Block scheduling vs 7 period day

Lafalum84
Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:20:19 +0000

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.

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.

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.

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.