OPPORTUNITYCULTURE.ORG
REDESIGNING SCHOOLS
MODE L S TO REACH EVE RY STUDE NT WITH EXCE LLE NT TEACHE RS
schedule example : 1/4 time in digital learning per subject—
elementary rotation with team teaching
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n this example, students in a grade with four classes (A–D) learn in a digital learning lab for less than 70 minutes each day, where they
may spend a portion of time receiving tutoring or working on projects.
Two paired teachers (teachers A and B) divide responsibility for teaching English language arts/social studies (LA/SS). They divide
responsibilities in different ways throughout the year. Sometimes, one focuses on reading and the other on writing and incorporating
social studies. At other times, one teacher focuses on teaching the whole class key literary concepts, while the other rotates small groups
through intensive interventions as other students work independently. Each pair of teachers in the school divides the classes and the work
to use each teacher’s strengths with instructional methods, content, and differing students.
A third teacher (Teacher C) focuses on teaching both math and science (M/S), and this teacher teaches all four classes. Each class has 24
students. The three teachers cover core subjects for all four classes with the help of a digital lab monitor (and possibly a learning coach
or teacher’s assistant).
✱ This example assumes a 6.5-hour school day for students. Core
academic periods (1, 2, 5, and 6) are 66 minutes. Periods 3 and
4 (specials and lunch/recess) are 55 minutes.
✱ Total weekly time in the core subjects is the same as in tradi-
tional schools—22 hours: 11 with LA/SS teachers, 5.5 with the
M/S teacher, and 5.5 in a digital lab working on these subjects.
✱ Digital lab time is split between LA/SS and M/S. In a week,
students spend about 3 hours learning LA/SS in the lab and
2.5 learning M/S. This brings the overall total learning time in
these subjects to the same levels as in traditional schools—14
for LA/SS and 8 for M/S. The digital lab has two or more
classes of students (from multiple grades) in it at one time.
✱ Students may have a learning coach or teacher’s assistant
who takes care of them during homeroom and class transi-
tions, and who helps supervise during lunch/recess. Digital lab
✱ Periods 3 and 4 are potential planning and professional de-
velopment times for teachers A, B, and C—individually or as
a team. Teachers A and B use some of this time to plan their
joint instruction. Teacher C uses it for the extra grading and
student feedback that comes with teaching four classes. All
three teachers meet weekly to identify students whose learning is stalled or who are ready to advance more quickly.
✱ Teachers A, B, and C may divide students in the grade among
class periods 1, 2, 5, and 6 in any way, as long as each student
has one block of M/S and two blocks of LA/SS daily, and each
teacher has only one class of students at a time.
✱ Table 1 shows teacher and student schedules combined.
Tables 2–5 show the teachers’ and digital lab monitor’s daily
schedules.
monitors may help with some of these duties.
A Teacher’s Impact =
Student Outcomes x
Number of Students Reached
E XC E L L E N T T E AC H E R
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table 1: example daily schedule of students’ time in classes a–d*
Class Period*
Student
Classes
A–D
1
2
3
4
5
6
Class A
LA/SS Block Part 1
With Teacher A
LA/SS Block Part 2
With Teacher B
Special
(Art, Music, Etc.)
Lunch/Recess
Math/Science
With Teacher C
Digital Lab
With Monitor D
Class B
LA/SS Block Part 1
With Teacher B
LA/SS Block Part 2
With Teacher A
Lunch/Recess
Special
(Art, Music, Etc.)
Digital Lab
With Monitor D
Math/Science
With Teacher C
Class C
Math/Science
With Teacher C
Digital Lab
With Monitor D
Special
(Art, Music, Etc.)
Lunch/Recess
LA/SS Block Part 1
With Teacher A
LA/SS Block Part 2
With Teacher B
Class D
Digital Lab
With Monitor D
Math/Science
With Teacher C
Lunch/Recess
Special
(Art, Music, Etc.)
LA/SS Block Part 1
With Teacher B
LA/SS Block Part 2
With Teacher A
*This schedule does not include homeroom.
table 2: excellent teacher a’s schedule
Class Period
1
Student Classes
A–D
LA/SS Block Part 1
with Class A
2
LA/SS Block Part 2
with Class B
3
4
Teacher Planning
Time
Teacher Planning
Time
5
LA/SS Block Part 1
with Class C
6
LA/SS Block Part 2
with Class D
table 3: excellent teacher b’s schedule
Class Period
1
Student Classes
A–D
LA/SS Block Part 1
with Class B
2
LA/SS Block Part 2
with Class A
3
4
Teacher Planning
Time
Teacher Planning
Time
5
LA/SS Block Part 1
with Class D
6
LA/SS Block Part 2
with Class C
table 4: excellent teacher c’s schedule
Class Period
1
Student Classes
A–D
Math/Science
With Class C
2
Math/Science
With Class D
3
4
Teacher Planning
Time
Teacher Planning
Time
5
Math/Science
With Class A
6
Math/Science
With Class B
table 5: digital lab monitor d’s schedule*
Class Period
1
Student Classes
A–D
Monitor Class D
2
Monitor Class C
3
Lunch/Recess
Monitoring
4
Lunch/Recess
Monitoring
5
Monitor Class B
6
Monitor Class A
*The digital lab has two or more classes of students (from multiple grades) in it at one time.
This publication was made possible in part by support from the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation and is based on school models also supported
by Carnegie Corporation of New York and The Joyce Foundation. The
statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of
Public Impact. Learn more at OpportunityCulture.org.
©2012, updated 2015 Public Impact, Chapel Hill, NC.
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Users must include “©2012 Public Impact” and “OpportunityCulture.org”
on all pages where material from these documents appears.
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