Mira Costa should consider switching to a block schedule. Costa needs to create a balance between striving for high test scores and providing a low-stress learning environment. A block schedule would not only give teachers ample time to lecture and coordinate activities, but it would allow students to focus on a select few classes each night for homework. A three-class-a-day block schedule would meet these goals.
A 120-minute block of time for each class, according to administrators at Palos Verdes High School and Redondo Union High School, would benefit all areas of study. History students would have enough time to process lectures; math students would be given two days to work through homework; and foreign language students would benefit from the immersion in their respective language of study.
Furthermore, the advent of technological tools like the teaching social network Edmodo allows teachers to easily modify lesson plans and teaching strategies.
A block schedule creates less stress for students. By being able to focus on just three subjects at a time, students will have a much more natural academic experience. Having three classes worth of homework on one night as opposed to six classes worth would significantly lower anxiety, according to a University of North Carolina study.
According to Redondo and Palos Verdes administrators, block schedule has increased instructional time, due to the elimination of four passing periods each day.
The implementation of Measure BB also provides Mira Costa with the perfect opportunity to couple state-of-the-art science labs with a common-sense schedule. With a two-hour block, science students could be deliberate in labs and have an overall better comprehension of the material.
In the past, votes for a change to block schedule at Costa have failed because teachers and administrators felt that the system worked fine the way it was. They feel that the risks of overhauling the current system outweigh the possible rewards.
Opponents point out that block schedule would hurt students that miss school due to illness, because one day of class is the equivalent of two days of instruction. They also point out that the switch would have no positive impact on Academic Performance Index scores.
Opponents ignore the fact that students would learn to adjust to absences and in fact would ultimately discourage unnecessary absences and truants. Few studies show that block scheduling affects standardized test performance. The focus of a block scheduling at Costa would be to promote a stress-free learning environment.
Furthermore, the claim that block scheduling encourages laziness among students and teachers is an unverifiable assumption. It is ultimately up to the administration, the district and the state to ensure teachers are effective and engaged; block scheduling is not to blame for ineffective teachers.
Block schedule at Costa would bring many benefits. Students at Redondo and Palos Verdes have adjusted and Mira Costa should follow. High test scores would continue, teachers would have more flexibility and students would be less stressed.
Leave a Reply