The 4×4 schedule began in the 2022-2023 school year and has continued into the 2023-2024 school year. With the school year coming to an end, many students and staff have very different opinions or thoughts regarding the schedule they prefer.
When interviewed, students expressed their feelings regarding which schedule has benefited them more.
“A/B is more beneficial because 4×4 is compressed and students get lost easily. If a 4×4 day is missed your academic career is practically over,” said Evan Ramiro, an 11th grader at Tallwood High School.
Following this statement another Tallwood student responded, giving her personal experience.
“A/B classes benefited me more when I was just a regular student who wanted to stay on a normal schedule for an advanced diploma, but 4×4 benefited me more when I was trying to graduate early and needed to get all my classes done quickly,” said Summer Oden, a senior at Tallwood High School
With two different responses, a staff member gives his thoughts from a teacher’s point of view.
“It’s tricky; in many cases, it’s the A/B schedule, but the benefit of the 4×4 is that, when we go from one term to the next, I can copy and paste a lot of my materials which makes it a lot easier, whereas A/B it’s the entire year there’s constant things, and I don’t get to recycle anything until next year,” said Mr. David Paine, an English teacher at Tallwood High School.
Next, students explain how they feel about the different schedules and what schedule they would rather have.
“I don’t like the 4×4 schedule. I only take 4×4 classes and all my friends take A/B classes. I feel they’re getting more ahead than I am while taking these classes daily. I also feel they get a quicker and better education,” said Rue Winkelsas, a 10th grader at Tallwood High School.
In addition to this statement, a Tallwood student also expresses his opinion relating to Winklesas’
“I like A/B classes better because I get a break between each day. Let’s say there is a hard class on an A-day, the next day, which is a B-day, there is time to regain composure and calm down,” said Ramiro.
Relating to Ramiro’s statement a student conveys her preference on the two schedules.
“I like the A/B schedule better because it gives me space and time between classes to complete work. It’s also a full-year class, so I don’t have to meet new people throughout the year,” said Chloe Utley, an 11th grader at Tallwood High School.
Contrary to the statements above a Tallwood student expressed her opinion regarding the schedule.
“I like the 4×4 schedule better than I like the A/B schedule, I think it is easier for me to comprehend what I am learning because I have the same class every day, I’m meeting with the same teachers every day making sure I won’t get confused as much, and I’ll be able to ask as many questions as I need to,” said Oden.
When interviewed, staff expressed their feelings regarding the schedules and what schedule they prefer.
“I think there are pros and cons to both schedules,” said Ms. Jamie Friedman, a science teacher at Tallwood High School.
Another staff member explains his feelings toward the schedules.
“I slightly prefer the A/B schedule because things can be stretched out over a longer period of time, and students can have more time to digest the information. With the 4×4 schedule oftentimes units will be over in as little as two weeks,” said Paine.
“Sometimes students who are running a little bit late on a past unit summative assessment, are now hit with new summative assessment in what seems like days later. I see the benefits of both,” he continues.
To add to Paine’s statement, another staff member expresses her feelings concerning the schedule.
“Both schedules have their pros and cons, considering I do teach both it’s really difficult to say. I like having students every day with the 4×4 schedule, that’s very beneficial for their learning. I also like the extended time that I get to get to know my students on the A/B schedule. I guess I am in the middle,” said Ms. Catherine Christiansen, a science teacher at Tallwood High School.
Staff explained their feelings on which schedule they prefer and the next question asked was which schedule benefits them more due to many teachers having to teach both schedules.
“It may be easier to teach A/B because there is more time to plan each lesson, I am not trying to prepare a lesson for every day, and it is easier to keep up with the grading. It is such a fast pace with 4×4, that I struggle to keep up with all the grading,” said Friedman.
Relating to Friedman’s statement, a staff member responds while giving his opinion.
“It is easier to teach A/B because I get two days to master a lesson plan; for example, if I teach a lesson on A day, something may go wrong because it’s my first time doing it. I have time to reflect and think and possibly change it by the B-day whereas 4×4 I’m teaching the same lesson all day and it’s on to the next. I don’t get time to reflect and think how I would like to change it,” said Paine.
Furthermore, a staff member has a similar response to Paine’s statement where she adds on.
“For planning purposes, I think doing the A/B schedule is a lot easier especially if you have the same class every other day. I have AP science on both A days and B days, so I only write one plan and know what I’m doing the next day. Whereas on a 4×4 I have to change everything every single day, I have to have something new,” Christiansen states.
“That can be a little stressful making sure that students have something of quality to work on, but the hard part is students of different levels have enough work for students who are smarter without overtaking them, but not so much for students at a lower level to keep up,” She continues.
Students and staff have shared different opinions on which schedule they prefer more. The majority of them prefer the original A/B schedule. The schedule change has made it hard for many to adjust. Staff members describe how they best accommodate both schedules.
“I wouldn’t say I did anything special to accommodate a particular schedule, I just had to do what I had to do. I think with the 4×4 once I get to term one I can change and improve what I did from term one to term two,” said Friedman.
To add onto this another staff member shared what works best for them.
“I have some days where I’m focused more on my A/B classes, where I grade and plan for only A/B, and other days where I put myself in 4×4 mode and I grade and plan for only 4×4 classes. It’s kind of like I have to have two different brains, I have my A/B brain and my 4×4 brain. I have to figure out ways of dividing the workload to keep those parts of my job separate,” said Paine.
The last teacher interviewed shared how she best adjusts to the schedule.
“I just do it, it’s my job. I mean I just take it one day at a time. I come in every morning and make sure that everything is on canvas for the most part and I plan everything in the beginning. What I do now is I adjust as my student, what I did in the first term is already there. I adjust it to the students that I teach now [2nd term students],” said Christiansen.
Lastly, as the interviews come to an end, students are asked whether they feel the 4×4 schedule should remain at Tallwood for years to come or should Tallwood go back to the original A/B schedule.
“It should be an option for people because people want different diploma types. The 4×4 schedule benefits people who want a standard diploma as the A/B schedule benefits people who want the advanced diploma or may want to graduate earlier,” said Winkelsas
Another Tallwood student agrees and adds to Winkelsas’s response.
“Both A/B and 4×4 schedules should stay, I feel that some people benefit more from the A/B schedule and others from the 4×4 schedule. Having a mix of both is very beneficial to the school,” said Oden.
As opposed to the previous statements, a student gives his thoughts on keeping the schedule.
“4×4 should be cut again, [Tallwood administration] should bring back the classic A/B schedule because it’s more organized and students know what to expect for the day,” said Ramiro.
Despite the overall favor of the A/B schedule, most students and staff resolve to keep both schedules in the mix.
“I am ambivalent in that regard. I feel it has a lot of benefits, students are able to graduate early and some students are able to have second terms where they get to leave school early. Overall, as much as I don’t love 4×4, I don’t have enough of a problem with it to say I think It should be ended. If it continues I am fine with that,” said Paine.
