The topic of WY possibly changing to a block schedule has been discussed for the past several years. However, it seems as though this year, there is more push to get it passed. Many high schools around the city already have a block schedule, and it looks a little bit different at each school. Essentially, we would only have 4 classes each day, and each class would be for a longer “block” of time, usually 90 minutes. Personally, I think that instilling a block schedule at WY would be a great thing, and here is why:

Starting with the obvious, we would get two days to complete our homework. Since we will not have the class the very next day, it would give us more time to get our work done, so that we do not feel rushed. A lot of the times, we quickly complete our homework because we know that it is due the next day, without the information actually soaking in. With a block schedule, it allows us time to pace ourselves and get our work done in a time frame that works best for our schedules. If you know you have something after school on Monday, you don’t have to worry much because you’d also have Tuesday night to complete it.

With the class periods being longer, we can actually have meaningful discussions in class. We have all been in great class discussions at one point or another in a class that was ruined by the bell ringing. Or sometimes, there is no time to have a discussion about material at all because we only have a short amount of time. By giving us 90 minutes instead of 50, we would have time to dissect and reflect on what we are learning. The downside to that, as many teachers worry about, is that our attention spans will not last that long. “90 minutes does seem like a long time to spend in one classroom, but this would be the only downside to the block schedule,” Kyra McGee ‘18 said when discussing the matter. Also, teachers, you might have to make your classes just a tad bit more interesting in order for this to work.

Finally, I am imagining that we will have each class twice a week, but that leaves one day that we will not have class. At Lindblom Math and Science Academy, a school with the block schedule, they leave a portion of Wednesday’s up to the discretion of the student’s. The students can choose to take fun classes, including swimming, cooking, dancing, and so much more. They can explore different skills that they may not necessarily get inside a classroom. They also offer tutoring or study hall as an option. “If students are struggling in a particular subject, they can use their free time on Wednesday to get extra help and spend time with the teacher,” says Jeya Price ‘20. This ensures success in classes.

With a pending block schedule at WY, there are so many different things to consider. In summation, block schedules would be a positive thing for the WY students and should be installed next year. We have many other CPS schools to model off of, so the transition will be smooth. Block schedules can be just the change that WY needs.