When finals or even Standardized Testing take place at schools, time schedules are changed to accommodate the schedules of the student. Every day, only two classes are held, and each class lasts for up to two hours. Additionally, students are allowed to leave the school almost two hours earlier compared to the regular schedule, in which school is dismissed at 3:00 p.m. It is for these reasons that TUSD should consider adopting block scheduling and replace the regular scheduling to which they choose to cling.
According to http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi, there are many benefits to having block time periods instead of the regular six-hour or seven-hour day that many students have. For example, the website states that “[block scheduling] provides additional instructional time” which allows students to better understand subjects that they may be struggling with, such as math or history. Such a plan would allow students to ask their teachers for help rather then having to interfere during a lesson to get help.
Additionally the website went on to state that as a direct result of block scheduling, “[the school has been able to] eliminate unnecessary, unstructured passing times between classes.” Many times, students struggle to make it to a class without being tardy. The seven minute passing period does not give students who may have just finished an exam or a lab to get to their next period before the bell rings. With block scheduling, however students are given about twenty-five minutes; plenty of time for students to get to class on time!
Under block scheduling, not only do students benefit, but the teachers do as well. Each day, teachers are required to come to school early to prepare themselves to teach for that day’s lesson. They then undergo five hours of teaching the same subject matter to different classes and then must stay after school to either help students or to grade papers. As if that is not enough, some teachers also have families, so maintaining a preoccupying career can be is very difficult. Because of the conflicts that exist for both students and teachers, Joseph Caroll stated in http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi, that as a result, “It produces a hectic, impersonal, inefficient, environment.”
Now that finals week has finally come to a close, students will have to resume their regular- timed schedules extracurricular activities that they may have. With just months left until block scheduling returns, students will have to readjust accordingly to the change in the amount of time that will occur from now until then. However, in this time period, perhaps the school should consider adopting a block schedule full- time so that they can be given something that many students need and that is time.
