Sofia Schnurer
Contributing Writer
Over the past years the Social Emotional Wellness committee has been discussing ways to help reduce the amount of student stress. One response to that has been the Scheduling Committee who have discussed the idea of implementing a block schedule.
The committee, which is made up of students and faculty from Mira Costa, will continue to discuss next school year the potential benefits and challenges that a block schedule might bring to see if the schedule could be a viable option for Costa. Along with this, the committee will be discussing other schedule options.
A potential block schedule that Mira Costa could utilize could be the A/B plan, also known as the alternate day block. An example of how this plan looks through- out the week is the chart to the right. Following the A/B plan, the first day of the cycle might start with periods one through three, then the next day periods four through six, and so on as they continue to switch back and forth.
With the right change and the support of faculty and students, block schedules such as the A/B plan can greatly benefit Mira Costa’s learning environment and allow teachers to instruct for concentrated periods. According to many proponents, block scheduling has proven useful and resourceful to schools who have implemented it. During CAASP testing a version of the MCHS block scheduling was briefly introduced and many students enjoyed it.
With about seventy minutes per class during the CAASP week, students had a
concentrated amount of time in one class where they can obtain the most amount of knowledge. Teachers instructed for a longer time with less distraction, and the classes weren’t fragmented by the bell and teachers had the ability to use their time efficiently.
According to Brown University there are many key benefits to a block schedule: with block scheduling, students and teachers are able to focus on fewer subjects while exploring them in greater depth. Both teachers and students assert that the opportunity to extend the amount of exploration allows them to become more proficient in the subject matter rather than mov- ing rapidly through material. This points out the focused mindset for both students and teachers, allowing them to not rush their work but rather to explain and teach for a longer period of time.
“Innovations in Time” provides a case study on Essex High School, in Vermont, which uses the A/B schedule. Tom Bochanski, the assistant principal of Essex High School, said in the article that extended learning time is not a panacea, but another tool that teachers can utilize to create the best teaching and learning environment. To him the block sched- ule is about making sense. He says it’s a more humane look into the way that teachers teach and students learn.
A/B block schedules also gives students a lighter workload as they are only
provided with three classes worth of homework per day. A student would be able to spend each night finishing homework for three classes rather than six. This eases stress for students who have a part-time job or are part of many extracurricular activities. It can be very difficult to balance out of school work with the homework many students receive from class- es that are all due on the same day. With a block schedule, students are more likely to have down-time which allows for less stress.
Mira Costa history teacher Gregory Kloes, who has always been a supporter of the block schedule, explains his opinion on having a block schedule at Mira Costa: As long as the block schedule is done right, and the minutes are adjusted for the teachers to deliver the content, he supports it he said. However he is only an advocate as long as it doesn’t increase the number of classes teachers have to teach without being compensated for an increase in their workload.
Opponents of block scheduling argue that because of the rigourous nature of many core classes it is imperative that they be practiced every day. While our current schedule allows students to attend their core classes each day, a block schedule would make it more difficult for students to retain information. To solve this, many teachers have proposed the idea of giving more homework to students, which allows them to practice their class every day, even if they don’t meet.
A block schedule is an efficient way to budget time and is less stressful on the student. Yes, while for students and teachers it would be an adjustment for the first few weeks, however, block schedules really do have a lot of potential to benefit Mira Costa students over time.
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