Block
Scheduling
Check this growing list of resources on block scheduling and time management
in schools at the emTech website.
Block experts Robert Lynn Canady and Michael Rettig have a must-see book,
Scheduling
Strategies for Middle Schools, available at Amazon and from Eye
on Education Publishers.
The Nov/Dec 1996 issue (currently
offline but keep checking) of the Harvard Education Letter says
the plunge into block scheduling is 'just like starting over.' "The
first semester of managing 90-minute classes is like being a student teacher
again, but many believe the payoff is worth it," says author Michael
Sadowski.
Here are some
ASCD resources on block scheduling.
This story in the Providence,
RI Journal describes several successful blocking experiments. (March 2000)
If you'd like to see some real data, examine the
study on the effects of block scheduling on student performance in North
Carolina high schools. If all this weren't enough, you can find a few
more chips off the block scheduling resource base here.
The American Association of School Administrators has a page devoted to
block
scheduling articles. There's also a teacher
discussion about middle school block scheduling posted at MiddleWeb.
More recently, members of the MiddleWeb Listserv took up the topic of scheduling.
And one middle school principal offers her plan to use a
new blocking strategy to increase student contact time. And
here's an ERIC Digest summarizing block scheduling research.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
raises some issues about block schedules and mathematics instruction in
this
research document.
Changing Structure
Doesn't Necessarily Produce Change
"We put an enormous amount of energy into changing structures and usually
leave instructional practice untouched," says researcher Richard Elmore
in "The Limits of Change" (Harvard Education Letter, Jan/Feb 2002).
"We're just now getting the first generation of aggregate studies on
block scheduling, which, shockingly, show no relationship between its adoption
and any outcome that you can measure on student performance."
Block
Scheduling Revisited
A number of principals and teachers have limited the effectiveness of block
schedules, writes J. Allen Queen in the November 2000 KAPPAN. Some principals
"have limited understanding of the science of scheduling and lack specific
skills in evaluating effective teaching practices," he says, while
many teachers "do not follow pacing guides" and "use lecture
and teacher-directed discussion extensively." These problems are exacerbated
by poor monitoring and under-training, says Queen.
Middle
School Block Scheduling -- the NMSA Approach
"What Types of Block Schedules Benefit Middle School Students?"
asks this new research summary at the National Middle School Association
website. "The flexible interdisciplinary block schedule has become
a trademark of middle level education," according to the authors, who
go on to describe this popular model and to differentiate between high school
and middle school models, which they believe should include shorter blocks
of time and be structured around an interdisciplinary team approach.
For
Whom the Bell Tolls: Time Management and Block Scheduling
This cover story in School Administrator's issue
on time management and block scheduling (March 1999) includes new research
about adolescent sleep needs. Find other stories about blocking, tri-semesters,
and other teaching and time-management strategies in this issue, including
"The
Effects of Block Scheduling."
Finding
Time: A Collection of Resources
The Alabama Best Practices Center posted these web resources to supplement
a recent issue of the BPC newsletter "Working Toward Excellence."
The newsletter focused on finding time for teachers to work effectively
with students; and time for teachers to work together "student-free"
as they plan instruction, improve curriculum, and sharpen their own teaching.
Find a link to a PDF version
of the newsletter at the end of this resources list.
A Collection
of Articles about Time
The Spring 1999 issue of the Journal of Staff Development included these
articles about time management and professional development: "Target
Time Toward Teachers," by Linda Darling-Hammond; "Time Use Flows
from School Culture," by Kent D. Peterson; "Apply Time with Wisdom,"
by Thomas R. Guskey; and "Making Time for Adult Learning," by
Priscilla Pardini. All four articles can be downloaded at the National Staff
Development Council site. Go to the link above and scroll down to find the
index for Spring 1999. ALSO SEE: The Aug/Sept 2002 issue of NSDC's "Results"
newsletter: Think
Outside the Clock.
Research:
Block Scheduling in Junior High
This 1999 study by a Colorado research team examines the effects of a 4x4
block schedule in an unidentified middle school. The researchers used test
data, grades, attendance rates and enrollment rates in advanced high school
courses to measure the block's effects. The researchers found the effects
were "generally positive."
Innovative
Block Scheduling at a Blue Ribbon Middle School
Fritsche Middle School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a national Blue Ribbon
school dedicated to "continuous improvement." Read how Fritsche
designed a block schedule to push student achievement even higher. You'll
find links to their blocking scheduling discussion on this page. We've also
prevailed upon Fritsche to share their workshop
notes on MiddleWeb!
Innovative
Scheduling is Powerful
Alternative schedules may not add hours to the school day, but they can
vastly improve the quality of the time students spend at school, say authors
Robert Lynn Canady and Michael D. Rettig in the article, "The Power
of Innovative Scheduling," published in November 1995 in Educational
Leadership.
Flexible Scheduling
NMSA's brief summary of research on flexible and block scheduling.
Looping
Links for teachers and schools interested in exploring "looping"
-- the practice of keeping kids and teachers together for more than one
year. Also read the overview of looping in ASCD's Education Update (March
1998), "Looping
- Discovering the Benefits of Multiyear Teaching."
The
Potential Benefits of Looping
"Looping is a concept that makes intuitive sense," say the authors
of "In the Loop" in the January 2000 issue of School Administrator
magazine. "By allowing teachers to teach a class of students for a
longer period of time and by capitalizing on the teacher's increased knowledge
of students and their academic needs, as well as on an increased amount
of learning time resulting from fewer transitions. To implement looping
well, however, requires an effective teacher, plus support from the administration,
the teachers' union and parents of the students enrolled in the looping
classroom."
Middle
School Teaching That's "In the Loop"
Louisville math teacher Stacy Irvin relies on equal portions of standards-based
instruction, backward lesson planning, and positive reinforcement to teach
her "loopy" middle graders. A member of a team who will "loop"
through three grades with the same group of students, Irvin says the looping
concept holds teachers and students accountable. From "Changing Schools
in Louisville" (Spring 1999).
Multi-Age
Grouping in the Middle School
What is the rationale for multi-age grouping? How is it defined and what
are its characteristics? Are there academic benefits from such an organizational
configuration? The National Middle School Association explores these and
other questions in this research summary.
Sixth
Grade Schools
Some school systems are creating sixth-grade-only schools -- for space or
educational reasons, or both. Read "Where
Does Sixth Grade Belong?" Also: a story about a
sixth-grade "center" start-up in North Carolina and another
in
Wichita, Kansas.
Revitalizing
Middle School Advisories
A respected middle grades researcher shares his ideas about revitalizing
middle school advisory program-- "that segment of the middle level
school agenda that has met with only limited acceptance and success."
If we look at why they've failed, Howard Johnston says, we can make them
better. ("From Advisory Programs to Adult-Student Relationships: Restoring
Purpose to the Guidance Program," published in NASSP's "Schools
in the Middle" magazine, March 1997). See other resources about advisories
at the student life page.
Integrated
Middle School Exploratories
The Northwest Regional Education Lab profiles exploratory programs at Hellgate
Middle School, a Blue Ribbon school near Missoula, Montana. In the vocational
and practical technology labs, projects require math skills, art, and science,
as well as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and decisionmaking
skills. You may also be interested in the
findings of Howard Co., MD's audit of its middle grades exploratory
program.
After-school & community-based
programs -- 
A list of resources compiled by
MiddleWeb.
Retention
Versus Social Promotion: Harvard Education Letter
The Harvard Education Letter has begun posting some of its most important
stories on-line. This piece from the January/February 1999 issue, "Retention
vs. Social Promotion: Schools Search for Alternatives," reviews the
research and includes a bibliography and hyperlinks to other resources.
You'll also find a link to Jeannie Oakes' article: "Promotion or Retention:
Which One Is Social?"
Social
Promotion and Retention
The Center for the Student of Evaluation, Testing, and Educational Policy
at Boston College has assembled a short background paper and a page of resources
on social promotion and grade retention issues.
Long
Beach Educators Tackle Social Promotion
Leaders of the Long Beach Unified School District describe the "courageous
conversation" they're having with schools, parents and community leaders
in this article in School Administrator magazine. "This conversation
. . .has resulted in key systemwide interventions designed to guarantee
academic preparedness for all students in this large, diverse urban school
system," say the authors. Includes sidebars on the LB
promotion and retention policy; the challenges
of running a second-chance program; and the
merits of summer schooling.]
The
Student Retention Debate
Catalyst magazine, the outstanding publication covering school reform in
Chicago, examines the issues of social promotion and student retention in
this well-researched article, "Trying to succeed where others failed."
Chicago's program to end social promotion has been touted by President Clinton
and others. Catalyst examines steps Chicago educators are taking to defy
the considerable research showing that elementary and middle school grade
retention just doesn't work. (April 1998)
Does Retention Work? --
A discussion from the Middle-L listserve
Class Size Reduction
The WestEd regional education laboratory publishes an e-mail newsletter
about class size reduction issues, with a special focus on California, Arizona,
Nevada and Utah, "but it tries to keep a national focus." Contact
Max McConkey at WestEd for more information. See
our class size links for more information about the class size
debate. Here's an update on California's
class size initiative.
The
Benefits of Small Schools
"The signals are growing stronger that a rejection of the depersonalization
of schooling is under way," writes Phi Delta KAPPAN columnist Anne
Lewis in this short article about recent research on small schools. "Anecdotal
evidence about the benefits of smaller schools is now reinforced by quantitative
data showing that student achievement, attendance, and graduation rates
are higher in such schools." (June 1999)
Substitute
Teacher Sites
This collection of resources for long- and short-term subs will also be
of interest to new and limited-experience teachers.
FAQ's
about Middle Level Education
This page from the website of the National Association of Secondary School
Principals answers questions about detracking, making the transition from
junior high, characteristics of adolescents, the qualities of successful
middle school teachers, and interdisciplinary teaming. Visit this page and
find out how to join NASSP's National
Alliance of Middle Level Services.
Making
Detracking Work
Explore strategies for successful heterogeneous classrooms in this issue
of the Harvard Education Letter. Text-only version available. "Tracking
and sorting practices rest on the old belief that 'some kids have it and
some don't.' Schools that are detracking act out of a different system of
beliefs." Also see the introduction to Anne Wheelock's book, "Crossing
the Tracks" and her e-mail to Linda,
a teacher with questions about tracking.
Middle-L
Listserve Archives --
This ERIC-supported discussion list typically includes 700-800 teachers
and other educators interested in middle level issues. Select this link
to reach the Middle-L archives. To find out how to join the Middle-L discussion,
visit this ERIC
page.
Teachers Talking about Tracking
and Grouping - From Internet e-mail.
Grade Configurations
A research summary on various grade configurations by NMSA. Also see "Grade
Configuration: What Goes Where?" (July 1997). This "hot topic"
booklet produced by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory explores
the available research about the advantages and disadvantages of different
grade configurations, including K-8, 5-8, 6-8, and 7-9. The booklet includes
profiles of schools in the northwest United States that use different configuations.
Very useful to anyone contemplating grade structure.
Smaller
Middle Schools Could Raise Student Achievement
"Small Schools Create Communities With Results" concludes Sue
Galletti, associate executive director of the National Association of Secondary
School Principals, in this article from NASSP's "Schools in the Middle"
magazine. Galleti summarizes recent research and trends. Also of interest
is this article
about the impact of smaller schools in Catalyst magazine. And visit the
Small Schools Coalition site.
Creating
a Positive School Climate
Many of the articles from "Realizing a Positive School Climate,"
Educational Leadership 's September 1998 theme issue, have been
posted on the ASCD website.
Defusing
Volatile Situations at School
"Educational staff have to deal with all manner of hostile and angry
remarks. It's not fair, but
it comes with the territory," say the publishers of this hostility
management guide for educators, who urge principals and teachers to turn
confrontations into "something positive and constructive." The
site includes the first four chapters of "Defusing Hostile/Volatile
Situations" and information about ordering the book ($34) and an accompanying
workbook.
Prisoners
of Time
The final report of the National Education Commission on Time and Learning
thoroughly documents one of the thorniest issues facing America's schools
-- effectively managing instructional and professional development time.
The Commission's findings and recommendations can lead schools and school
systems into deeper thinking about what it means to "have enough time."
(1994 report that will remain pertinent for too many years to come!)
A
Collection of Articles about Managing Time in School
The Spring 1999 issue of the Journal of Staff Development included these
articles about time management and professional development: "Target
Time Toward Teachers," by Linda Darling-Hammond; "Time Use Flows
from School Culture," by Kent D. Peterson; "Apply Time with Wisdom,"
by Thomas R. Guskey; and "Making Time for Adult Learning," by
Priscilla Pardini. All four articles can be downloaded at the National Staff
Development Council site.
Escaping the prison of time
A former Kentucky middle school principal shares some ideas about beating
that old school demon, Time.
Collaborative
Planning Time Strategies
This page"is dedicated to the idea that teachers need collaborative
time with their peers and that this time already exist within the school
day through creative scheduling."
Building bridges between
middle schools and high schools
An e-mail discussion about ways schools can help middle schoolers ease the
transition to high school.
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