Ask just about any teacher at McCallum what they think about this year’s new bell schedule, and you are likely to hear a complaint or silence, and for good reason: it’s terrible.
This year, we have fixed A days on Mondays and Wednesdays, fixed B days on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and alternating days on Fridays. Additionally, the timing of the classes are different with A days having a first period that’s almost two hours long; almost 15 minutes longer than first period on B days.
The alternating Fridays have proven to be both confusing and annoying. It might be one thing if they alternated evenly, but the erratic schedule (this October, we have three A-day Fridays in a row) just serves to confuse everyone. Additionally, for teachers who teach the same class across A and B days, it’s hard to keep track of which classes are ahead in the curriculum, which causes unnecessary stress for teachers that we students have witnessed firsthand.
It’s also hard to remember what you have learned if it’s a B-day week and you don’t go to your A-Day classes for four days in a row, and double B-days just mean less time to finish your homework for those classes. Finally, though we understand that it’s for the students in the campus-transfer program, the extra-long first period is a waste of time (few teachers have two hours worth of material for their classes) and the difference in class times over the two letter days just throws everyone off.
Don’t get us wrong; some of the changes from last year’s schedule are a great improvement. Having fixed days is a logical idea that clears up confusion; It is good never have to wonder what letter day it is after a particular holiday or some other similar event. It additionally benefits the students taking classes on other campuses or ACC classes. It seems to us, however, that in attempting to accommodate a small number of students in those particular programs, it has inconvenienced a much larger number of people.
Next school year, AISD definitely needs to reexamine its plan and try to find a better solution. One idea that might work is to make every Friday a C-day instead of having rotating Fridays. We know that most people hate C-days, but having fixed days has proven to be effective, and it would be a good way for students to leave school for the weekend with every class’s information freshly reviewed in their brain. The district also needs to find a way (perhaps by beginning a little earlier in the day) to unify the schedule across A and B days
Look, the bell schedule may not seem important in the grand scheme of things, but small things add up to big problems. We’ve seen how the new schedule has inconvenienced our teachers, and we’ve heard many students talking about how it’s made it just that much more difficult to stay on top of their classes. It’s a fixable problem, and AISD can definitely take this year’s experience to heart to ensure that next year’s schedule makes things easier for teachers and students just trying to do their jobs.
