In the Classroom edited by
View from My Classroom
David L. Byrum Flowing Wells High School Tuscon, AZ 85716
Teaching Chemistry in the Block Schedule Sally Craven Assumption High School, 2170 Tyler Lane, Louisville, KY 40205
Is your school adopting a schedule? Or maybe you feel as if you must teach at the speed of light to cover an ever increasing amount information in your subject matter? Block scheduling may be just the key to maximize learning in your classroom. To ensure success with block scheduling, preparation is key. Block scheduling is a generic term meaning an arrangement of class time into fewer, longer periods that make up a school day. There are many ways to arrange blocks of time, and thus many forms of block scheduling. Whatever the format, taking fewer classes per day reduces the instructional time lost to transitions. Little things like taking attendance, getting supplies out, and moving from class to class take only a few minutes, but these minutes quickly add up when repeated six or more times daily. Longer class periods allow student understanding to progress from simple memorization to synthesis of complex concepts. My school is an all-girl parochial school in a suburban setting. We adopted the alternate-day block schedule to mesh with our existing rotating class time format. By rotating the time the class meets, students and teachers don’t always have the same class during their non-peak hours. Classes meet every other day for the duration of the school year. Since the class meets all year, long gaps in sequential courses, such as science and math, are eliminated. The “academic day” consists of eight periods and is spread out over two calendar days. Typically on Day 1 a student will have four classes, while on Day 2 she will have three classes and a study hall (Table 1). The class load for teachers is also divided between two days, allowing teachers to have an 85-minute planning period every day (Table 2). In addition, every other day a teacher may be assigned study hall or another nonteaching duty. This pace reduces stress for students and teachers. Students like having an extra day to complete homework assignments. Teachers
experience a reduction in the amount of daily planning that must be done. The four-day schedule repeats, lending a very satisfying variety to the school week. An added hidden bonus in this schedule is the elimination of “bad days” of the week. Because any Day 1, 2, 3, or 4 schedule may fall on any day of the week, patterns of behavior are not associated with any particular class or period. Preparing for Change Adopting a new schedule brings fundamental changes to daily routines. To make our first year of block scheduling as successful as possible, our administration developed three objectives to enable us to meet our goal: 1. Ongoing professional development outlining successful classroom strategies for block scheduling. 2. Designating and training an in-house block scheduling expert. 3. Introduction and training for teachers, students, and parents on time management and block scheduling.
During the summer, faculty members attended a 2-day workshop on teaching in the block. Teachers were both excited at the possibilities an 85-minute chunk of time could offer and anxious about how best to fill the entire block. The goal was for teachers to complete their very first block scheduling lesson plan before the end of the workshop. Stamina and student saturation levels immediately ruled out the 85minute lecture format. To solve our problem, we changed our perspective. A “block” is not one continuous 85-minute eternity. Instead, it is a variable mosaic of time that can be arranged by the teacher to suit the needs of the class. Successful block-schedule lesson plans incorporate various activities in which the student becomes the active learner in
Table 1. Typical Freshman Schedule Day
Class
1
A: Health
B: World Civ
C: Freshman Comp I
D: Freshman Religion
2
E: Spanish I
F: Study
G: Algebra I
H: Intro Chem & Physics
3
B: World Civ
D: Freshman Religion
C: Freshman Comp I
A: Health
4
F: Study
H: Intro Chem & Physics
G: Algebra I
E: Spanish I
Table 2. Typical Science Teacher Schedule Day
488
Class
1
A: Chem I
B: Intro Chem & Physics
C: Study Hall; 2nd Lunch
D: Plan
2
E: Chem I
F: Chem I
G: Plan
H: Chem I
3
B: Intro Chem & Physics
D: Plan
C: Study Hall; 2nd Lunch
A: Chem I
4
F: Chem I
H: Chem I
G: Plan
E: Chem I
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 78 No. 4 April 2001 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
In the Classroom
the classroom. Block scheduling is not a spectator sport. With a little creativity and imagination, different models of teaching can be adapted to the block. Direct instruction, the strategy of modeling–guided practice–independent practice, is readily fitted into the block because the method already contains three distinct components (see Table 3 for an example from Chemistry I). With the extended periods of time available, teachers can build toward higher-order thinking skills and explore connections between disciplines. Collaborative learning and other forms of group learning are ideal for block scheduling. One method of group learning that lends itself beautifully to the block schedule is called Expert-Puzzle Groups. This method is best used when the content to be covered can be divided into distinct segments. For instance, when studying kinetic theory and phase changes, students are divided into three groups. Each group is responsible for becoming an expert in the assigned segment of the content. The extended class period of a block allows students within the group to cover the necessary material within two class meetings. When the students become proficient in their expert topic (they must pass a quiz written by the teacher) then the groups are rearranged so that each group now contains one member who is an expert in solids, an expert in liquids, and an expert in gases. Students spend one class period peer-teaching their fellow experts. Subsequent class time is spent applying the group expert knowledge to solve problems and complete lab activities involving changes of state and the kinetic theory. Ongoing Support and Collaboration Throughout the school year professional development days were devoted to becoming more proficient in creating lessons geared toward block scheduling. Faculty meetings became mock block schedule classes as a way to model different methods of grouping and moving students. These customized in-service opportunities were available through our in-house block-scheduling expert. Our expert became an expert by attending outside conferences and workshops on alternative scheduling. She developed a faculty resource library of successful and innovative teaching strategies for block scheduling. At monthly faculty meetings she would briefly demonstrate activities to show how to integrate movement, incorporate multiple learning styles, or achieve closure in an instructional sequence. To be more accessible to more faculty members, she was given an additional planning period. The atmosphere of professionalism grew as classroom successes and insights were shared and discussed at every opportunity. We found ourselves becoming experts in our own right. Encouraging this level of collegial collaboration requires a financial commitment from an educational institution, and a necessary one. Our expert has been invaluable to the faculty as we work to adjust our lesson plans and teaching styles. Utilizing Time-Management Skills The third objective, preparing the students, was perhaps the most crucial for the success of block scheduling, since changing the school day is meant to benefit student learning. Block scheduling is simply a different way to manage time, but time management is a skill that students, especially younger ones, often have not yet developed. They tend to see time
Table 3. Block Schedule Lesson Plan, Chemistr y I Time/ min
Activity
2
Go over agenda posted on board, take attendance, assign class log duties.
8
Warm-up questions. Students review notes to find answers to questions on overhead. Use as intro to today’s topic: separating a mixture.
15
Students assemble simple paper chromatography setup to separate dyes used in a popular candy. Once assembled, set aside for required amount of time.
35
Direct lecture. Material covered on methods of separating various mixtures. Lecture spiced up using examples from laser disc, demonstrations, and video clips. Frequent questioning of students to stress important concepts.
15
Students observe and record results of paper chromatography. Working in pairs, students answer post-activity analysis questions.
5
Sharing of results and conclusions. Teacher-guided summation of important topics and findings.
5
Begin homework (or continue closure discussion from above).
NOTE: The topics covered here are Classifying Matter, Separating a Mixture Using Physical Properties, Chromatography, and Solubility and Polarity.
and events in terms of “now” or “not now”. This lack of timemanagement ability is not so deadly if the teacher and student interact every day. Without this close supervision, assignments and homework can easily accumulate to impossible amounts. Deadlines appear from nowhere. To combat this problem, in every class students are encouraged to use daily planners to keep track of assignments, tests, and projects. More importantly, they are prompted to identify a time period when they will work on the particular task or part of that task. This better enables a student to budget her study time and manage other aspects of her life. Classroom absence is much more difficult to make up because so much more can be accomplished during a blockschedule period. To help cope with the inevitable student absence, every class maintains a class log. In this log, the events of class are recorded, assignments are collected, and homework is assigned. Students know to check this log upon returning to school—even if the class does not meet on that day. This way, a student can complete any newly assigned work and remain current in her reading. Students learn to accept responsibility for their individual schedule. At the close of the school year, faculty members were surveyed regarding their impressions of our first year of block scheduling. The majority of the faculty, 87%, indicated that block scheduling allowed as much content to be covered, if not more, than the previous seven-period day. The faculty also responded that their lessons seemed less fragmented than before. In addition, 83% commented on the increased level of student involvement and learning that is now possible. A new enthusiasm and vigor for teaching has surfaced. However, the chief complaint was the increased planning and preparation that block scheduling requires. As our experience of teaching in the block grows, perhaps this problem will diminish. Personally, I love block scheduling. As a chemistry teacher I wonder how I ever accomplished a laboratory in 45 minutes.
JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 78 No. 4 April 2001 • Journal of Chemical Education
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In the Classroom
With the block, on lab days I can conduct prelab questioning, perform the activity, and perform the postlab analysis all in the same class meeting. This has greatly increased my students’ ability to make connections between the abstract concepts we discuss in the classroom and the concrete examples of these ideas in lab. Expanded class time has allowed me to add more technology to my lessons while lessening the stress of technology breakdowns. Now if something goes haywire there is time to investigate and trouble shoot. Students gain more
490
experience as real-life problem-solvers. They feel less stress while covering more material. And so do I. Literature Cited 1. Canady, R.; Retting, M. Block Scheduling; Eye on Education: Princeton, NJ, 1995. 2. Canady, R.; Retting, M. Teaching in the Block; Eye on Education: Princeton, NJ, 1996.
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 78 No. 4 April 2001 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
