to reach deeper in classes as opposed to just learning the concepts. Not only that, but it spaces out homework and projects better. I agree with Nyokou.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Re: Block Scheduling

I like the block schedule i might not be able to concentrate well but i found it helpful.