Presentation about the disadvantages of Block scheduling in school

1. Block Scheduling: Its Negative
Impacts and Effects on Students,
Teachers, and the Public School
System
Presentation By
Daniel Marx, Denise Drum, Vicki Heitczman,
Janine Donofry, Marylin Lipp, Jeremy Owens,
Amanda Peters, & Alyssa Emerick

2. Overview of Block Scheduling
 Defined as a method of scheduling  4x4 Semester Plan
the six-hour school day into ‘blocks’  Four ninety-minute blocks per
of class time day; school year divided into two
 Allows the freedom in scheduling to semesters; former year-long
account for what is important to a courses completed in one
school & community semester
 Flexible so that band, choir, shop  The Alternate Day Plan
and advance placement classes are  six or eight courses spread out
enhanced over two days; teachers meet
 There are many variations; two with half of their students each
examples of block schedules are day.
listed below
 4x4 Semester Plan
 The Alternate Day Plan

3. Disadvantages
 Students:  Students and Teachers
 Harder to focus in longer  Field trip participation lacks
classes, especially those for fear of falling behind
with disabilities  Classes move much quicker
 Developmental social time  Students fall behind
diminishes  Teachers must reiterate
 Do not learn time lessons
management skills  Absenteeism leads to
 Teachers extensive make-up time
 Less time to cover materials  Improperly scheduled
 30 hours less classes lead to year long
gaps
 Failure to use various  i.e.:Spanish I and Spanish
teaching strategies leads to II
boredom  Harder to place AP students
 Difficult to place transfer
students
 More extensive homework

4. Negative Effects of Block
Scheduling On Students
Students have more extensive
 Can be problematic for students homework to do.
with highly sequential courses like
math and languages.  Some students may have
 More tedious or boring classes. more difficult time keeping
 Because of prolonged class up with the fast pace of
periods, extended absenteeism can block scheduling.
create excessive make up for  Foreign language teachers
students. are greatly concerned about
 Additional staff may be required the possible impact of the
because students are in classes block schedule on the
longer. development of language
proficiency.
( Briefing from Dover, New Hampshire (Report of the North Carolina
School District, 2007-2011) Public School District, 2011).

5. References
 Dover, New Hampshire School District (2007-2011). Dover High School: Block scheduling. Retrieved from
http://www.dover.k12.nh.us/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=1082
 North Carolina Public School District (2011). Advantages and disadvantages of the block schedule. Retrieved from
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/curriculum/worldlanguages/resources/flonblock/06advantage.pdf
 What is Block Scheduling http://coe.winthrop.edu/vawterd/block/what.html
 Introduction to Block Scheduling
http://eric.uoregon.edu/publications/digests/digest104.html
 Block Scheduling: Definition
http://www.education.com/definition/block-scheduling/
 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Block Schedule
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/4259102/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-the-Block-Schedule-Advantages-t
Education Partnerships
http://educationpartnerships.org/pdfs/BlockScheduling.pdf