Block schedules offer many advantages, including increased usable instructional time, increased opportunities to use alternative instructional strategies, and fewer homework assignments and class changes for students. Challenges include maintaining student attention, providing balanced schedules, retaining major concepts, and accommodating…

Describes staff development components for veteran and beginning teachers planning to teach in blocked classes. Teachers need training and practice in information-sharing methods, learning-theory applications, assessment strategies, student mastery, curriculum mapping and integration, classroom organization, and lesson development. Block…

Examines challenges that high school department chairpersons faced while changing to a 4 x 4 block schedule. Finds that chairpersons experienced multiple learning curves and increased tensions between departmental and teaching responsibilities, problems exacerbated by reduced release time. Recommends aligning job descriptions with procedures,…

Argues that a unique combination of (1) the Copernican Plan for block scheduling; (2) the application of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences; and (3) John Dewey's basic ideas about process create a teacher training program in which mastery is an achievable goal. Describes each component and illustrates how each has worked in one…

Block scheduling can help high school principals become staff-development leaders. It gives teachers more time to help individual students and contributes to improved achievement, attendance, and graduation rates. This paper describes the results of research on block scheduling in urban high schools and concludes that block scheduling can support…

Investigated the effects of a 4 X 4 block scheduling program on a variety of student measures in a middle school with 355 block-scheduled students, some of whom were in high school at the time of the study. Results of the block scheduling were generally consistent with existing literature and generally positive. (SLD)

Shares information on current scheduling trends within Iowa and explains why some schools have adopted a more cautious schedule-modification posture. In Iowa, there is strong support for cocurricular activities, including music and art, and faculty resistance, based on instructional issues. Test scores are high with a traditional schedule. (13…

A study was conducted at two metropolitan South Florida high schools to determine perceptions of 100 teachers concerning block scheduling. Teachers felt that the 4 X 4 block schedule contained too many time gaps for teaching foreign languages, English, and math. Teachers believed block schedules benefitted advanced students more than others and…

Describes the changes that came to one high school journalism program when the school embarked on a four-block scheduling program. Describes losses and gains over a three-year period. Concludes that, in addition to significant community service benefits, there is now more depth in learning and more pride in completed work, with students taking…

The implications for physical education of the trend toward block scheduling at the middle and high school levels are discussed. Physical educators are urged to see block scheduling as an opportunity. Suggestions for implementing the block schedule include a sample schedule for a 90-minute physical education class. Positive results of block…

Compares achievement of students attending a large Florida high school under a traditional schedule during 1993-94 and a trimester block schedule during the following year. Passing grades have gone up 3.7%. Regarding Scholastic Aptitude Test and American College Testing results, there was no significant difference. Teachers, students, parents, and…

Business teachers who are also Future Business Leaders of America advisors (65 with block scheduling, 19 without) perceive block scheduling differently in their roles as teachers and as advisors. Although they support it as teachers, they have serious reservations as advisors because of its impact on student organizations. (Author/JOW)

In education, there is no one best way to do anything. There are compelling reasons why some courses should be taught in longer segments of time, which the block schedule provides. There are also compelling reasons why some classes should be taught in shorter segments. At Watauga High School in Boone, North Carolina, an alternative schedule that…

The advent of the No Child Left Behind legislation has produced mandates that focus heavily on reading skills. Writing has a secondary role, while speaking and listening skills are almost insignificant in terms of instructional time. NCLB mandates have translated into block scheduling for reading in many schools. This can be very useful when the…

This "snapshot" illustrates how one school is managing to make a positive difference for ninth graders. It describes the Ninth Grade Success Academy, a school-within-a-school at Thomas A. Edison High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which has a number of features specifically designed to help ninth-graders make successful…