Chapter 6:

MAKING THE MOST

OF
CLASSROOM TIME
Norhaslinda Binti Hashim
Hurun Ain Binti Mohd Bakri
Nor Hasmira Binti Zainy
 This chapter discusses issues of
time and time management.

How many hours do students actually spend in

class, engaging in academic learning?
How do teachers overcome the factors that
disrupt academic Learning Time?
Knowing the different types of time there is in
class and their significance, teachers will be able
to plan and fully utilize an effective academic
learning.
 The educational manager needs to manage time very
well.
 Priority must be in order of importance and they should
try to analysis how they spend their time each day to
avoid waste of time.
Ayodele, O. D. (2014). Managing Time In Education Organization: Policy
Implications for Educational Managers in Rivers State, Nigeria. Retrieved from
http://www.mcser.org/images/stories/MJSS-Special-issues/MJSS-
September2011/olawolu%20oladunni%20elizabeth.pdf.
How much time is there,
anyway?
 Mandates
time

Engaged
Available
learning
time
time Categories
of time

Academic
learning Instructional
time time
 1. Mandated time
The time state requires the school to be in
session.
-lunch, announcements, recess, and
transitions between classes.

2. Available time
Mandated time minus the time lost to
absences, special events, half day etc.
 3. Instructional time

The actual time a teacher spends in

teaching in the classroom from the time
the teacher enters, to the time the teacher
leaves, excluding time taken out for non-
instructional activities within the lesson
period.
 4. Engaged learning time
The actual time individual students
engage in learning
The student-engaged time is taken as the
part of instructional time when students
are actively engaged in learning activities
like, listening, writing, asking questions,
working exercises and so on.
 The amount of time students spend actively
engaged in the learning and working exercises
significantly predict achievement.
 Teachers should closely monitor students’
learning behaviour during instructional time and
give additional exercises that would engage the
students and at the same time enhance their
aptitude skills.

Ayodele, O. D. (2014). Teacher Instructional Time, Student- Engaged Time

and Numerical Ability as Predictors of Student Achievement in Senior
Secondary School Chemistry. Retieved from
http://jeteraps.scholarlinkresearch.com/articles/Teacher%20Instructional.pdf.
 5. Academic learning time
The proportion of engaged time in which
students are performing tasks with a high
degree of success.
Academic learning time is the best
predictor of achievement.
Increasing academic learning time means
increasing students’ learning.

Jez, S. J., & Wassmer, R. W. (2011). The Impact of Learning Time on

Academic Achievement. Retrieved from
http://www.csus.edu/calst/Jez%20%20Wassmer%20Faculty%20Fellows%20
Extended%20Learning%20Time%20Report.pdf.
 Time and Learning
It appears that time is one of several
important variables that determines how
much students learn in school which will
impact on student performance.
Educators must — to the greatest extent
possible — make every hour count.

Aronson, J., Zimmerman, J., & Carlos, L. (1998). Improving Student

Achievement by Extending School: Is It Just a Matter of Time? Retrieved
from http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/po-98-02.pdf.
 How to Increase hours for Learning
• Avoid flip-flopping
• Avoid stimulus bounded events
Maintain • Avoid overdwelling
activity flow • Avoid fragmentation

• Preparing students for transitions

• Establishing routines
Minimize • Defining boundaries to lessons
transition
time

• Communicating assignments & requirements clearly

• Monitoring students’ progress
Hold
students • Establishing routines for collecting & checking classwork
accountable & homework
1. Maintaining Activity
Flow
Jacob Kounin (1970)
 FLIP-FLOPS - Teacher terminates one
activity, begin another , then returns to
the original activity.

Example:
In a class, teacher finished review the
homework and tells student to turn to
next chapter. But then, teacher stops and
says, “wait a minute, how many got all
the homework problem right? Ok let’s see
the chapter to back.”
 STIMULUS-BOUNDED EVENTS -
teachers are “pulled away” from the
ongoing activity by an event that really
doesn’t need attention.

Example:
While teacher are teaching, the she notice
that a student is leaning on his left elbow
as he works the problem. Teacher then
leaves the board and instructs him to sit up
straight, then comments on his posture.
 OVERDWELLING – Teacher continuing to
explain when students already understand
or preaching at length about appropriate
behaviour.

Example:
Teacher repeats about the lessons that
students have already understand, and
explaining for many times.
 FRAGMENTATION – Teacher breaks
directions into choppy steps instead of one
fluid unit.

Example:
Teacher gives the instruction that comes to
repeat the instruction for many times rather
than give the clear explanation in a simple
words.
 2. Minimizing
Transition Time
 Preparing students for
transitions
• Transitions are periods of time when
teachers direct students to end one task or
activity and begin another .
• Teacher plan ahead to organize their
management strategies , schedules,
lesson plans, and classrooms for
successful transitions.
 Strategies that support smooth transitions
between activities
Before the transition-

Plan your schedule to include a minimum number

of transition times

Consider what the students will do during these

times

Minimize the number of transitions in which all

students have to do the same thing at the same time
 Strategies that support smooth transitions
between activities
During the transition-

Plan a gradual increase or decrease in the level of

activity and a good balance of active and quiet
play

Allow students adequate time to finish activities

Plan something for those students who finish an

activity quickly so they are not waiting without
something to do
 Strategies that support smooth transitions
between activities

After the transition-

Provide positive attention or feedback to

students following smooth transitions

Give very specific positive feedback after

transitions
 Examples of teaching transitions
• Entering and leaving the classroom
• Putting materials away and preparing for the
next task
• Cleaning up a work area
• Moving from group to independent work
• Turning in homework
• Choosing partners for small-group activities
Establishing
Routines
 What are routine?
• Routines – something that is done at the same
time in the same way everyday (or on any
regular schedule).
• It’s what student do automatically
• Rituals – routine with meaning / similar to
routines because they provide children with
predictability.
 What are the procedures?
• A series of steps to be performed in a regular definite
order under specified conditions. What are teacher
wants done.
• Examples:
- what to do when they enter a classroom
- what to do when they are finished
- how to get teacher’s attention
- what to do if a pencil breaks
 Establishing Routines
• A primary goal for teaching routines is to enhance
student opportunities to communicate with the
teacher and with peers about their thinking
• Routines enhance classroom communication by
providing guidance about how to facilitate classroom
conversations, structuring interactions among peers
and small groups
When procedures are learned,
routines are established.

Routines give structure to

instruction.
Why procedures are important?

• Clear expectations
• Increased time on task
• Less classroom confusion
 Importance of Routines
• Help manage behaviours.
• Provide predictability.
• Provide structure.
• Provide steps toward a specific goal
 Clear Beginning and
Endings
Robert J. Barbara , B. Gaddy, Maria C. Foseid, Mark P. Foseid and
Jana S. Marzano (2005). Handbook for Classroom Management
That Works
Clear Beginning and Endings
• Beginning and ending well and
consistently sets the tone for the classroom
and helps students know what to expect.

• This is the way that teacher can reinforce a

sense of structure and consistency and
communicate that the classroom is a place
for learning.
 Recommendations for Classroom
Practice
1) Beginning with a balance of learning and
“administrivia”
2) Establishing shared activities that reinforce
class unity
3) Ending with activities that reinforce learning
and discipline
1) Beginning with a balance of learning
and “administrivia”

• ‘Administrivia’ : taking attendance, passing

out completed assignments and dealing with
other administrative tasks.
• Build “Teacher-Students Relationship” to
shows teacher care about students.
• Activity started must be meaningful and tied
to specific goals for students.
 2) Establishing shared activities that
reinforce class unity
• Begin the day with activities that establish and
reinforce a sense of community and unity among
students.
• Examples:
1. Teacher greets student individually at the
door.
2. Teacher verbally recognize students as a class and
let students know they are welcomed and cared for.
3) Ending with activities that reinforce
learning and discipline

End of class homework reminders:

1)Plan a daily homework time
2)Take home everything needed
3)Do work neatly and carefully
4)Keep homework in a special place
5)Return homework on time
Holding Students
Accountable
• Accountable is define as ‘responsibility’
(Merriam-Webster, 2010).

• Students accountable is synonymous with

student ownership for learning. ( M. Shcoof,
Patrice, 2010)

• Why accountable is need to students?

- because it’s help students develop into
independent learners.
- they can maximize use of class time.

Merriam-Webster. (2010, April 10). Accountability - definition. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from
Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accountability
Patrick M. Schoof. ( 2010). Student Accountability in Student-Centered Learning , from
http://www.usma.edu/cfe/Literature/Schoof_10.pdf
• The effect on accountability.

- “the learner has full responsibility for

her/his learning,”

- involvement and participation are

necessary for learning” (O'Neill &
McMahon, 2005, p. 28).

O'Neill, G., & McMahon, T. (2005). Student-centered learning: what does it mean for students and lecturers? In
G. O'Neill, S. Moore, & B. McMullin, Emerging issues in the practice of university learning and teaching (pp. 27-

36). Dublin: AISHE .

 Communicating assignments &
requirement clearly
• Communicate homework assignments in
clear, organized manner.
• Example :
before start doing homework, make sure
teacher clearly explain like students need
use specific book and other.
• Respect breeds responsibility.
Monitoring Students Progress
• To keep track on students’ progress.

• Ensure students use time well.

• Research show that , students who assign regular

homework have more attitude toward school,
toward homework itself. K Cotton , (1988)
• Example :
Teacher walking around during “do now” period
ask about what they understanding and so on.
 Establish Routine

• Class routines should be implement.

• When routines are used correctly,
instructional time and student time on-task
are both significantly increased.
• Example :
• Students turn in homework first thing in the
morning/period.
 Block Scheduling
What?
- Block scheduling is a restructuring of the
daily schedule to create longer units of
time for each class which contain fewer
class. (Bennett, Karen J)

Karen J. Bennett. BLOCK SCHEDULING: With a Mathematics Perspective from

http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/bennett1/block_scheduling.htm
 Block Scheduling vs Traditional
Scheduling
BLOCK SCHEDULING TRADITIONAL SCHEDULING
In United State (US) context In Malaysia Context

 fewer class sessions are scheduled  more class session contain 6-7
for larger blocks of time over fewer periods
days. (Canady & Rettig, 1995)

 in block scheduling, a course might  usually meet for 180 school days
meet for 90 minutes a day for 90 days, per school year.
or half a school year.  schools schedule contain 40 to
55minute classes per day.

 Students attend only half of school  Students attend for entire year.
year
 ADVANTAGES USING BLOCK
SHEDULE
• SCHOOL SYSTEMS
- not require additional teachers or
classrooms.
- increase in the overall quality of teacher
instruction and student time on task.
• TEACHERS

- Time Efficiencies
- block scheduling eliminates half of the time
needed for class changes.

- Focused Instruction
- Teachers can also be more focused on what they
are teaching. With more intensive teaching of a
subject
- changes in teaching approaches, classrooms that
are more student-centered, improved teacher
morale, and increased teacher effectiveness.
• STUDENTS
- Fewer classes a student had to concentrate
on, and a reduction in student movement
around campus
(Carroll, 1990).
- Improved student-teacher relationships and
more manageable workloads help students.
- students feel better organized and are
more aware of their progress in the class.
- Teacher-student relationships are
improved. Small number of students at a
time, so students and teachers get to know
each other better
 DISADVANTAGES
• STUDENTS
- They have more extensive homework to
complete daily.
- They will miss the lesson when they are
absence.
- They may become bored easily if the
teaching methods are too teacher focused.
• TEACHER
• Longer time needed to plan for classes.
• Harder to make up absences.
• More classes to plan for over the course of
one year
• How about when we implement block
scheduling in our education system is it
ok? Give idea.