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Old 08-27-2010, 08:58 AM
 
Location: Cary, NC
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Is it block schedule? Some schools with block schedules do a full year of math and language arts but only 1 semester of science and SS. They do a years worth of curriculum in one semester for those classes, but keep math and LA for a whole year (I personally think THIS is a waste. If you're going to do block schedule, then just do it for everything!)
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Old 08-27-2010, 11:17 AM
 
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Originally Posted by PDXmom View Post
Are they on a block schedule or a schedule that allows them to get a full academic year of science in 90 days? While I am not a fan of the block schedule, I know many high schools in Durham use it.

I must admit it does not seem ideal to try to get middle school students to learn a full year of a subject in fewer days (even if the classroom hours equal an academic year).

I would question the teachers (and principal) if you need to and find out exactly what will be covered for Science & SS. And then check with the NC Department of Instruction Website to make sure your school is covering everything the NC DPI mandates. IF they are not, make a formal compliant to your school board and the NC Board of Education and NC DPI.
The problem with block scheduling is not with trying to get students to learn the entire course in 90 days. That is one of the strengths of block scheduling is that you have more time on task and less on transition time since you are cutting down on transitions. The problem is with retention. If your child has the subject Sept-Jan one year and the next year they have it Jan-June that is a year in between and retention can be a real problem. They probably limit it to Social Studies and Science because those subjects don't build on previous learning to the same degree Math and English do.
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Old 08-27-2010, 11:42 AM
 
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Originally Posted by TuborgP View Post
The problem with block scheduling is not with trying to get students to learn the entire course in 90 days. That is one of the strengths of block scheduling is that you have more time on task and less on transition time since you are cutting down on transitions. The problem is with retention. If your child has the subject Sept-Jan one year and the next year they have it Jan-June that is a year in between and retention can be a real problem. They probably limit it to Social Studies and Science because those subjects don't build on previous learning to the same degree Math and English do.
Don't count on them limiting it to SS and Science when they get to high school. My kid had French II during the Fall semester of 2009 (freshman year). The high school has put her in French III during the Spring of 2011 for sophomore year!!! Block scheduling may be great for those kids that are failing (they can retake a course without repeating an entire year), but it sucks for kids that take AP courses and courses that need continuity.
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Old 08-27-2010, 01:02 PM
 
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Originally Posted by mizunomom View Post
Don't count on them limiting it to SS and Science when they get to high school. My kid had French II during the Fall semester of 2009 (freshman year). The high school has put her in French III during the Spring of 2011 for sophomore year!!! Block scheduling may be great for those kids that are failing (they can retake a course without repeating an entire year), but it sucks for kids that take AP courses and courses that need continuity.
I started to mention Foreign Language which many consider to be a disaster in a block. Middle schools tend to have modified block schedules and high schools full block schedules. Block scheduling was really pushed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals a few years back. It can be a disaster for ADD students as 90 minutes is a challenge to their ability to focus.

Modified block scheduling in middle school is one thing and a full block in high school another. If scheduled right it can be helpful for kids in AP classes because they can take them without taking them all at the same time. If you have a four period block( four by four) you take 2 AP classes each semester and that way you can more easily handle 4 in a year. Block as a scheduling concept might look good for students who failed but in reality they probably hate school and 90 minutes of the same teacher and subject can result in issues. A full block can offer the opportunity to get 8 credits in a year at the high school level if you have a four period block semester model. That can help the college bound with ability to take more courses etc etc etc.
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Old 08-27-2010, 01:30 PM
 
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Originally Posted by TuborgP View Post
I started to mention Foreign Language which many consider to be a disaster in a block. Middle schools tend to have modified block schedules and high schools full block schedules. Block scheduling was really pushed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals a few years back. It can be a disaster for ADD students as 90 minutes is a challenge to their ability to focus.

Modified block scheduling in middle school is one thing and a full block in high school another. If scheduled right it can be helpful for kids in AP classes because they can take them without taking them all at the same time. If you have a four period block( four by four) you take 2 AP classes each semester and that way you can more easily handle 4 in a year. Block as a scheduling concept might look good for students who failed but in reality they probably hate school and 90 minutes of the same teacher and subject can result in issues. A full block can offer the opportunity to get 8 credits in a year at the high school level if you have a four period block semester model. That can help the college bound with ability to take more courses etc etc etc.
I have to disagree with you about block scheduling being advantageous to students enrolling in AP courses. The dates of the AP exams are set in April and are NOT under the control of WCPSS. Therefore, those students that take courses in the fall will have to do a thorough review to score well on the exam. Those students taking AP courses in the spring do not have enough time to adequately cover the curriculum on the exam based on the WCPSS calendar. I have been told by other parents that some Wake County high schools do not even offer AP courses in the spring for this reason.
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Old 08-27-2010, 02:33 PM
 
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Originally Posted by mizunomom View Post
I have to disagree with you about block scheduling being advantageous to students enrolling in AP courses. The dates of the AP exams are set in April and are NOT under the control of WCPSS. Therefore, those students that take courses in the fall will have to do a thorough review to score well on the exam. Those students taking AP courses in the spring do not have enough time to adequately cover the curriculum on the exam based on the WCPSS calendar. I have been told by other parents that some Wake County high schools do not even offer AP courses in the spring for this reason.
Not going to argue with you as your point is valid. However there are modifications and I did say take courses not score a 4 or 5 on the test. There are advantages to taking the AP level of a course other than just the exam. Yes an AP course taken in the spring will not yield the best of test scores if that is a goal. There are a lot of configurations to minimize some of the problems with a 4x4 block. Again it offers the opportunity to take more courses over a four year period and it is up to the individual school and parents how to try to maximize that effort. It does give the opportunity to advanced courses for what ever reason. If a particular community is not sold on it then it won't work. It is up to the district and individual school to sell the merits otherwise it will probably go by the wayside.
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Old 08-27-2010, 02:35 PM
 
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AP Central - 2010 Exam Calendar

The above link is to this years AP test schedule which began in May which is often near wind down time for seniors in many states

I believe high schools in Wake on the traditional calendar began normal end of the year high school exams around May 24.
http://www.wcpss.net/Calendars/2009-10/09-10-trad.pdf
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Old 08-27-2010, 02:38 PM
 
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AP Central - Course Home Pages

The above is a link to the list of AP courses. Naturally the more courses offered by a school or district the greater use additional course opportunities will be appreciated. It is all a local and what is best for a community thing usually.

I believe for the 2009-10 school year there were 33 possibilities. It is up to schools and teachers to offer reviews in a block schedule for students taking it the first semester. Some do some don't here there and elsewhere probably.
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Old 08-27-2010, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Wake County
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Mine had exceptional scores on AP exams, regardless of when the course was taken. I think it's up to the individual student, how well they do or do not do. I didn't like block scheduling at first (the middle school was block), but it's worked out well for mine.
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Old 08-27-2010, 03:28 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TuborgP View Post
AP Central - 2010 Exam Calendar

The above link is to this years AP test schedule which began in May which is often near wind down time for seniors in many states

I believe high schools in Wake on the traditional calendar began normal end of the year high school exams around May 24.
http://www.wcpss.net/Calendars/2009-10/09-10-trad.pdf
Sorry, I was wrong about the AP test dates being in April. I just checked last year's school calendar and the AP exams were held on May 3-14 and the high school exams were held on June 3-8. Even so, students taking AP's in the spring are missing out on up to 30 instructional hours that the fall students are getting prior to the exam. And if I am paying $87 for each exam, I expect my student to do well!
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