Block scheduling Math and Science

[Hunter's Moon]

Does anyone else do this?

 

I've been working with it these past few days and really enjoy it.

 

For math, I need to do 2 lessons a week. Each lesson breaks into about 2 days, and I hate stopping in the middle of a lesson and picking it up the next day, so I do about 90 mins to 2 hours every other day and I can get 1 lesson done a day. Then, Friday is makeup/review.

 

Science is the same way except I do 1/2 module a week. I do reading and OYO questions throughout the readings, and then on Fridays it is also makeup/review. Saturdays are lab days.

 

Before implementing this new schedule, I looked everywhere online to see if there was really anything wrong with blocking Math and Science, and while there were the occasional nay-sayers, I couldn't find anything actually, scientifically wrong with it, like my brain would turn to mush if I did Math every other day.

 

Does anyone else block Math and Science and have no troubles with it?

[Teachin'Mine]

If it's working - that's great! I think that most discourage from blocking math by doing the course in half a year. Doing it the way you are should be fine. My dd is doing one of her science texts in half a year as she finds it easier to do a lesson a week rather than spread it out over two weeks.

[creekland]

I agree that what you are doing is fine. What hurts students is when they rush to complete something in half a year (maybe understanding, maybe not), then drop it and try to pick it up 8 months later. This is the way block scheduling works in our high school and it's the pits academically for math. I don't particularly like it for science either. Teachers, students, parents, and the admin all love it, so we're not going to be changing... It's not of a big concern to them how much actually gets learned and remembered. Their biggest kudo is, "less work."

 

Keeping your mind fresh by working on things every other day should do just fine. I let my boys pick and choose when they want to do things and they don't do everything daily either. But, they do keep working on their subjects throughout the whole school year (except for community college classes). IMO you need both quality and quantity/duration of time (usually) to fully understand a subject.

[regentrude]

We use this for all subjects, but my kids get to choose how long they want to work on a topic - so some days, DD will do three hours of physics (because she finds it effective to do the homework right after lecture), and some days only 50 minutes. Same with math - some days 45 minutes is enough for her, some days, she works for two hours.

It averages out over a month.

I agree with creekland's assessment: even with block scheduling, continuity throughout the year is important.

[swimmermom3]

My dd was in the school system until this year which is her senior year. She is used to doing math every other day. Since it is not her favorite subject, she liked that arrangement. Now that she is home, she does math every day. While it hasn't increased her fondness for math, she says it has made it much easier to keep her momentum and to make steady progress. The amount of time she works will vary with the size of lesson.

[jld]

If it's working - that's great! I think that most discourage from blocking math by doing the course in half a year. Doing it the way you are should be fine. My dd is doing one of her science texts in half a year as she finds it easier to do a lesson a week rather than spread it out over two weeks.

 

Dd likes it this way, too, as the modules can get boring if they're too drawn out.

 

Which sciences is your dd taking this year?

[Teachin'Mine]

Dd likes it this way, too, as the modules can get boring if they're too drawn out.

 

Which sciences is your dd taking this year?

 

Hi JLD!!! :)

 

She's doing the Apologia Physics this first semester along with Saxon physics which will take most of the rest of the year to complete. She may do the Apologia Advanced Physics this year, or we may save that for next year. Her course work right now is pretty math intensive, so it might be better to wait.

 

How about your dd - which sciences?

[Joan in GE]

I think that most discourage from blocking math by doing the course in half a year.

 

My son is just finishing up Precalc done on block scheduling, and is about to start Calc. I know my brothers school does it that way for physics and I thought for math too. I hadn't read about negatives for doing it this way. Could you delineate?

 

Thanks,

Joan

[jld]

Well, she's doing Phys I, Chem II, and Bio II (anat and phys) from Apologia. I thought she would do physics from Saxon first, but we just decided on a lark to do Apol. first. She's really enjoying her science studies, though they are certainly challenging. She especially loves the anat & phys course.

 

Thanks for asking, and a blessed Thanksgiving to you!:)

[kiana]

My son is just finishing up Precalc done on block scheduling, and is about to start Calc. I know my brothers school does it that way for physics and I thought for math too. I hadn't read about negatives for doing it this way. Could you delineate?

 

Thanks,

Joan

 

The problem with blocking math is not with completing the course in half a year (many are able to do so) but that if it is not followed by another math course, retention decreases drastically with an 8 month gap rather than a 4 month gap. If the plan is two math courses per year, it's just fine! If the plan is one per year, I'd recommend strongly against it.

[Joan in GE]

Thanks kiana!

 

Joan

[Teachin'Mine]

Well, she's doing Phys I, Chem II, and Bio II (anat and phys) from Apologia. I thought she would do physics from Saxon first, but we just decided on a lark to do Apol. first. She's really enjoying her science studies, though they are certainly challenging. She especially loves the anat & phys course.

 

Thanks for asking, and a blessed Thanksgiving to you!:)

 

Wow! That is truly impressive!!! Good for her!!! :)

 

Since I posted, it's looking like we're going to be dropping the Saxon physics until next year. With the two sciences at once, and the math, it's taking a big chunk of time. I thought we'd just stick with physics this year, but dd wants to do the basic chemistry after the physics. We'll see what happens in a few weeks though. :lol: High school plans are definitely not carved in stone. :)

 

Thank you! I hope you have/had a wonderful Thanksgiving too! :)

[Teachin'Mine]

The problem with blocking math is not with completing the course in half a year (many are able to do so) but that if it is not followed by another math course, retention decreases drastically with an 8 month gap rather than a 4 month gap. If the plan is two math courses per year, it's just fine! If the plan is one per year, I'd recommend strongly against it.

 

 

Kiana's got it exactly right. The way you're doing it Joan is just fine! :)

[jld]

TM, did your dd do Bio I last year? I'm just curious about how you decided to go with physics before chem. All ears here . . . :)

[Teachin'Mine]

TM, did your dd do Bio I last year? I'm just curious about how you decided to go with physics before chem. All ears here . . . :)

 

No she hasn't done any bio. Physics just seemed like the natural follow up to physical science. I had read quite a bit on this board about the physics, chem, bio sequence and it made sense to me. I remember being very confused about how things fit together when I had done the usual bio, chem, physics sequence in high school. From my experience, I thought chem before bio would be good and physics before that even better. She has the math requirements, so we decided to go this route.

 

BTW I think that doing Apologia physics before Saxon is a good idea. The science behind the math is explained very well in Apologia and will be great to have before Saxon which is more math intensive.