High School Scheduling- Some Non-Traditional Options

Posted on February 5, 2008 
Filed Under Homeschool, Organization / Time Management, Records & Transcripts

When was the last time you thought about the best way to schedule your school days? Six subjects, one hour each per day, five days a week– ho hum. Maybe it’s time to ask some questions about scheduling!

Why are high school subjects scheduled like this?

When we were doing school with the boys, I often chose to use different scheduling styles. We found that while the daily style of scheduling was efficient for repetitive, rote subjects such as math, a college- or block-style schedule was often more interesting and effective for classes in the humanities. As they got older we would often choose to do history and literature on Monday and Wednesday; math and science on Tuesday and Thursday. Friday was for field trips and errands.

Another option is what a nearby military academy calls the “One Subject Plan.” They divide the school year into five seven-week terms, and during each term the students study only one subject. This intensely focused immersion style of learning is what we have used when we wanted to learn something independently. I have used it for academic, business, and home-centered subjects, and the boys have used it to learn about subjects ranging from the Civil War to classical music, computer programming, HVAC, and con-worlding. I would consider this type of scheduling to be related to delight-directed study or unit study scheduling.

Year-round schooling is another scheduling option that works well for many families. They choose to school for ten weeks on, three weeks off, or some variation, and it works quite effectively. This schedule adapts well to frequent travel or other unusual situations, and can help families keep a regular routine going all year, rather letting it all go for three months and having start fresh each fall.

Block scheduling or the one subject plan can allow time for students to immerse in a topic and get some serious work done. By the time students reach high school age, their brains are sufficiently well developed that they can easily skip a day– especially in subjects they enjoy– without forgetting material covered. The one-hour schedule, on the other hand, can be frustratingly short for subjects that would benefit from a longer period of concentration or practice.

The point of all this is to remind us all that we need to consider what works best with our family life and our student’s learning needs, rather than just doing what is traditional. After all, education is about thinking and purposeful planning!

Comments

6 Responses to “High School Scheduling- Some Non-Traditional Options”

  1. Beth Rockwell on February 7th, 2008 12:57 pm

    Dear Janice,
    I am the editor for the OCHEC quarterly newsletter. May we reprint your article on High School Scheduling? It is due out in April.

    Regards,
    Beth Rockwell
    OCHEC administrative assistant
    secretary@ochec.org
    519-773-3742

  2. Janice Campbell on February 7th, 2008 2:01 pm

    Dear Beth and others,

    If you’d like to reprint one of my articles, please add the following blurb at the bottom, and let me know where you plan to publish it. Thank you for reading the blog!

    Blurb for the end of reprinted articles:

    Janice Campbell, author of Get a Jump Start on College!, Transcripts Made Easy, and a forthcoming high school literature series, has been writing and speaking in central Virginia since the late 1980’s. Her four sons were homeschooled from kindergarten into college, using the principles she shares in her books, workshops, blog, and newsletter. Visit http://www.Janice-Campbell.com and http://www.Everyday-Education.com to read more!

  3. Penny Raine on February 16th, 2008 6:58 am

    We have always homeschooled year-round. It gives us flexilbility to pursue whatever the Lord gives us. I have found that everyttime a child is born in our home my daughters get real domestic and want to learn new things. The same thing comes with other experiences. So we really try to keep our schedule “Spirit-led”. That doesn’t mean we do less schoolwork, we probably really do more. God provides lots of opportunities to go down new rabbit trails of learning. The trick is to be able to see them and to seize the moment!
    blessings, Penny Raine
    http://www.pennyraine.com/blog

  4. kerugma » Blog Archive » SSSS on February 17th, 2008 5:21 pm

    [...] High School Scheduling- Some Non-Traditional Options by Janice Campbell. While you’re there have a look around Janice’s blog. You’ll find a ton of good and helpful information especially for high schoolers. [...]

  5. Michelle on April 2nd, 2008 11:52 am

    Dear Janice, I really like the idea of the “one subject plan” but was wondering a little more about it. I am assuming that the 5 terms are for the core subjects (math,english,history,science,reading) Am I right? How long would you recommend subjects are spent on in a day?
    Thank you for posting these High School options.

  6. Janice Campbell on April 2nd, 2008 4:53 pm

    Hi, Michelle-

    You’re right– the five terms are for core subjects. Under a normal schedule, you grant one Carnegie unit of credit for 120 hours of guided study (or one textbook completed). With a seven-week unit, you can put in 120 hours in less than four hours a day.

    Your students will usually love the idea, because it leaves a good bit of the day open for electives or other activities if they use their time wisely.

    Enjoy!

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