My school has decided to double block scheduling for Math and Language Arts this year and each block will be 90 minutes long. I don't have a problem with their schedule... Here is my dilemma, I will be teaching 3 classes daily that are 90 minutes in length for 9 weeks. Upon the grading period ending I will get another 90 students to teach them the same lessons that I taught the first group for the next 9 weeks. In January I will then get the first group back again to finish up the rest of my curriculum in those 9 weeks and then we will trade for the last grading period. So I will need to teach all of my curriculum in 18 weeks, plus then have to review the topics I taught them previously. When they are not learning science those 9 weeks they will be in Social Studies. Would you say this is best practice? Any suggestions??
That is a really weird set up. I taught in a school that did 90 minute blocks, same schedule you have...however, we did it for a semester and then switched classes. I don't see the value in the whole 9 weeks on/9 weeks off thing.
Well I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this before. Does anyone have any suggestions? I think I may try and do a interactive notebook system this year with my kids. I've had them keep binders of their work for the 9 weeks and then clean them out and begin again. However, since they will have an SLO pre and post test they will definitely need to keep everything since there is a 9 week gap (plus a few holidays in between).
HI Theresa, The semester is almost over and I wanted to know how you were doing with the 9 weeks on and 9 weeks off? What are your thoughts on the rotation and how were the testing results? Did you have students create their interactive notebooks? I hope everything went well for you this semester!
Sounds a little difficult teaching in block period segments. I hope everything has been going well and if you have any suggestions as to how you have learned to manage please let us know!
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