A Reader Writes...

In response to the post, “Master Schedule," a reader writes:

“In high schools that are ineffective I have found maybe 1 in 20 teachers who can use (time) effectively. Giving these teachers more time at an early stage of a growth (improvement) process can be a real problem in my opinion. Once you get teachers capable of effectively utilizing 50 minutes, then I agree that a more time effecient schedule should be explored. At the early stages of change there seems to be a balance between effective and efficient that must be carefully monitored.”

The reader’s points are valid, but here is how I would address the specific situation that he has outlined. Except for the most aggressive principals, schedules are inflexible in the short-run, yet flexible in the long run. The time to train staff on new techniques and expectations is while operating under the old schedule. Beta test new strategies and procedures before the structural change. Then, when the new schedule is rolled out in the new academic year, the learning curve is less steep and staff is better position to succeed.

Again though, the schedule is never “the solution”, but it can be “the problem.” And no matter how you schedule it, poor instruction remains poor instruction.

Think. Work. Achieve.

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