Book Description

This book investigates school schedules by examining the use of time at the middle level and discussing strategies that schools may use to provide greater flexibility to the school day. Eleven specific scheduling models are presented and described. Complementing the models is a discussion of the factors that propel a school's investigation of alternative schedules. The manual views time as a resource and discusses ways to empower teachers to use time to make decisions. It also considers the role that adolescence plays in schedules and presents tips on how to schedule activities with this in mind. The text examines the importance of scheduling, outlines some scheduling myths, and explores the "block-time" schedule at length, considering its advantages and disadvantages for administrators, teachers, and students. Some block-time models are provided. Other kinds of schedules that are considered include alternate day, rotating, and dropped schedules. The booklet explores ways to get started on scheduling reform, offering details on planning steps, whether or not to use a computer, simulations, building the schedule, the uses of singletons and doubletons, staffing decisions, and selecting staff members. The text concludes with strategies for manipulating the schedule by challenging regularities, focusing on students, and starting small. (RJM)