Opening More Options

Americans are losing our ability to pay attention. Several studies have indicated the best way to teach children is in seven-minute increments. It seems that is the average programming time in between commercials. From the time we can prop our babies up in a walker or swing, they have been stimulated this way by the big box in the room. We are conditioning our society to pay attention for just over a tenth of an hour at a time. If this is true, as it seems to be, why are we then trying to educate our high-schoolers in 90-minute blocks? We need to return to the system where classes are less than an hour and there are more choices than just English, math, science and history in a day. If we improve interest in school, we in turn improve the quality of students in it. And isn't that ultimately the goal of education?

Class lengths as well as school days are different from state to state, even from county to county. For the most part, North Carolina high schools have gone to block scheduling, which is four 90-minutes classes and a lunch period in a school day. The state requires each student to receive a set amount of instruction in math, English, science and history – the core subjects. In order to accomplish this with block scheduling, the elective and enrichment classes are cut drastically or removed altogether. Gone are the advanced art and music appreciation classes. No longer available are classes such as masonry, drafting, and photography. Even classes that expound on the core subjects such as a History of the Far East or Women's Literature have no place. If we can’t interest students with 90 minutes of basic history or English, it is just too bad. There is no time to give them alternatives which may appeal to them and encourage their curiosity and love of learning.

We have to get away from the concern of test scores and become engaged in what is best for our students. Our drop-out rate is horrendous. College educators are noticing the quality of incoming freshman is dropping at an alarming rate. Our students can take a test but they have no idea what Sputnik was or the significance of Chopin’s music on our current culture. These, along with infinite other bits of knowledge, are something not learned in a block scheduled basic class. We have to make room for this information.

Seven-minute classes aren’t possible or practical, but seven class periods a day is another matter. A return to a more varied schedule opens up more options and gives room for developing new curriculum that stimulates different students in different ways. Perhaps that is the best way for no child to get left behind.