<p>At our hs kids take 7 classes all year, but only have 6 classes each day, on a rotating schedule. Each day has 4 periods that are 50 minutes and two that are 80 minutes (2nd period and 4th period) that they call "long periods." They call it "modified block scheduling" but to me it's pretty close to a traditional schedule. </p>
<p>The classes rotate thru the bell periods cyclically. Over the course of 7 days, they will have had each class 6 times. Each class will have had four 50 minute periods and two "long periods." It's hard to explain but once you see the schedule it's really not complicated.</p>
<p>It's good because you don't get stuck with the same class the same period every day. I think it helps to prevent boredom. Their lunches change every day with the schedule, it's really confusing at first but the kids figure it out pretty quickly. It sort of breaks down cliquey-ness because the kids have different kids in their lunch class every day, so they can't always eat with the same group of kids.</p>
<p>Several schools around here have true block scheduling. It's intriguing, but it seems like the kids I know get stuck with all their hard classes one semester, and the other semester get all their easy classes & electives. I think I'd be wary, I'd prefer taking 7 classes all year. Although block scheduling is more like a college schedule, which would prepare them for college.</p>
<p>Oldest DD went to a block schedule HS.
Took 7 yearlong classes.
Monday was 8 short periods, all 7 classes plus lunch.
T/Th was for Odd periods,
W/F was for Even periods.
Everyone ate lunch at the same time, a short period after the second block of the day.
Period 8 was for activities/clubs on W/F.</p>
<p>My kids had block scheduling in middle school and regular 7-period days in high school. </p>
<p>Block scheduling is nice for PE (except that if the activity is outdoors, some of the lighter-skinned kids get sunburned) and art, but it was difficult for band or orchestra in middle school because some of the kids could not physically tolerate playing for that long at a stretch (especially the ones who were trying to play wind instruments despite braces on their teeth). For the academic classes, it worked out OK in middle school because the kids were still young enough that doing written work or working on a project in class, with the teacher's supervision, was appropriate. But by high school, I think that kids should be doing that sort of thing as homework.</p>
<p>I have been told by teachers that it's difficult to lecture for 90 minutes straight or to maintain the students' focus for that long. Since a lot of high school classes are lecture, block scheduling doesn't sound right for that age group.</p>
<p>S & D had block in their public middle school---I HATED IT! Very unproductive, many teachers could not keep class going for 80 minutes and allowed kids to do their HW in class, therefore less actual teaching time. Not that many middle school kids can focus for 80 minutes, so many discipline issues arose. Also, it seemed like every week there was some teacher workday, or holiday, Monday off, etc., that it was quite possible a kid could go 5 or 6 days without math, English or foreign language. And they wondered why their test scores went down!!! As others mentioned above, it was difficult for teachers to also cover the required material before standardized testing began.
Google Block scheduling....there is a wealth of info about the negative effects of BS especially wrt math, languages. I waged a war against BS, but no changes were made until my kids had moved on...grrrr.
S&D moved to private HS with rotating 7 period 55 minutes classes....yes, they did have to practice good time management, but was much better all around.</p>
<p>I went through both block scheduling and the 7 classes a day schedule. Honestly, block scheduling was much much better. WE lost around 40 minutes more simply from all of the transitioning in between classes. In addition to that, it's really not conducive to learning if you have only 45 minutes to pick up homework, take attendence, and pass out notes and such for the day. It was even worse in Orchestra... My school tried to compensate by creating double classes for Orchestra, Debate, and AP classes... but they ran out of teachers and space.</p>
<p>Our high school has 9 periods of 42 minutes each.</p>
<p>Most students have classes 8-9 periods a day. Many do not take lunch so they can max out in classes. This increases homework also as they take way to many classes and some electives. Lots of AP's. </p>
<p>Both of my kids hate a lunch period so they opt for classes instead or volunteer somewhere in the school instead. One skipped lunch ever day and the other eats lunch during class.</p>
<p>Don't know what was wrong with 8 periods with mandatory lunch that we had way back when.</p>
<p>It sounds like there are definite advantges and disadvantages to both. I am impressed by some of the very creative scheduling in some schools. My son who is a senior is now on day 2 of his 7 period schedule. Both kids (the other a freshman) said the classes went so quickly that it seemed that by the time teachers introduced themselves it was time to leave. My older son has 4 AP classes and an independent study project and of course college aps to work on. EC's have him getting home late 4 nights per week. I am wondering how and if schools that have 7 and 8 period scheduling have tweaked their system to make things work out for kids with ambitious course loads. I am specifically wondering about adjustments made in test schedules or due dates of assignments. I am also a little worried about my younger S getting used to focusing for such a short period and the effect of this on prep for college. I would appreciate it if some of you who have some experience with a 7 period schedule can speak to this.</p>
<p>181818-
We have the 9 periods a day at 42 minutes each. Things move quickly. Older son (college soph) took 6 AP's senior year. HS senior has 4 this fall. Conflicting AP tests are taken one after the other on the same day. We are also in NY so school starts after labor day, unlike the southern schools (don't know about the rest of the country) so the AP's in particular require lots of work. (School ends the end of June so form Mid May on it is smoothe sailing for the AP classes).</p>
<p>After school activities/work, and any EC's and class trips all have an effect but somehow they all get through it.</p>
<p>181818, the students with 7 period schedules do not cover the material as quickly, they don't cover as much each day, so the daily homework load in each class should be less than for students on block scheduling only taking 4 classes.</p>
<p>4 AP's is VERY ambitious, though, and with EC's to boot I hope your son has really good time-management skills!</p>
<p>Lafalum84: Me too. He actually is planning on a total of 6 by year's end., Yikes. The intensity wasn't a problem on block but this is a new approach for him. No time for senior fever to set in, that is for sure!</p>
<p>For years, our sch. did "A Day/B day" scheduling...4 (90 minute) classes on A Day and 4 different classes on B Day. So one week would have 3 "A Days "and 2 "B days" and then the next week vice versa. Some AP's were doubleblocked. The kids liked having 2 days to get homework done but the constantly changing schedule was confusing. </p>
<p>Two years ago we switched to semesters..4 (90 minute) classes per day followed by 4 different ones in the spring. I think the kids had a lot of down time in the classes to do homework. All AP's remain on the A/B schedule making tough to take 1 or 3 AP's because a class has to be found for the other day to balance the schedule..more confusion. </p>
<p>I think part of the reason for the change was to allow the students who failed a core course in the Fall to be able to re-take in the spring and stay on track to graduate. The latest report in our newpspaper says it's not working.
The percentage of kids graduating in 4 years is on the decline. Our system requires 28 credits to graduate.</p>