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Post by mattandchris on Jan 8, 2004 13:21:14 GMT -5
I thought that getting ready for Middle School was stressful, this week we begin registering for high school. It has been tough getting my son to realize that he needs to make class choices for a whole year and that just because he really wants a class does not mean he will get that class. We have the block schedule here. I know I have a while before he actually gets there, but does anyone else have a child who has gone into a high school with block scheduling? How do they handle the long classes? I figured if I helped him to have a strong year this year then maybe he will do fine then.
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Post by mattandchris on Jan 9, 2004 21:26:02 GMT -5
Okay, We made it through registering. It seems like the only classes he really is interested in involve computers. How many of your kids get totally wrapped up in computers? Even when he does homework it may take 1/2 hour for him to set the font, size and page set up to his liking. Sometimes I get irritated with him for this-it seems to take so long to get thing completed when he spends so much time setting it up. Other times, I find it amusing.
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Post by TerryB on Jan 10, 2004 8:45:47 GMT -5
I was hoping that someone would answer this question. My husband teaches 9th grade and this is his opinion:
1. In one way is really tough on kids that are disorganized because the student has a hard time when the schedule changes day to day. The student must keep looking at their schedule. It is not easy to memorize.
2. In one way it is easier for kids with organizational problems because the student is unpacking his school supplies less times per day. He says that it is not uncommon for him to ask 4x at the beginning of each class to get out all your things. The kids with ADHD or ADD and either talking with their friends or staring into space.
3. He said that it is difficult to judge how the kids deal with more time in their seats at the ninth grade level. Most kids are diagnosed and on meds. His school did just drop the "ddouble block" scheduling. What was happening is that kids were scheduled for his Earth Science class for 1 hour and then they shifted to lab immediately afterwards. The science teachers felt that it was tough on many kids to be stuck in the same room for so long or stuck with the same kids for so long. Many 9th grade children seem to have a lot of animosity amongst themselves and they get into verbal disputes with each other if they are force to be together too long. He teachers at a "middle America" type school. There are rarely gun/weapon issues but some kids are in trouble with the law. The are both advantaged and neglected children.
There are many forms of "block schedules". Some are hour blocks, some are 40 minute blocks, some are a mixture. 99% of them result in schedules that vary greatly from day to day. Some vary week to week.
Hope this helps, Terry
P.S. I DON'T KNOW how I got that smiley icon into the text of my post and I don't have time to figure out right now. Sorry
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Post by mattandchris on Jan 10, 2004 10:04:26 GMT -5
Thanks TerryB
Our school has 3- 80 minute blocks and an 85 minute block. I think that seems like a long time to spend in class- but I guess it works. We are lucky that the classes do not change daily or weekly. They change at the quarter. Maybe I'm just worrying to early. Matt has made huge strides since last year. I think it has been a compination of medication and maturing.
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