Why American Schools Should Not Have Block Scheduling
Mrs. Wilkinson
Advanced English III
2-10-2011
Why American Schools Should Not Have Block Scheduling In the 1990 's, American schools started converting from normal Eight period, fifty minute classes to Four period ninety minute block scheduled classes. This schedule was implemented, so that teachers could fit more in to a class session, then what they were use to be able to. Now in days, most American schools use this system as their main scheduling system. But what many people do not know is that, it is doing harm to the students who have to go through their school years under this system. American schools should not have block scheduling because it causes Retention Problems, it causes Problems with Specific Classes, such as Math, Science, AP classes, Foreign Languages, and Music Programs and it also causes Difficulty when a student is absent from school (Lindsay 3). Having normal and constant everyday fifty minute classes will help improve, homework turn ins, test scores and the overall understanding of each subject in a student 's school schedule. Although many students today are capable of remembering more things than the average adult, research shows that it is more beneficial for someone that is trying to learn something, to go over the subject multiple times so that the information is constantly present, and therefore easier for the brain to recall whenever necessary (Dr. Barr). When we think of block scheduling, say a student has AP United States History, a class that the student finds difficult, he starts of the week with that class on a Monday, but he will not have that class until Wednesday of that same week, that is a period of forty-eight hours that he is not present in that subject. Now as we have seen, Dr. Barr informs us that, for a subject to be remembered and for it to stick in the mind, it is necessary for the student to keep it constantly in his head. We can see then, that block scheduling is not the best scheduling system for this,
Advanced English III
2-10-2011
Why American Schools Should Not Have Block Scheduling In the 1990 's, American schools started converting from normal Eight period, fifty minute classes to Four period ninety minute block scheduled classes. This schedule was implemented, so that teachers could fit more in to a class session, then what they were use to be able to. Now in days, most American schools use this system as their main scheduling system. But what many people do not know is that, it is doing harm to the students who have to go through their school years under this system. American schools should not have block scheduling because it causes Retention Problems, it causes Problems with Specific Classes, such as Math, Science, AP classes, Foreign Languages, and Music Programs and it also causes Difficulty when a student is absent from school (Lindsay 3). Having normal and constant everyday fifty minute classes will help improve, homework turn ins, test scores and the overall understanding of each subject in a student 's school schedule. Although many students today are capable of remembering more things than the average adult, research shows that it is more beneficial for someone that is trying to learn something, to go over the subject multiple times so that the information is constantly present, and therefore easier for the brain to recall whenever necessary (Dr. Barr). When we think of block scheduling, say a student has AP United States History, a class that the student finds difficult, he starts of the week with that class on a Monday, but he will not have that class until Wednesday of that same week, that is a period of forty-eight hours that he is not present in that subject. Now as we have seen, Dr. Barr informs us that, for a subject to be remembered and for it to stick in the mind, it is necessary for the student to keep it constantly in his head. We can see then, that block scheduling is not the best scheduling system for this,
Cited: Barr, William PhD. "How to Remember Better."Epilepsy.com. 1. Google. Web. 2. Feb. 2011 Lindsay, Jeff "Part One: The Nature of The Problem" The Case Against Block Scheduling. Google. Web. 2. Feb. 2011 Lindsay, Jeff "Part Two: The Debate On Academic Harm" The Case Against Block Scheduling. Google. Web. 2. Feb. 2011 Lindsay, Jeff "Part Three: Pros and Cons, Alternatives" The Case Against Block Scheduling. Google. Web. 2. Feb. 2011 Lindsay, Jeff "Part Four: Comments From Others" The Case Against Block Scheduling. Google. Web. 2. Feb. 2011 Mickela, Tony. "Music Education Online" Children 's Music Workshop. Google. Web. 2. Feb. 2011