By: Kennedy Corbin
Oak Creek High School introduced block scheduling at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year in hopes of providing a more efficient learning environment for both students and teachers.
With the switch to the block schedule format, classroom time has increased from 50 minutes to 83 minutes. Some say this created more focused learning, more time to complete homework, and more time for teacher assistance.
“I do think block scheduling has helped me a lot,” said sophomore Nathan Schopt. “I get my work done this year in class more than before.”
Though many students like getting their work done during class, many students are struggling to make the adjustment, especially seniors who have spent their three previous years with a traditional 8-period class schedule.
“It feels like everything is condensed, and we’re all rushing to keep up with the curriculum,” stated Alex Ulloa. “I feel like I’m going to start falling behind on some of my classes because of this decision to have block scheduling.”
In addition to the condensed curriculum, teachers also worry about keeping their students active and engaged in their coursework.
“Teachers now have less time with students over the course of the semester so we have to try and fit all of the same material into less time,” commented OCHS business teacher Mr. Horner. “We as teachers have to be more intentional about how we break up the class to keep students engaged in the content for 80 minutes.”
Block scheduling is new and change is something everyone has to adapt to. This isn’t a “one all be all” solution. Students and teachers will need to work together to create a positive and productive learning environment.
Sword and Shield 