How to teach in block??
In the latest of our three different “scheduling committees”(administration is determined to keep forming committees until “we getit right”), virtually everyone on the committee, including those who areblock advocates, agreed that their experience has been, both fromobservation and from student reports, that no more work is done is ablock class — students are simply given twice as long to do the plannedwork. It would appear from some descriptions here that this phenomenonis not just local.Marilyn======================97/05 From-> “Helen V. Jones”
I teach 100 minute block classes and I much prefer the long class over the conventional 45-50 minute class. I will give an example of what I did to start out the year. As you get used to the longer time, you begin to incorporate many activities to keep the class focussed and on task: I. Roll: this will begin with the teacher giving examples of what she wants the students to produce. The first day could be various ways of saying who they are. They need to listen to each other because they are not allowed to repeat the way it was said by the person before them. (15-20 minutes). II. Introduce new concept. Teacher can do this by TPR, using the overhead, or whatever method is most useful. Give many examples and opportunity for the students to practice. Allow students to work on the new concept alone. Then allow them to get together to compare their work. This gives them opportunity to “teach” each other. Review the work as a class. I have the students write their answers on the board, one a
