Bell to Bell

There is no shortage of issues facing educators or bloggers. NCLB? Budget shortfall? Class size? Exit exams?

Today, I delve into mysterious world of Instructional Minutes. (Do you hear the spooky Vincent Price music in the background?)

Try to find clear and specific information regarding instructional minutes online and you'll spend time clicking through references such as the state's FAQ, and the "specific requirements" as part of the School Accountability Report Card (SARC).

The Specific Requirements are noted as: "The total number of instructional minutes offered in the school    year, separately stated for each grade level, as compared to the  total number of the instructional minutes per school year that are required by state law, separately stated for each grade level." (64,800 for 9-12, I believe)

In true bureaucratic fashion, information is obscured forcing schools to scramble to meet minutes requirements with arduous bell schedules.

What time do your students go to bed? Do they work? Do they play sports? Is adding additional instructional minutes helping our students? Are they suddenly better educated? Or are the additional minutes the wrong kind of fix.

Our class sizes, for example, are capped. My sophomore classes have about 30 students in each from 36 last year (I am below class cap due to several students leaving for the alternative schools). I can tell you there is a difference. Thirty-six to 33 to 30, there is a difference. These are still not small classes, but cramming kids into classes isn't helping them learn.

Moreover, school conditions affect student learning. Local High School in Nearby Bay Area City has boarded up windows. Its teachers opted to take on a sixth period to keep class sizes down. How do you create a safe environment for students when there is no light, no beauty, no life in their environment? How do you make them feel they have value and potential? Local High School isn't the only school with such conditions. Fremont High School in Oakland

Adding minutes isn't the answer. I believe in the impossible -- a school system that doesn't fund its schools based on local property taxes but funds based on needs.

Oh my, I went on a rant. Maybe my department meeting went too long?

Comments

[The Social Guy]

Really good article. There are lots of things we can do to improve student learning. More time is not on the top of my list. Your article inspired my on posting this week on my blog. Thanks

[Lisa]

This is my first blog experience and I have to say your topics caught my eye and I hope to continue reading about your experiences as an educator. I just wanted to add that I agree the environment and student learning are so closely related and I wonder how each student is affected differently by the classroom environment in which they are learning.