75 Minutes is a Long Time: Strategies for Teaching in the Intensive

Block
Introduction
As WRA moves to a fully independent curriculum and changes in scheduling
coincide, we have to also consider what class time looks like, for us as
teachers and for our students as learners. One of the opportunities afforded
by the move to 75-minute classes is a move towards a student-centered
learning experience. Intentionally designing each class, unit, semester, and
course to curate learning experiences that emphasize depth of
understanding is an ideal we can all work toward. My goal today is to start
a conversation about what practices work and dont work in terms of
instruction in the block. Id also like to suggest a venue for continuing to
share resources, ideas, and conversations beyond today. A very tangible
goal is that, by the end of this presentation, youll have framed your day
one of next school year.
Table Discussion (3-5 minutes)
Talk with your colleagues at your tables and reflect on your experiences
teaching in the 75-minute blocks. As a group come up with two advantages,
two challenges, and (if time allows) one question you collectively have with
regard to teaching in the block. Post your thoughts in the shared Google
Doc.
Frameworks for Designing Instruction in the Block (10-12 minutes)
Explanation, Application, Synthesis
One of the gurus of block scheduling is a former UVA professor, Robert
Canady. One way he proposes thinking about instruction within the
extended blocks uses Blooms Taxonomy to guide the structure of a class
into three (not equal in time allotment) parts:
Part I: Explanation
Part II: Application
Part III: Synthesis
Part I: Explanation
This phase of the instructional period builds a foundation of knowledge. The
teacher is in charge and using direct instruction to bring students along.
Students at this point are more passive, while the teacher (according to
popular lingo) is the sage on the stage. This mini-lecture, given a 75minute block, would typically be around 15-20 minutes.

Part II: Application

This is the heart of the class and that which requires thoughtful design on
the part of the instructor. Heres where students become workers, actively
trying to figure things out. Teachers become coaches or, as some would say,
guides on the side. The teacher facilitates the students learning and is in
active presence in what they do. Examples include, group work or individual
work on a project, laboratory investigation, writing workshops, web-based
application work, or Socratic Seminars. This portion of the class should be
the majority.
Part III: Synthesis
Take the last five or so minutes to crystallize the main elements of the days
lesson. Emphasize whats essential moving to tomorrow. Canady suggests 6
Rs for Synthesis:
Reflection: Ask students to respondon a Google Doc, on a notecard,
or with a partner to a question like What can I do with this
learning? or How can I personally use this? or What do I still not
understand? or Given todays lesson, what do I want to know?
Review: Example: Start homework in pairs for math. One person
works the problems, the other observes, checks, and comments on the
process.
Reteach: Based on your observation during the application process,
note what students are doing well and what needs work.
Recall for Next Class: Give a hook or lead in to the next class that is
provocative: Why did sales of ____________ plummet between the
years of 1992 and 1994?
Relevancy: Show applications beyond the classroom
Record Notes: Pull up a class Google Doc and together record
essential elements from the days lesson (great for students who
were absent).
Application, Explanation, Synthesis
Problem-based learning: present students with a phenomenon, have them
go through an experience, then offer an explanation for what theyve done
in terms of curricular learning.
Other Models
Doug Lemovs I/We/You
Whole Class, Small Group, Individual

Project-Based (Product-Based) Learning (3-5 minutes)

Project-based or Product-based learning fits well with the extended blocks,
allows students to collaborate and think creatively, and culminates in
students producing authentic products of learning. As you redesign
courses, consider looking more into PBL as a strategy for (1) engaging
students (2) encouraging risk and (3) curating opportunities to present and
share student work.
Buck Institute Project Library: https://www.bie.org/project_search
HTH Projects: http://www.hightechhigh.org/student-work/student-projects/
Big Takeaways

A paradigm shift to engage students to take ownership of their

learning.
More time requires more design.
Ask What are my students learning? more so than What am I
teaching?
Emphasize depth of learning.
Vary your instruction in every class.
Movement is important; make sure that students do not stay in one
place for 75 minutes.
PBL aligns well with intensive block scheduling.
Were probably not going to get every day right. Lets share
experiences and resources.
Application: Designing Day One (20 minutes)

Choose a course you will likely be teaching next year. It's day one of
that class next year. Instead of going over a syllabus or talking about
class rules, you want to deliver a classroom experience that captures
the essence of what the year will look like. What do you do? Think of
what you're doing and what the students are doing. How do you
structure the use of time. Do the students stay in the same place the
whole time or do they move around? Who is doing the majority of the
talking at each point in the class? How do you transition to day two?
[Not required but useful for all: Please type up your lesson and paste
it to the same shared Google Doc under the Day One heading.]
Heres a format to follow
Course youre teaching:
Topic youre covering:

Goals of the lesson:

Explanation (How do you present to students?):
Application (What do you design to engage students?):
Synthesis (What brings everything together?):
Synthesis
This conversation is a beginning; one way to continue is via the web. To that
end, please visit wrateaching.weebly.com for some resources regarding
strategies for teaching in the intensive block and project-based learning.
The website in current form contains videos, essays, and presentations Ive
culled from the web. I invite everyone to contribute to the site. Send me
questions, ideas, resources, lesson plansanything that you find or that you
developthat youd like to share with everyone regarding instruction in the
intensive blocks. E-mail me at rayd@wra.net and I will publish to the site.
Comments are enabled and you can comment on any existing or future
posts in order to continue this conversation asynchronously.