Making Creative Schedules Work in Middle and High Schools

Use creative scheduling strategies to improve student-teacher relationships and promote more positive learning experiences!

Today's schools are responding to the pressing need for positive student-teacher relationships that promote successful learning and prevent dropouts and violence. To meet this challenge, many secondary schools are reorganizing around smaller schools or "houses" and structuring longer blocks of learning time.

Authors Elliot Y. Merenbloom and Barbara A. Kalina provide a step-by-step process for leaders and school teams focused on restructuring to promote more meaningful interaction between teachers and students. Through troubleshooting know-how, short real-life case stories, and detailed decision-making and planning charts, this roll-up-your-sleeves working handbook:

• Offers a thorough presentation of restructuring options with advantages and disadvantages of multiple models
• Walks leaders and teams through the decision-making and solution-building processes
• Presents instructional formats and strategies that maximize the benefits of restructured schedules
• Discusses how to prepare and communicate with students and parents about changes

This practical, user-friendly book helps teachers, school leaders, curriculum developers, and administrators fashion a vision that nurtures positive learning experiences and strengthens student achievement.

• Charts that detail advantages and disadvantages of each model
• A step-by-step process that guides leaders and teams through the construction of a new schedule
• Practical implementation and trouble-shooting know-how
• Models and strategies for longer instructional blocks
• Short case stories with real problem-to-solution scenarios