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,…

The dimension of time in adult education needs to be reconceived. The elements of duration, pace, and articulation should be less rigid to achieve a better fit with adult life cycles. (SK)

Modernization or reconstruction programs can be coordinated by developing a relocation plan for each school site. A relocation plan is a detailed outline of the proposed work to be accomplished in a planned sequence to accommodate the educational needs of the school during the project. (MLF)

A photographic essay illustrates a composite school day for two teachers from Alabama and the gifted/talented students to whom they provide special academic tutoring during the weeks that the children rehearse and perform in productions in New York City. (JDD)

The application of operations research and computers is providing school bus routing and scheduling to five California counties. Illustrates the system requirements, steps for computerized calculations, a sample bus assignment report, and three data files. (MLF)

This latest in a series of articles on the manager's role in an instructional design project highlights techniques for managing the reproduction and distribution of materials. Guidelines for orienting staff are suggested, a sample reproduction and distribution schedule is given, and a storage and distribution system is discussed. (LRW)

Findings confirmed the hypothesis that children would exhibit a higher percentage of mature play categories relative to other forms of play during longer play periods than during shorter ones. Subjects engaged in significantly higher percentages of group play, constructive play, and group-dramatic play in longer periods. (RH)

Roofing is one of the major expense items in school district maintenance budgets. Outlines steps to take in project planning, developing budget estimates and specifications, and completing a roofing project on time. (MLF)

Secondary educators can create blocks of time for teachers and students to study and learn so teachers can enjoy professional growth opportunities without sacrificing students' instructional time. The article provides a scheduling plan, explaining how to modify schedules to offer teachers extended planning or development periods on a rotating…

A risk management plan for outdoor education programs should include procedures for regular program implementation, as well as rescue, first aid, and accident follow-up procedures. Stresses understanding legal and ethical responsibilities and the importance of sufficient insurance protection. Includes suggestions for dealing with conflicts in…

A discussion of planning for college and university centennial celebrations, or other milestone anniversaries, looks at reasons for creating a major event; objectives of early planning sessions; considerations in event design; scope and budget; use of consultants; appointment of an archivist; individual event planning; and fitting events to the…

This article describes some typical 90-minute lessons in biology and chemistry designed for use with block scheduling. The lessons illustrate the benefits of block scheduling to science instruction. Contains an example of one day's block scheduling of science and mathematics courses. (LZ)

Colorado College is reconsidering its block scheduling, in which students take eight immersion courses consecutively within the academic year, rather than taking several courses concurrently. Advantages of block scheduling include more intensive instruction and increased student focus on subject matter. Some students and faculty are concerned that…