District Policy - Intensive Scheduling

Alright, so lets see some pros and cons on the subject, I will edit this first post I am making to better fit the general view of the forum. People, please get some cons in too, I wouldn't like to see all pros.


Pros:

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Cons:

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What do you all think about it?

I personally think its much more a negative thing than a positve one.
It's supposedly supposed to raise math and science scores,
Especially on standardized testing.
But I think it won't work so well,
Because students aren't going to work as hard when they have homework for the same classes everyday,
And it will completely kill the variety in the school semester,
Further demotivating students.
And it will also kill the classes worth 0.5 credits, because they will either be for one quarter of the semester,
Or for 45 minutes each day instead of 1.5 hours.
Either way,
It hurts those classes,
And it will cause many problems in all elective classes and arts type classes.


There's much more to add and talk about,
But I have to go now,
I'll finish my stance later.

But what do you all have to say about it?

I actually think that the intensified block scheduling may be beneficial for me. Though there are several problems with it, namely electives, half credit courses, etc., I think that having homework every night would improve my working habits. With homework every other day, I allow myself to wait until the last night, or do it during school on the day I don't have that class. I would like to be forced to do my work in a timely manner because I feel it could be a major factor in solving my problems of laziness and procrastination.

I also think it would improve test scores. I find that soon after class I have forgotten most of what I had learned that day, so two days later I am forced to quickly review the information. I don't think the method of learning-forgetting-reviewing is very effective. If I had class more frequently, and less classes inbetween, I think the information might 'stick' better, and I could actually use it later on.

Quote :

Few people would disagree that basic skills in mathematics and reading are essential to leading a productive life. In the United States, the public school system ensures that the teaching of these subjects occurs across all grade levels. While many people agree about what constitutes a basic education, an even larger number of people debate what role the arts should play in our schools. Some would say the arts take valuable time away from the core subject areas of math, science, and language arts. They do not see the importance of creating culturally literate students who are knowledgeable in a broader range of subjects. The fact remains, though, that arts education not only broadens knowledge, but it also aids student growth in the core subject areas, making the arts just as important as any other subject.
In 1997, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessed eighth grade students in the arts. The organization reported its findings in the NAEP 1997 Arts Report Card: Eighth Grade Findings From the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Through this assessment, researchers concluded that the arts "are as basic as literacy and numeracy" and, therefore, are an integral part of learning. Not only do the arts improve student performance in other subject areas, but they also allow students to understand the world around them. Through its findings, NAEP developed frameworks of important skills for three major disciplines: theater, music, and visual arts. Each of these art forms passes down the heritage and knowledge of our own and other cultures. Further, they teach students the problem-solving and analytical skills needed in all areas of life. The NAEP frameworks made important statements about the arts in education. Educators find it difficult to ignore a nationally known and government-supported organization.
Organizations other than NAEP study and fund arts in education programs. In 1999, the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) reported the findings of seven major studies about the arts in education in Champions of Change: The Impact of Arts on Learning. In one study of 25,000 students, researchers found a correlation between participation in the arts and performance in other subject areas. Those students who received high levels of arts education outperformed those who did not in almost all subject areas. Educators can use this type of information to generate funding and support for arts education. If mathematics, reading, and science serve as the basis of our educational system, then supporting those subjects through other areas of study would only strengthen the learning abilities among all students.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has championed the importance of the arts since 1965. Created by Congress, the NEA serves as a government-sponsored organization that grants money to individuals and groups in the arts across the United States. Learning Through the Arts, published in 2002, discusses funding, programs, and research specifically geared toward education. Most importantly, the publication highlights success stories about artists helping students. In fact, these stories further highlight how much the arts help students in all areas of life. For example, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra works with twenty-four schools in the Milwaukee area. Members develop thematic units of study for students. A thematic unit spans subject areas by incorporating themes common to all areas of study. These units not only improved student performance in music and academic areas, but they also improved conceptual thinking and communication skills. These programs further indicate the importance of arts in education.
The NEA, AEP, and NAEP have researched and reported findings about the significant role the arts can play in education. We must not overlook, however, the other side of the arts that statistics and research cannot define: its aesthetic qualities. How can one say with certainty that something is beautiful or pleasurable? For example, one person might enjoy listening to a symphony, while another enjoys heavy metal. The former could define the different aspects of these genres of music but could not prove the latter wrong for liking a different type of music. Consider a world where these differences could not be defined, or even worse, did not exist. Without the arts, we limit ourselves to a purely academic world of numbers and words, formulas and forms. People could not see beauty because there would be no forum in which to create it. School offers a forum that exposes all people to art, both by defining it and noting why some find it beautiful. If not taught about different art forms during school, students might not be able to define their own likes and dislikes with regard to those forms.
-Anonymous

I agree with this message that arts in school education is very important, and an essentiallity to our individual expressions and opinions on beauty and value of learned subjects. However, intensified block scheduling is a good thing, under certain circumstances. These are my personal and standing opinions.

Pros:

• With I.B. scheduling I would be able to double up on certain classes and subjects that held a certain importance to me. I would be able to take math all year and progress through it in a much more substantial and acute manner than is done now.
  
• I would be forced into during my homework every night, in order to maintain good grades. Having important classes every day would increase my studying and work ethic, and efficiency. (Unless, the homework amount raises to an unreasonable amount, see cons.)
  

Cons:

• Teachers would have a difficult time adapting. With I.B. teachers would have to teach double the amount of students that they do now, and still be given 45 minutes of prep time during every day for their own personal use.
  
• McDowell may have to hire a larger number of faculty members. This adds in a currently large list of now increasing expenses.
  
• Electives and other non-primary classes would have to mainly be suspended during which we would be in school.
  
• My buffer day for homework and projects would be eliminated. Some students have much to do after school when they get home, and increase in homework could prove to be a problem.
  
• With 45 minute classes a day, I would be able to go into my certain classes and then would be piled on with increasing amounts of homework.
  

Now would you conclude that we go to school for education, and that is final on our reasoning for learning every day? Define education by Webster.

Quote :

Education:
1 a: the action or process of educating or of being educated ; also : a stage of such a process b: the knowledge and development resulting from an educational process <a person of little education>
2: the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools

Learning is a apart of accepting everything we can into our spectrum of knowledge. The Pros and Cons listed above do not fully represent what I fully believe on either of what is good or negative, but just a general overview on what I think should be taken into account. Personally I favor a hybrid schedule, like General McClain has enacted upon. Just my and anothers two cents.

-Your devoted Homunnculus

If you throw intensive blocking in the schedule, for your core classes I don't think they would be for the whole year, just one semester. One semester means that you take a course from August 28th to January 22 when the semester ends. If that happens then you don't have your course from January 23 to August 28 assuming you have that course ~right~ as school starts up again. So the minimal gap you can have with that course is 7 months time, that is 240 days without a class.

Lets assume the worst now. So you get your course as a first semester one. September through January. 5 months, that is 122 days of a course including the weekends. You finish your course, and then starts the waiting period where you eventually take it up again next year on the second semester. 365 days pass without your course, that is a whole damn year, and you got teachers complaining about 4 day weekends being a problem with kids memorizing.

So is this like a "everyday" thing for a year, or a semester?

You would take the course everyday for 1.5 hours for one semester,
Excluding electives that are half credit.
They would either be 1.5 hours each day for one quarter,
Or 45 minutes each day for a semester.
And I think your first set of math was wrong.
Your worst case scenario math for a course seemed right,
But best case scenarion (which is unlikely to have, especially for the majority of courses) is:
2nd semester one year you have the class,
Then first semester the next year you have the same class,
Leaving only summer vacation between the two,
Which is less than 240 days.
But of course then you have 2nd semester your second year of Intensified Blocking without that class, which then gives a great span of time before next year and having that class.
No matter how you slice it though,
There's a lot of time between taking a class on intensified blocking,
Leaving ample time for forgetfulness to take place.

All I know is, it's going to reek havoc on extracurricular activities. Such as ROTC and band. If the schoolboard is worried about low test scores, they should attempt alternative methods to remedy it. For instance, lets face it, we get up way to early. Perhaps changing school hours would help. I understand this is sightly drastic, but drastic times call for drastic measures. I, and many other students, are greatly opposed to this intensive block scheduling.

That's an idea I like.
Changing school hours that is.
Maybe push it back an hour?
I don't know.
It's worth consideration though.

You have to keep work and after-school activities in consideration, too.

Locke wrote:

You have to keep work and after-school activities in consideration, too.

Yea,
I guess changing actual school times isn't very realistic.

I think that all the students grades will take a sufficent drop because of having the classes in 1st semester 1 year and having the next level 2nd semester next year. You wont have a chance of remembering anything. Also they think we are just like Fairview and we are not everything is diffrent between us and them.