32 OPINION
SCHEDULING
COMMUNITY
ETHAN MULLEN, co-editor-in-chief
It’s something that influences every hour of our day but becomes a background on which our high school experience is written—the class schedule. In our fourth year of the current eight-day rotation, it seems that everyone has an opinion. In a survey of HIES student body, 79 percent of students stated they did not want a change. However, with the current schedule, teachers have 25 percent less time than in previous iterations. Our class time is always subject to change, and though nothing has been suggested yet, we asked 6 community members to offer their reflections.
Sam Aiken, student Ethan Mullen, student
M
y freshman year was the first year with the current schedule, and I can say that having 4 classes a day has positively impacted by high school experience. In the beginning, it took time to adjust. Although teachers modified some of their curriculum, for example, cutting a book in English or consolidating quizzes and tests in math, I think we covered all the necessary content; I didn’t find myself behind in classes that built upon previous ones. During the past three years, the class schedule has given me time to flourish: it’s convenient to have time for clubs, time to meet teachers, and time to go into depth on certain topics. Teachers can dedicate inclass time to discussions and lectures while I can take the time out of class to write essays or do problem sets. In addition, with the same beginning and end time every day, easy to remember class times, and a (mostly) alphabetical order, the block schedule makes staying organized easy. Having four classes a day (instead of six in middle school) spreads out each class so that students only have it every other day. This allows the classes to be spread out, which reduces stress. For example, if one class is really content-heavy, I know I won’t have it every day, and if another class has a lot of homework, I know I won’t be inundated with homework every night. Though I understand the reduced class time, overall I believe the schedule contributes to a positive learning experience.
A
h, the block schedule, the most convoluted mess of entropy this school has to offer. In my opinion, having a class a mere two times out of a five-day school week is ludicrous, and moreover, I see many flaws with this schedule from both a teaching and learning perspective. As a student, the block schedule promotes and perpetuates procrastination. How many times have you gotten a homework assignment towards the last leg of class on a Monday and thought, “Legit, no homework tonight; I’ve got until Wednesday to do it”? If you happen to be anything like me, I’d guess it’s quite frequently. However, this is the fatal flaw of the block schedule. On Tuesday of that same week, the block schedule prevents you from having the class you were assigned homework in. Now on Tuesday night, the night you planned to do Monday’s homework, you find that those freshly taught concepts have left your mind. And no, it’s not because you “zoned out at the end of class” or “just didn’t get it”, it’s because you made the conscious decision not to practice while the concepts were still in your mind. Even though that miniscule gift of reprieve is pure unadulterated bliss, I humbly believe it must be forgone because of the block schedule’s Machiavellian wiles. And because of this iniquity, teachers are scorned with maligning remarks such as: “He/ she is such a bad teacher” or “You never taught us that” or my personal favorite “You pretty much have to teach yourself outside of class”. By having every class every day, you not only receive constant reinforcement and exposure when learning new subjects, but also have the opportunity to continue to build upon mastered concepts, all with the added bonus of a study hall or free period to knock out any assigned homework. Let’s take back our afternoons and nights, let’s use time at home to relax and study rather than stress over completing copious amounts of homework, and most importantly, let’s start by abolishing the block schedule. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Aiken, you uninspired hack, anyone can complain about school and its shortcomings; it’s easy. Are you at least going to provide an alternative?” Well of course I am you faultfinding critic, you. What kind of sporadically contributing journalist would I be if I didn’t? But sadly, dearest reader, that piece is for another time.