Describes the six basic elements of personalized instruction: The dual teacher role (coach and advisor), diagnosing student learning characteristics, a culture of collegiality, interactive learning environments, flexible scheduling and pacing, and authentic assessment. (Contains 23 references.) (PKP)

Describes how two secondary schools implemented the six basic elements of personalized instruction: The Thomas Haney Secondary Centre in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and the Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School in Devens, Massachusetts. (Contains 14 references.) (PKP)

Library media specialists can show the effectiveness of the library media center in support of block scheduling through action research. This article discusses how to add to the evidence on the effects of changes because of block scheduling through testing the effects of block scheduling on use of the library media center. (Author/LRW)

A recent study conducted by the Mifflin (Pennsylvania) School District assessed effects of intensive (block) scheduling with students identified as gifted. Administrator and teacher respondents perceived that block scheduling can significantly improve services to secondary gifted students. However, program implementation does not automatically…

Discusses school building program planning for construction projects on occupied school campuses. Advice is given for choosing a general contractor, scheduling the work to limit its disruptive effects on the school community, establishing safety procedures, preparing the surrounding community for the inconveniences that construction may cause, and…

In this article, the author presents twenty tips to ensure the successful inclusion of a child with Asperger Syndrome into a general classroom. Some of the tips described include: (1) establishing a consistent schedule; (2) providing both verbal and written instructions to the child; and (3) providing social skills practice and role-playing.

In this article, the authors discuss the advantages of block scheduling and how it can be an effective educational tool when faced with educational challenges. Block schedules can ease the transition from the homelike atmosphere of the elementary school to the departmentalized environment of the high school by reducing the need for constant class…

One of the most important concerns expressed in A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1984) was being related to how effectively classroom instruction time was being used in America's schools. In response to that report, many concerned educators and community patrons at national, state, and local levels argued that…

Block schedules have been used in several different high schools in various areas of the United States. Reasons for their use vary from better preparing students for college work to fewer disruptions of the school day. Several studies have examined the impact of changing from a semester system to a block system on the academic performance in…

In recent years, the blocked class schedule has replaced the shorter traditional schedule in high schools throughout the United States. In order to study this change, these researchers examined physical education teacher perceptions of their experience teaching on a block schedule compared to the traditional schedule. The views of fifteen physical…

High school students who change their class schedules after the start of the school year may miss class time before their schedules are finalized. This loss of class time is expected to lead to a loss of learning opportunities, and thus to lower student achievement. We examine a school with an unexpectedly large number of such schedule changes.…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide, "Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades" addresses the challenge of providing effective literacy instruction for English learners in the elementary grades. The Guide offers five specific recommendations for district…

Many students with disabilities entering the 9th grade express concern about getting lost in the larger high school environment, being picked on by older students, and having more challenging academic classes. The transition from middle-to-high school process for students with disabilities at Westminster High School in suburban Los Angeles is a…

THE CATSKILL AREA PROJECT IN SMALL SCHOOL DESIGN, THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN AREA PROJECT FOR SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS, THE WESTERN STATES SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT, AND THE TEXAS SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT ARE DESCRIBED AND COMPARED. FINANCIAL SUPPORT COMPARISONS ARE MADE. METHODS OF IMPROVING INSTRUCTION ARE DIVIDED INTO TEACHER-CENTERED AND ADMINISTRATOR-CENTERED…

In 1965, a 3-year developmental program was begun to determine the desirability of modular scheduling for comprehensive and vocational schools and to investigate the impact of such scheduling on 18 secondary schools. During this time more than 15,000,000 data were provided by the schools. The Stanford School Scheduling System, a computer program…