EDAM 5305 Chapter 8

1. EDAM 5305Chapter 8 Committing to a Learning-Centered Schedule

2. Scheduling • A crucial aspect of school effectiveness and plays am important role in delivering a quality curriculum • It is the mechanism by which resources are allocated – time, space and personnel • They who control the schedule control the school’s resources • A crucial element in instructional design and redesign.

3. Characteristics of a Learning Centered Schedule • Maximizes instructional time • Facilitates professional growth • Reflects grouping practices • Gives teachers a teachable situation • Is flexible and learning oriented • Is responsive to the needs of students and teachers

4. The Nature of a Learning Centered Schedule • Some are contradictory • The scheduling making process is essentially a negotiation of trade-offs that results in the best combination of several compromises • High schools face more challenging constraints

5. Maximizing Instructional Time • First and most important characteristic • Non instructional time should be kept to a minimum • Teachers teach differently – some may give more time to specific activities - Intrusive behaviors such as calling students from class, shortening class time, assemblies, dismissing early, etc. should be kept to a minimum

6. Facilitating Professional Growth • Teachers need more time for planning and professional growth • Teachers need time for collaborative planning

7. Reflecting Healthy Group Practices • Tracking • Between class grouping • Within class grouping

8. Summary of the Research on Ability Grouping • Curriculum tracking has weaknesses • Ability grouping for the gifted seems effective • Motivation is present for high ability students • Heterogeneity poses special problems for teachers • Heterogeneous between class grouping achieves better results • Within class grouping most effective in math

9. Providing a Teachable Situation • A teachable situation includes the following elements: • Class size is manageable • The ability range is not to extreme • Teachers are teaching in the area for which they have prepared • Teachers have access to good facilities, materials, and equipment • Students are not disruptive

10. Providing Flexibility in Using Time • The best schedules serve the requirements of the teaching/learning transaction • In most schools, learning is controlled by the schedule

11. Types of Schedules • Modular schedules • Block of time schedules • Rotating period schedules • The six day cycle

12. Responding to Personal Needs • Reminder that students and teachers are human beings • Consideration should be given to them. They need time to relax, eat and take care of personal needs.

13. Collective Action for Learning Centered Schedules • 1. How shall we organize the program of studies, grade by grade? • 2. How shall we assign students to this program of studies? • 3. By what processes shall we staff for this program of studies? • 4. What type of schedule can give the instructional staff the flexibility they need?

14. Collective Action (cont’d) • 5. How should time allocated to the several subjects? • 6. By what processes can space be allocated for maximum learning? • 7. How can the personal needs of students and teachers be accommodated?

15. How the Principal and Teachers Can Make More Effective Use of the Existing Schedule • The principal can work with the teachers • The principal and teachers can collaborate • The principal and teachers can extend learning time

16. Chapter Summary • Developing a learning centered schedule is an important function • Accomplished with active staff input • It protects instructional time • Considered a planning tool for curriculum and instructional design