Around the Block at CRLS

This week I toured Small Learning Community "C" with Dean Chris Saheed. We spent five to ten minutes in a variety of classes during Period 4 -- the last period of the day.

Block classes are new this year. Teachers spent last year learning how to teach in classes that are 30 minutes longer. They must get through the curriculum in half the year. They wrote new syllabi -- which will soon be available on the web. It is all supposed to lead to better teaching and learning.

In Physics First, a freshman class, the teacher began with a brain teaser: What experiences more air resistance: a feather or an elephant? What if the feather is big and the elephant is small?

In an AVID elective, 10th graders chosen for their potential to go to college, were going over the "rubrics" of how they would be graded in the class -- whether they were tardy, completed homework assignments and how well they were following basic tips of the class like finding "study buddies" and seeking out teachers for help.

In an Honors Biology course, 11th graders were looking at slides -- slices of onion, cheek cells etc. -- under microscopes, to answer questions.

Upstairs on the 5th floor, seniors were taking a humanities course called "Identities" for college credit.

Back on the first floor, a half dozen juniors and seniors were working in the "virtual high school" corresponding with teachers through the internet, studying music criticism, U.S. history in Vietnam and an assortment of other electives not offered by CRLS.

How do the students like the block? Most say they do. It's less stressful keeping track of work for four classes instead of seven. There are fewer transitions to make. The day goes by faster.

Teachers will continue training for the block this year. Other kinks still need to be worked out. Some classes are too large, like the Spanish I class we saw, and need to be split. Space could still be better organized. Better signage is in the works.

It certainly looks like a productive place where a wide variety of learning is going on.