We Need More Time! Elementary Schedules That Support The .

We Need More Time!Elementary Schedules ThatSupport the PLC ProcessBecky DuFourbeck.dufour@gmail.comParameters forCollaborative Time Cannotkeep the kids at home Cannot increase costs Cannot significantly impact instructionaltimeRebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.1

REPRODUCIBLEMaking Time for CollaborationThe issue of finding time for collaboration has been addressed effectively—and often—in theprofessional literature and is readily available for those who are sincerely interested in exploringalternatives. The National Staff Development Council alone has addressed the issue hundreds oftimes in its publications, and the www.allthingsplc.info website lists over 150 schools that havecreated time for teachers to collaborate in ways that don’t require the school to be shut down,don’t cost money, and don’t result in significant loss of instructional time. The following strategiesdo not form a comprehensive list; rather, they illustrate some of the steps schools and districtshave taken to create the prerequisite time for collaboration.Common PreparationBuild the master schedule to provide daily common preparation periods for teachers of thesame course or department. Each team should then designate one day each week to engage incollaborative, rather than individual, planning.Parallel SchedulingSchedule common preparation time by assigning the specialists (physical education teachers,librarians, music teachers, art teachers, instructional technologists, guidance counselors, foreignlanguage teachers, and so on) to provide lessons to students across an entire grade level at thesame time each day. The team should designate one day each week for collaborative planning.Some schools build back-to-back specials classes into the master schedule on each team’sdesignated collaborative day, thus creating an extended block of time for the team to meet.Specials teachers must also be given time to collaborate.Adjusted Start and End TimeGain collaborative time by starting the workday early or extending the workday one dayeach week. In exchange for adding time to one end of the workday, teachers get the time backon the other end of that day. For example, on Tuesdays, the entire staff of Adlai Stevenson HighSchool in Lincolnshire, Illinois, begins their workday at 7:30 am rather than the normal 7:45 a.m.start time. From 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., the entire faculty engages in collaborative team meetings.Classes, which usually begin at 8:05 a.m., are delayed until 8:30 a.m. Students who can arrangefor their own transportation arrive to school then. Buses run their regular routes so that noparent is inconvenienced and deliver students to the school at 7:40 a.m. Upon their arrival theyare supervised by administrative and noninstructional staff in a variety of optional activities (suchas breakfast, library and computer research, open gym, study halls, and tutorials) until classesbegin. To make up for the twenty-five minutes of lost instructional time, five minutes is trimmedfrom five of the eight fifty-minute class periods. The school day ends at the usual time (3:25 inthe afternoon), and again buses run on their regular schedules. Because they began work fifteenminutes early (7:30 rather than 7:45), Stevenson teachers are free to leave fifteen minutes earlierthan the normal conclusion of their workday (3:30 rather than 3:45). By making these minoradjustments to the schedule one day each week, the entire faculty is guaranteed an hour ofcollaborative planning without extending their workday or workweek by a single minute.2Adapted from DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many,Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd ed., pp. 125–127) 2006, 2010 Solution Tree Press49

Rebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.3Specials1:25 – 2:10Music, Art, P.E.,Library, Writing45 minutesScience/SocialStudies2:10 – 3:0050 minutesScience/SocialStudies2:30 – 3:0030 minutesMath12:15 – 1:2570 minutesLunch/Recess11:25 – 12:1550 minutesIntervention Team10:20 – 11:00Reading/Writing8:50 – 11:25155 minutesFirst GradeMath1:15 – 2:3075 minutesLunch/Recess12:15 – 1:1560 minutesIntervention Team11:25 – 12:25Reading/Writing10:40 – 12:25105 minutesSpecials9:55 – 10:40Music, Art, P.E.,Library, Writing45 MinutesReading/Writing8:50 – 9:5060 minutesKindergartenScience/SocialStudies2:30 – 3:0030 minutesIntervention Team1:00 – 1:40Reading12:40 – 2:30110 minutesLunch/Recess11:50 – 12:4050 minutesSpecials11:00 – 11:45Music, Art, P.E.,Library, Writing45 minutesWriting10:15 – 11:0045 minutesMath8:50 – 10:1585 minutesSecond GradeScience/SocialStudies2:30 – 3:0030 minutesMath12:50 – 2:30100 minutesLunch/Recess12:00 – 12:5050 minutesIntervention Team11:15 – 12:00Specials2:15 – 3:00Music, Art, P.E.,Library, Writing45 minutesScience/SocialStudies1:45 – 2:1530 minutesIntervention Team12:45 – 1:45Math12:05 – 1:45100 minutesLunch/Recess11:15– 12:0550 inutesIntervention Team9:40 – 10:20Reading/Writing8:50 – 11:15154 minutesSpecials8:55 – 9:40Music, Art, P.E.,Library, Writing45 minutesReading/Writing9:40 - 12:00140 minutesFourth GradeThird GradeHighland Elementary SchoolMaster ScheduleIntervention Team1:40 – 2:20Reading/Writing12:45 – 3:00135 minutesSpecials11:50 – 12:45Music, Art, P.E.,Library, Writing55 minutesLunch/Recess11:00– 11:5050 minutesIntervention Team9:00 – 9:30Science/SocialStudies10:30 – 11:0030 minutesMath8:50 – 10:30100 minutesFifth Grade

4Rebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.Planning5th Grade MathFourth GradeFirst GradeThird GradeLunchPlanningSecond GradeFifth GradePlanning9:00 – 9:30 am9:40 – 10:20 am10:20 – 11:00 am11:15 – 12:00 pm12:00 – 12:30 pm12:30 – 1:00 pm1:00 – 1:40 pm1:40 – 2:20 pm2:25 – 3:00 pmPlanningFifth GradeSecond GradeFirst Grade MathLunchThird GradeFirst GradeFourth GradeWhitthausPapallo/CaseyIntervention TeamDaily SchedulePlanningFifth GradeSecond GradePlanningLunchThird GradeFirst GradeFourth Grade5th Grade MathHealy/Key12:45 – 1:45Fourth Grade Math11:25 – 12:25KindergartenChapman/Lee

Tuesday. --Rebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.3FAfternoon announcements and student dismissalInstructional staff :153J3D3FI3F3D3J3F3D3J3F3J3D 3DScienceMathLanguage Arts–Social 2:20–1:153D3J 11:45–12:153DFriday3J3J3FLIB COM GUI PE LIB COM GUI MUS PE LIB COM GUI MUS ART PE LIB COM GUI ART PE,9:55–11:459:25–9:55PE-MUS-LIB COM de Master Schedule for Instruction. -8:00–8:15 Teacher work day begins.8:15–8:40 Students arrive (breakfast, morning work, take-in procedures).8:40–8:50 Tardy bell, morning announcements, instructional day beginsMonday-I5

6--WednesdayThursdayRebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.Afternoon announcements and student dismissalInstructional staff 2:203:00–3:10Math12:50–1:501-J 1-R 1-HLunchSocial Studies1-H 1-R 1-J12:10–12:4511:30–12:051-H 1-R1-J1-H1-R 1-J1-H 1-RSocial Studies1-J1-H1-R 1-JLIB COM GUI ART PE10:50–11:25LIB COM GUI MUS ART PELIB COM GUI PELIB COM GUI MUS PESPECIALSLIB COM GUI MUS PESmall-Group Guided Reading / Intervention and EnrichmentWhole-Class Language Arts / Morning Snack10:00–10:3010:30–10:50Small-Group Guided Reading / Intervention and EnrichmentFriday9:30–10:00Whole-Class Language ArtsTeacher work day begins.Students arrive (breakfast, morning work, take-in procedures).Tardy bell, morning announcements, instructional day beginsTuesdayFirst-Grade Master Schedule for ��8:50Monday-

Intervention and Enrichment Schedule8:20–8:50 a.m.Fifth grade8:50–9:20 a.m.Fourth grade9:30–10:30 a.m.First grade10:30–11:30 a.m.Kindergarten11:40 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Third grade12:15–1:00 p.m.:Lunch/planning1:00–1:30 p.m.Second grade1:30–2:00 p.m.:*Additional time K–5(by request)2:00–2:30 p.m.Fifth grade2:30–3:00 p.m.Record keeping/planning*If students in your grade level need additional intervention time, please see theprincipal. (When no classes are scheduled, tutors utilize time for Remedial RecordKeeping, creating new centers for Pod, and assisting students and teachers withrequested tasks.)Rebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.7

Hi Becky,A team from my school went to your workshop in . Next Thursday thebuilding principal, two lead teachers, and the literacy specialist are gettingtogether to create our master schedule. We're extremely nervous about beingable to create a schedule that is conducive to creating Professional LearningCommunities with grade level meetings, common planning times, andIntervention/enrichment time periods that fits into the teacher contract. We'rea K-5 school with 214 students. We have the following stipulations:8:25am Teachers get to school (kids start coming at this time too)8:40am School starts- Teachers need a 15 minute break "mid-morning"- Teachers need a 45 minute planning period five days a week- Teachers need a 30 minute uninterrupted/duty free lunch- All students need to eat lunch in the multipurpose room within a one hourtime period (to permit a timely cleaning of the room to be used for PE)Currently half the kids eat from 12-12:30 and the other half from 12:30-1.3:10pm School ends3:25pm Teachers leaveI've searched www.allthingsplc.info and could not find any schools with astudent population less than 250. I did email all elementary school principalswith fewer than 500 students and asked for them to send me their schedules.If you have any feedback that may help us, it would be greatly appreciated.Best,2008 - 2009 Schedule For Specials Instruction:MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridayPE ART LIB PE ART -LIBaCOM PE MUS LIB PE-LMUSCLIBPE ARTMUSCOM-'8:25 - 9:00'I-9:00 - 9:459:55 - 10:40,1R---1M1R----1M------1R1M ---1L1R,------------- --c-r--1I,- t11-1MI----1:30 - 2:158-I1:15 - 2:002:15 - 3:00,----,- -r---t,-----------1:00 - 1:451:45 - 2:252:10 - 3:00I-----,11:05 - 11:5012:00 - 1:15-1Ra-L'! II1MC1M1RRebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.

Master Schedule Planning DocumentSchedule Priorities Blocks of protected time for teaching and learning in all subjectsIntervention and enrichment block for all grade levelsCollaborative planning for all teamsIndividual planning for all instructional staffRequirements according to Standards of Accreditation1. Annual instructional time required is 990 hours.2. Seventy-five percent of time will be given to instruction in English, math,science, and history–social science.3. Additional instructional time will be given to students each day who are notprogressing in essential language arts and math skills. Enrichment will begiven to students who are meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.4. Our district recommends a minimum of 90 minutes per day of reading and 60minutes of math instruction.5. Students must have a minimum of 150 minutes per week of either physicaleducation class or structured wellness activities.Specials by Grade Level and Semester (Number per week)K (0)1 (2)2 (2)3 (2)4 (2)5 111119Rebecca DuFour, “We Need More Time!” presentation, PLC at Work InstituteDuFour, DuFour, Eaker. Solution Tree 2011. solution-tree.comDo not duplicate.