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Football Will Drive School Reform
by Mark Brumley


Bell schedules have not changed very much in the last hundred years. Sure we have block, modified block and all sorts of other configurations. However, students still process through a series of classes starting in the morning and end somewhere around 3:00PM. Learning happens at a specific time and stops when the bell rings. After school, all sorts of extra-curricular activities occur. I remember going to school all day and having marching band practice for two hours after school. I always wished there was a different Football Teamway to schedule school.

What if football coaches learn that we can now have class anytime, anywhere and decide football practice should not start at 3:30PM? I think this could easily happen. With online and blended learning a whole new opportunity arises for athletics and all extra-curricular activities. Classes no longer need to be at specific times so the traditional schedule can be drop-kicked. 

Let’s say you’re a football coach. You may decide you want practice to be from 8:00 - 10:00. Then the school schedule is built around this. I’m from Texas so the school schedule being built around football is a likely reality. Now with football in place, all extra-curricular activities follow suit and are scheduled in a large morning block. A few traditional classes are scheduled in a small time slot mid-morning and then a blended learning block in the afternoon. Students highly involved in athletics and other activities may choose to take most of their courses online in the evening. 

I think the explosion of online learning will transform traditional bell schedules and I wouldn’t be surprised if athletics leads the charge. Sure, scheduling is only part of educational reform but it is definitely a key element. Send this link to your athletic director and see what they think.

 

 

 

About Mark

Mark Brumley is an educational technology leader, presenter and professional development facilitator who has lived and worked around the globe in his commitment to provide authentic learning experiences to enhance the education of 21st Century learners. Mark is Community Manager for the Teacher Experience Exchange, http://www.hp.com/go/teacherexperience. You can contact him at mark@markbrumley.com and follow on Twitter, @markbrumley and @HPTeachExchange.

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