<p>Block scheduling worked for me. Granted, I probably had less homework than traditional scheduling, but a lot of times it sure didn’t seem like it. It was also much more managable focusing on 4 subjects instead of 6-7. Traditional scheduling seems to drag on a little more with the pace you learn at, so for more motivated individuals block scheduling works out fine.</p>
<p>For certain AP courses (Eng. Lit, Bio, Chem, Physics, Calc) they are still stretched out over a year. The ones that were first semester (for me both AP Gov’ts and AP Eng. Lang) only still somehow worked out for me in that I got 4’s on all of them, but I still felt like I didn’t give the amount of time to studying that I would have. I actually didn’t study at all for comparative politics, a class I only had for 9 weeks, and somehow managed a 4 so I’m guessing that was a fluke.</p>
<p>My only problem with the scheduling was that when I was in band up until 11th grade, it took 2 out of my 8 slots each year. I couldn’t take any AP sciences because it always conflicted.</p>
<p>how timely! Just saw this on the HS website today. I guess we forget sometimes that a public HS has to serve students with a wide range of skill levels. glad mine is a senior!</p>
<p>"For the 2008-09 school year, xxxxx High School will follow a bell schedule that encompasses six instructional periods each day. The reason for the change is to make better use of instructional time. Many teachers have noted that it has become increasingly difficult to keep our students focused and attentive for a two hour block of time. Rather than periods that are 117 minutes long, classes will be scheduled for 55 minutes. Every class will meet every day rather than meeting three times a week.</p>
<p>There is discussion among some staff about revisiting the modified block schedule proposed last year. We will meet to discuss the possibilities. I am certainly open to a compromise that will secure the necessary support of the students, staff and parents. (Note from poster…I think they’re talking about block for 2 days in the week & regular for 3 days)</p>
<p>However, I continue to observe that too many of our students struggle academically. Approximately 23% of the Freshman class had three or more Ds and/or Fs at the last progress report. A change in bell schedule is not the magic elixir that will suddenly make scholars of every student. Nevertheless, I feel it is a step in providing more focused instruction for all of our students."</p>
<p>My D’s school uses the A/B day block schedule and she loves it. The teachers do not use any time for homework though - she still has plenty and the AP teachers keep them busy the entire period. Her school has it because it is a performing arts high school and they wouldn’t be able to accomplish much in the arts otherwise. One problem does come up with absences because she misses so much if she misses just one day. She is doing auditions now, and while her teachers understand the absences, there is a lot of work to make up.</p>
How do you have two days to do each homework assignment in a 4x4 block schedule? Are you sure you don’t mean the A/B block schedule? My understanding of 4x4 block is that there are four classes/semester, each class being 90+ minutes every day.</p>
So do the students in the science classes get wonderful scores on the AP exams, since they have had twice as much classtime as (most) other students taking the exams? I agree that the clear downside is the opportunity to take fewer AP courses overall.</p>