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Old 07-02-2007, 08:18 AM
 
275 posts, read 1,112,441 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmow View Post
Have a quesiton for those of you who have lived in California and then moved to the Raleigh area. What are the differences between living in California and living in Raleigh/NC that has had the biggest impact on your lives? Positives and negatives. For those of you who have young children could you please tell me the differences you see in the schools. Are you glad you made the move? How long did it take for you to feel like you were at home in North Carolina? We will be moving out of the SF Bay Area and are trying to decide where to move to. Thanks for your help
California,
Positives: Weather and natural beauty.
Negatives: cost of living, crowding, superficial people, insane media, 10yr olds with $400 purses talking on their cell phones, immigration issues, bad schools, traffic, air quality.

NC,
Positives: Weather (better than most), natural beauty, friendly people, kid friendly, beach & mountains close, warm ocean water, open space, no fences, you know your neighbors and they watch out for you & your kids, clean air, green, country feeling, lots to do indoors & out, diverse.
Negatives: No good mexican food : ( thats all I can think of...

In Orange County, we lived on a street with a 40mph speed limit, and kept our kids behind our block wall fence in the back..on our .20 acre lot which was huge compared to anyone we knew. Now in Holly Springs, they have the run of the culdesac, no fences, no traffic, a creek in the backyard with frogs and things to explore. Its safe, they have tons of freinds and haven't even started school yet. They play outdoors everyday...most days all day...they live like kids should live. It took us about 3 months to get over that "far away" feeling from home in CA. It took about a year to decompress and slow down to the pace here. Not problems adjusting..just takes a little time to realize that yes, that guy is actually waving you in in front of him on the road, not flipping you the bird!
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Old 07-02-2007, 09:34 AM
 
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
108 posts, read 396,442 times
Reputation: 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmow View Post
I have never heard of this block system. I grew up in NY and they didn't have it and I got my teaching credential in Ca. where they don't have it. This is insane. Can anyone explain the logic behind this? Even if the school is year round do they still use the block system? Is this used in all of NC or just in Wake County? Do the private schools use block system? And we wonder why our children perform way behind the rest of the world.
I have been desperately trying to find answers to your questions as they are mine as well. I just got here in Monday and because of this, I am worried about whether I have the sanity to remain a teacher in this area. I was completely unable to find this information (and I did A LOT of research and flew here for two high school job fairs). This is their typical system, so they don't think anything about and therefore don't think they need to explain it to anyone.

The only logic I have found so far is that they do not have enough classroom space, so this block schedule coupled with the fact that you don't keep your own classroom (again, so far, I only know for sure that the high school I interviewed with works this way) you bounce between two classrooms and spend your prep period in a common room where you have a little cubbie hole to keep your materials, allows them to pack in their facilities with as many classes as possible. In CA, there are WAYYY fewer courses offered (they have agriculture, construction, large art program, several different Literature courses, and I'm sure many others) and the classes are larger (average 20 to 1 student/teacher ratio here). One of the people I interviewed with told me that they have trouble getting their students' writing ability to be high enough to do well on state testing. I felt like saying, "nooooo, you don't say? Gee, I wonder why?" If you only have a subject half the year and you have 8 months before you have it again, IMAGINE what they are forgetting.

No wonder they can't get teachers around here. Talk about defeatism, you teach your kids something and they've forgotten it before they even take their NCLB end of course exams.

If anyone has some answers, advice, reassurance for a poor high school English teacher who is extremely depressed about finding out this information AFTER she has moved here, please, please share it with me.

I have heard that most middle schools, while they are year-round, are run as we are used to, with the major subjects being taken the whole year through, but that is again, information I had to get from a cashier at the grocery store.
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Old 07-02-2007, 09:53 AM
 
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
108 posts, read 396,442 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbywan View Post
Lots of luck. I have been substitute teaching down here and you are going to be worked here. You will teach 3 90 min blocks everyday and if there is a class that needs coverage you will be TOLD you must cover for NO extra compensation. You will have a dumb duty like bus duty, or hall duty or lunch duty. You will be stuck going to PLC meetings once a week during you so called prep time all for a starting salary of 32K. Oh if you have 10 years experience you make 40K. And you pay a good percentage of your spouses and childrens medical insurance. Yours is covered .
Do you have any suggestions of wake county high schools that are better to work at than others?
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Old 07-02-2007, 12:53 PM
MKW
 
40 posts, read 159,733 times
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Default Block Schedule

In response to some of the discussion about the block schedule, I would like to state a few things about block scheduling I found to be very positive and helpful. I grew up in So. California and had block scheduling throughout jr. high and high school. Here are my thoughts.

1. Having only three classes during a semester was very beneficial when it came to homework. At the end of the day you only had homework and studying for three classes vs. six or seven. This was very helpful, especially for students like myself who had lots of other extracurricular activities.

2. I found the block schedule better prepared me for college. It is much more realistic for a college student to have three or four classes during a semester than six or seven. And while you could potentially wait a year in between subjects, it doesn't always have to be like that. My school was very accomodating and I was able to take some subjects back to back, like math or biology. And even when I did have a year in between subjects, again, I found this better prepared me for college, especially when I got into my major classes and often times went several semesters between correlating classes.

3. I found I had more time with the block schedule. Our breaks in between classes were longer and I didn't feel I was rushing around from class to class all day. Also, I carried less books and used my locker less, and that was a huge plus.

These are just some examples of why I liked the block scheduling. Students and teachers alike have their own reasons as to why they like or dislike it. My highschool was a very good school and was the only school in the county to offer IB classes. We had a high college bound percentage rate and from what I remember from other students, the block scheduling didn't seem to affect anyone too badly. I don't know what the block scheduling is like in NC, but if its anything like mine was in CA, then I think it definitely better prepares the students for college, which is what high school is for.
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Old 07-02-2007, 03:01 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
108 posts, read 396,442 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MKW View Post
My highschool was a very good school and was the only school in the county to offer IB classes. We had a high college bound percentage rate and from what I remember from other students, the block scheduling didn't seem to affect anyone too badly. I don't know what the block scheduling is like in NC, but if its anything like mine was in CA, then I think it definitely better prepares the students for college, which is what high school is for.
I sincerely hope that the use of block scheduling is in the best interest of the students and not what I am so used to coming from CA, which is what is in the best interest of the district. I have never seen a school run this way, so it is so far from my norm that I'm having difficulty even imagining what the benefits might be. You make some very valid points. I'm hoping that the negatives in terms of actually decreasing test scores and impeding academic progress is because of the specific school I spoke to and NOT a county-wide epidemic. If you feel good about the way your school ran this schedule, then I feel reassured that it's possible that this can be done well and help students and I certainly agree with you on the homework and less hectic daily schedule that this system would help with. Thanks for the much needed input on the topic.
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Old 07-02-2007, 03:22 PM
 
Location: SoCA to NC
2,183 posts, read 7,970,749 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KIMBERRRR View Post
I am a high school teacher from CA and am now finding (as I have begun interviewing) that their school system is entirely and psychotically different from CA. They run an odd block schedule when it comes to high school. They only take each subject half of the year. So their classes are separated by semesters, you take your basic courses (English, Math, etc) for one semester, then other classes second semester. This means that they have an entire semester (half a year) and summer vacation before they take the next level in each subject. I'm floored by the insanity of it and clueless as to how they expect their kids to do well on AP tests and other standardized tests. I just moved here on Monday and am still searching for schools that don't work this way, but haven't had any luck. Also, be prepared for all elementary and middle schools to be year-round and that your children may not all be on the same track (I've heard people complaining about this). Just some things to be research and be prepared for. If anyone finds that I have understood things wrong, please correct me, because I have had difficulty finding the specifics about the school system (resorted to questioning the young cashier at the grocery store last night).
Your year round statement is incorrect. MOST middle schools and HS's are traditional. About 1/2 of elementary are year round and they just went to that schedule. Parents also get a choice whether they would like a traditional school or not. As far as the blocked schedule you are speaking of ......sounds like a good way to prepare them for college. Wake counties test scores are higher than the average Californian test scores so they must have something working for them.
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Old 07-02-2007, 03:29 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,295,459 times
Reputation: 40192
Quote:
Originally Posted by KIMBERRRR View Post
I am a high school teacher from CA and am now finding (as I have begun interviewing) that their school system is entirely and psychotically different from CA. They run an odd block schedule when it comes to high school. They only take each subject half of the year. So their classes are separated by semesters, you take your basic courses (English, Math, etc) for one semester, then other classes second semester. This means that they have an entire semester (half a year) and summer vacation before they take the next level in each subject. I'm floored by the insanity of it and clueless as to how they expect their kids to do well on AP tests and other standardized tests. I just moved here on Monday and am still searching for schools that don't work this way, but haven't had any luck. Also, be prepared for all elementary and middle schools to be year-round and that your children may not all be on the same track (I've heard people complaining about this). Just some things to be research and be prepared for. If anyone finds that I have understood things wrong, please correct me, because I have had difficulty finding the specifics about the school system (resorted to questioning the young cashier at the grocery store last night).

Either I'm confused, or you are Aren't the classes that you would only take one semester of ELECTIVE classes only? The core classes like English, math, science, social studies ARE all year, both semesters (just not every day because with the block schedule it is more like college classes- MWF, TTh)
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Old 07-02-2007, 05:22 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
108 posts, read 396,442 times
Reputation: 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovesMountains View Post
Either I'm confused, or you are Aren't the classes that you would only take one semester of ELECTIVE classes only? The core classes like English, math, science, social studies ARE all year, both semesters (just not every day because with the block schedule it is more like college classes- MWF, TTh)
That is what I thought to begin with, but that is not how this system works, or at least, not how I have been told it works. If I am wrong, I'll do cartwheels and be a happy English teacher, but everyone I have spoken to (and I've been asking everyone, cashier at Harris Teeter, Sears deliveryman, ABF cube deliveryman, manager in our apartment complex office, and the man who opened my new account at Wachovia) has confirmed that ALL classes are half the year.

Not to mention, I'm pretty sure I'm right because the job I interviewed for was to teach three classes of English 1 first semester and three classes of English 3 second semester.

I think you are thinking of the block schedule system that I was familiar with in CA (and would be happy to teach) where it is every other day. This is not like that, it is four courses only for the entire semester, everyday. Then second semester, four new courses, everyday.

Can anyone confirm that I have the details correct or incorrect?
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Old 07-02-2007, 05:25 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
108 posts, read 396,442 times
Reputation: 45
Quote:
Originally Posted by CAKD View Post
Your year round statement is incorrect. MOST middle schools and HS's are traditional. About 1/2 of elementary are year round and they just went to that schedule. Parents also get a choice whether they would like a traditional school or not. As far as the blocked schedule you are speaking of ......sounds like a good way to prepare them for college. Wake counties test scores are higher than the average Californian test scores so they must have something working for them.
Where did you find your information on test scores? I've found it incredibly difficult to compare states since they use two different forms of testing that are not comparable. I'd be curious to see those results and it would certainly make me feel better about jumping into the Wake county system
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Old 07-02-2007, 05:31 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,295,459 times
Reputation: 40192
Quote:
Originally Posted by KIMBERRRR View Post
That is what I thought to begin with, but that is not how this system works, or at least, not how I have been told it works. If I am wrong, I'll do cartwheels and be a happy English teacher, but everyone I have spoken to (and I've been asking everyone, cashier at Harris Teeter, Sears deliveryman, ABF cube deliveryman, manager in our apartment complex office, and the man who opened my new account at Wachovia) has confirmed that ALL classes are half the year.

Not to mention, I'm pretty sure I'm right because the job I interviewed for was to teach three classes of English 1 first semester and three classes of English 3 second semester.

I think you are thinking of the block schedule system that I was familiar with in CA (and would be happy to teach) where it is every other day. This is not like that, it is four courses only for the entire semester, everyday. Then second semester, four new courses, everyday.

Can anyone confirm that I have the details correct or incorrect?
Not trying to call you wrong, I just do not understand how this can be the case with CORE courses. By law x amount of hours of a class constitutes a whole credit for that class, i.e. English 1 would take a fall semester grade and a spring semester grade to equal one whole year of English. How can they possibly be teaching a half year of a core subject?

In Charlotte this is definitely not the way things are done. I sure hope a Wake county teacher will log on an explain this one. I just don't get how a kid can ever accomplish all his required courses if he takes only half a year of something?
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