FROM RAMPART
START , BENCH , CUT : FORDHAM PREP ’ S BLOCK SCHEDULE EDITION
Breaking down the positives and negatives of Fordham Prep ’ s new hybrid block schedule from the perspective of the student
By Charlie Morris ’ 22
COVID-19 concerns prompted Fordham Prep to institute a new block schedule model to limit the amount of time students spend in the narrow hallways between classes . Block scheduling had always been an idea thrown around faculty and staff meetings due to the advantages it brings . The amount of time in class doubled from 40 minutes to 80 , transition time increased from four minutes to ten , and AM and PM attendance have been temporarily halted .
There are many new aspects to the block schedule model . Some have been great successes , while others have been less celebrated . After a semester of unofficial polling of my fellow Rams and teachers , I understand where many stand on this issue . The ones that students have received the best will be ‘ started ’, while the least liked will be ‘ cut ’, and those in the middle will be ‘ benched ’. “ Start , Bench , Cut ” is a sports analogy which ranks three items from best ( the one who would start in their lineup ), to worst ( the one who would be cut from the team ).
Start : Class meets every other day Prior to block scheduling , every class met almost every day of the schoolyear , save cycling out . This caused homework for every subject to occur every night . Students would then usually have one night to complete their assignments before returning to class the next day and receiving more for that night . With the new block schedule , all classes only meet every other day , which means that the homework load is cut in half .
Bench : 80 minute classes The sacrifice for not meeting with every subject daily is that the times when most 80-minute blocks are designed so that the entirety is spent in one class ( emulating two 40-minute periods on two separate days ). Sitting in one place for over an hour does not always breed the best results . Still , a worthy sacrifice according to many .
Cut : 2-hour science lab periods Due to the makeup of the new model , an extra period for a science lab coincides with normal 80-miute blocks to create a dreadfully long 130 minute commitment . No matter the subject , sitting in one place for that length of time is unproductive by the end . Some teachers in the department brainstormed solutions , such as creating an asynchronous assignment for the last forty minutes or giving extended break time .
Start : Track system Fordham Prep has one of the best hybridmodel systems that allows students to experience face-to-face learning as much as possible . Rams can choose to attend in-person classes four out of six days in a cycle or stay home full-time if they wish . Going to school 67 % of the time is pretty close to normalcy , a relief for many students . The other 33 % is spent at home , which has improved over the course of a quarter as faculty learn the most effective way to integrate their remote kids into each lesson .
Bench : Mandatory Study Hall Study hall is not a new concept to school , but it is to Fordham Prep . It was created to limit the amount of people in the commons or intramural gym at one time , which is exactly what it is accomplishing . Obviously it is not ideal to completely eliminate the gym space and turn it into a huge array of desks , but it needed to be done . Study hall provides a unique opportunity for students to get their work done instead of procrastinating , which is better for their long-term success .
Cut : Always Remote for Class Last but not least is to be cut from the model is consistently being remote for a class . Subjects that only meet once a cycle in usual years , including Phys Ed , Guidance , and Mentoring , are not favored in the new block schedule model . For example , I meet with all three of those aforementioned subjects exclusively from home . If students are remote on C-Day and that is when their Guidance class meets , then they never get a chance to participate in a face-to-face class with their teacher . This has made is difficult for these teachers to create a personal relationship with some of their students . In Phys Ed , those in-person get to play sports outside while those at home are assigned an asynchronous workout . Changing this would benefit students and staff alike .
To read the article in its entirety , please visit fordhamprep . org / morris .
Note - The hybrid model for seniors and juniors was eliminated in February and March respectively . Both classes now attend school five days a week if they choose . Full remote is still an option for these classes .
8 RAMVIEW