the puzzlement of scheduling. this afternoon’s goals: to review the purpose of your schedule to...
TRANSCRIPT
The Puzzlement of Scheduling
This afternoon’s goals:
• To review the purpose of your schedule• To help you identify the unique factors at your school
that impact your schedule• To help you set priorities so that you can achieve the
purpose of your schedule• To explore options that will help you achieve this• To start building your schedule and involve your
teachers in schedule building
Intended Benefits of Today
• Introduce one thought process that can be used for scheduling.
• Get feedback and ideas from colleagues in similar situations
• Begin to practice the
process by building a
schedule.
The Main Thing is Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing:
• Master schedules should primarily benefit kids
• Teacher friendly schedules certainly can have beneficial impact on kids
• Ideally, we can meet both needs(but not always)
The Big Picture
• Factors
• Priorities
• Options
Each School Has Unique Factors:
“What are the cards I’ve been dealt?”
• Size of student population, • Number of teaching staff.• Required (core) classes• Flexibility of teachers to teach multiple subjects• Shared ES/HS/MS teachers• Additional programs/subjects outside of class
(assembly, advisory)• Grade configuration• Shared facilities for instruction• Facility capacity (lunchroom, shared classrooms)• Extension/support abilities/options
It’s all about Priorities
“What are my non-negotiables?”
Possible PrioritiesCommon planning time for departments or teamsKids mixing in classesHeterogeneous groupingsShared blocks for cross grade subjects (choir, band, languages, math)Teacher preps balancedTeacher assignments (vertical and horizontal articulation)
Some Framing Options/Considerations
• Block Schedule?• Mon- Friday Schedule?• Length and number of
periods per day?• Rotation?• Trimesters/Semesters?• Length of day cycle? (4
day, 6 day etc.)
Time to start building
For this exercise, there are two choices:
Start with what you have
Or
Go for what you want
Groups
Block Monday-Friday
Other
How to Begin:Step 1:Outline the grid on your table to resemble your schedule’s structure
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Period 7
Period 8
6A
6B
7A
7B
8A
8B
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri
6A
6B
7A
7B
8A
8B
Step 2:Color code your subjects
Math
Sci
LA
SS
PE
Art
Music
Drama
Health
Elec
Step 3: Label your tiles with teacher initials(note: the number of tiles per teacher= his/her
maximum teaching load)
PS PS PS PS PS
ET ET ET ET ET
MW MWMWMWMW
Pam Smith teaches 5 periods of math over a 2 day cycle
Earl Turko teaches 5 periods of math over a 2 day cycle
Mark Walsh teaches 5 periods of math over a 2 day cycle
How to Begin:Step 1:Outline the grid on your table to resemble your schedule’s structure
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Period 7
Period 8
PS MW Elec6A
6B
7A
7B
8A
8B
Until it looks something like this:
Begin with your priority list.Look at your factors. (what can I change, what can’t I change)Decide which option will meet your priorities and work with your factors.
Recapping Intended Benefits
Introducing one thought process that can be used for scheduling.
Get feedback and ideas from colleagues in similar situations
Begin to practice the process by building a schedule.