Four-Period Day Scheduling Tough, But Teachers Have More Contact

Halfway through year two on the four-period day, a clearer picture of the advantages and the challenges is emerging at Central Valley School District’s high schools.

Scheduling conflicts are a hurdle, perhaps even more so than in a six-period schedule. Yet, teachers are now collaborating on ways to improve curriculum - something that didn’t happen on the old schedule, officials said.

Within a single school year, teachers are teaching one class session less than they did on the old schedule. Yet, the average class size did not change between 1996-‘97 and 1997-‘98. Also, teachers report that the four-period schedule allows more one-on-one student contact, officials said.

Central Valley School Board members heard the pros and cons at their Monday meeting from the two high school principals and other officials.

“The doomsdayers thought the four-period day would be the end of public education as we know it,” said Craig Holmes, a school board member. “And the optimistic ones who thought it would revolutionize education - both were a little off the mark.”

All information was gleaned from discussions with teachers at Central Valley and University high schools. Students and staff will take a detailed annual survey on the four-period schedule this spring.

The school board committed the district in 1997 to a three-year trial of the block schedule, with 80-minute classes set up in a trimester system.

Other facets of the four-period day discussed included these:

Advanced Placement: Although doubts were originally voiced about AP classes ending prior to the AP testing dates, actually more students signed up for AP classes under the first year of the four-period day. Also, 78 percent of those students passed their AP tests with a score of three or better, versus 72 percent scoring three or better the year before.

Number of days: Under the four-period day, classes are longer, but students are in class for only 60 days in a trimester, versus 90 days in a semester system.

“We hear from the teachers that it is beneficial to have longer minutes for some teaching strategies,” said Paul Sturm, principal at Central Valley High. “And it’s worse for others.”On the other hand, with just 60 days in a trimester, there’s a motivational effect. “Both teachers and students can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” Sturm said.

Teaching strategies: Students still complain that passive learning is difficult in 80 minute doses, Sturm said.

Full-period lectures have become a rarity, said Erik Ohlund, U-Hi principal.

Both principals said that most teachers have adapted well to using new more active teaching strategies, with changes of pace.

Scheduling: The large number of classes offered at the high schools, structured into a four-period, trimester system, means that scheduling conflicts are intense. One mother told the school board after the presentation that her son, who is a junior, has been told more than once, “Just take this for now and we’ll work it out later.”

“I do think the counselors need help,” said Elaine Dailey.

TAP: The tutorial advisory period is gaining fans among the teachers, Ohlund said.

“We have more teachers on board,” he said, adding that some teachers took the initiative to call their TAP students’ parents, after half-trimester progress reports. That and other signs of bonding between TAP teachers and students are just what officials have hoped for.

The mentoring side of TAP is still developing, Ohlund said. The first year, TAP suffered from overload - too much curriculum, not enough time.

“We alienated kids, frustrated teachers - and probably upset a lot of parents,” Ohlund said. “I’ll take responsibility for that.”

This year, some teachers may still find the mixed-age advisory periods awkward at times, but after two years with the same students, some teachers also tell their principals they don’t want to relinquish their kids. That’s the kind of connection TAP was meant to foster.