7 FEB. 28, 2017 Column Writing

This semester, Sandy Creek High School students have had to make major adaptations due to a recent and dramatic change: the switch to block scheduling. Initially, there were a few unfamiliar aspects to the new schedule, including decoding and memorizing it. These matters were pretty much solved within a week. However, some issues prove to be much more problematic to master.

Staying focused for a whole eighty minutes in one room is tough for anybody, let alone a teenager who probably went to bed at 1:00 a.m. that morning and skipped breakfast. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to concentrate on the teacher and their lesson, our minds wander. Some students might even drift off and take a catnap during a lecture.

The primary dilemma is not being able to stay alert for the duration of these lengthy time periods. It is necessary to learn how to concentrate effectively now because block scheduling is used in college as well.

The �irst step is to take notes during lessons, whether it’s an obligation or not. According to All Kinds of Minds, “the ability to take good notes is crucial for learning and succeeding in school.” To take high quality notes, there are certain guidelines that are crucial to follow.

First of all, keep your notes simple, and only record main points in the form of keywords instead of whole sentences. Using note-taking symbols and shortcuts may also be helpful.

The next important thing to remember is to write or type fast. Don’t let yourself fall behind and risk missing any signi�icant material.

Probably the most fundamental tip for note-taking is to �ind a system that works for you. The type of layout you chose for taking notes all depends on how you think and what comes most naturally to you. For instance, if someone’s mind works more visually, they might use brain maps and diagrams in their notes. Perhaps the most popular

approach to note-taking is the outline method. This practice is organized by indentations, roman numerals and letters. Various colored highlighters and pens may also be an aid in taking notes.

Lastly, it might sound clichéd, but

practice makes perfect with note-taking! Attempting to take ef�icient notes the �irst few times might be challenging, but soon enough, it will be an instinct.

You can also follow several ridiculously easy tips: get an appropriate amount of sleep, eat a nutritional breakfast, turn

off your phone, place yourself near the front of the classroom and don’t let distractions get the best of you.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, “teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best.” This means no binge-watching TV shows on Net�lix late into the night.

According to Eat Right, “it’s estimated that 12 to 34 percent of children and adolescents regularly miss their morning meal.”

Studies also suggest that eating a nutritional breakfast supplies you with energy and assists the brain with memory and recollection. These two brain functions make concentrating, comprehending and applying knowledge to exams possible. A quick piece of cinnamon toast, bowl of cereal or frozen waf�le can make all of the difference.

According to Oregon State University, “distractions come in all shapes, sizes and sounds.”

There are external and internal distractions, all of them equally effective in setting your train of thought off track. Examples of external interruptions include phones, people talking or music; some internal examples of interruption are stress and thinking about something else that you’d rather be doing. Honestly, the best action to take is to ignore these disturbances as much as you are capable. There’s really no other way to avoid diversions than old-fashioned will power. As for your smart phone, it might be intelligent to leave it in your locker because let’s face it, are you really going to turn it off?

Conquering the long classes of block scheduling is not a hopeless cause. Advances in concentration simply require you to form positive academic and health habits. Grades would steadily rise with sharpened focusing skills. Whether or not you are �inding concentration troublesome in these eighty minute classes, still consider giving at least one of these tips a

Attention!By: Maggie RieckmanMaximize brain-power with a few simple changes

Infographic by Kaylee Yost

8 FEB. 28, 2017 News

New schedules on the blockStudents have a new outlook on a new scheduleBy: Audrey Fischer

On Thursday, January 5, students at Sandy Creek High School came back from Christmas break to a new schedule. While block scheduling is hectic for most students, it is especially hard when such a drastic change happens in the middle of the year.

“Sandy Creek’s schedule is a different type of block scheduling, a kind of scheduling to give students new opportunities. I have heard many good things from students and teachers so far. I have heard that students are struggling with having all their core subjects all in one day. I think time management is a well needed skill while being on a block schedule, to complete assignments on time. I believe that block scheduling is a very good idea, but the schedule could use some corrections in certain places to give the block scheduling its full potential,” said Mrs. Connie Porter, school counselor.

The new schedule consists of six 90 minute periods with classes meeting every other day. This schedule is forcing students to use their time wisely and get ahead of the game.

“Block scheduling is giving me more time during class with a 90 minute period,” said Austin Wilson, junior graphic art pathway student.

There are many bene�its to having 90

minutes of class time. With classes meeting just two or three times a week, students have ample time to get assignments done throughout the week. Another bene�it of block scheduling is that teachers have more plan time to plan longer lessons and organize the pathway experiences students will have on Fridays.

“Block scheduling gives me more time to explore and experiment with other teaching methods in my subject area, and it also allows me more time to organize pathway opportunities so students can meet with mentors,” said Mrs. Kalee Lipovsky, Spanish teacher and health pathway coordinator.

Block scheduling is preparing students for real life experiences, such as developing time management and communication skills. On Fridays, students are able to get a feel for their careers and gain job experience while working with mentors on projects.

“It is bene�icial for students, because we get to experience college and careers. On Fridays we are sent out to meet mentors and get a feel for the real world, while gaining bene�icial skills that will help us in our future careers,” said junior education pathway student Allison Story.

Photo Illustration by Molly Dane

9 FEB. 28, 2017 Editorial Writing

Re-scheduling the scheduleThe pros, cons to block schedulingBy: Genesis Ramirez

Most students struggle to come back from Christmas break as is, but this year was particularly challenging because we changed to block scheduling. In. The. Middle. Of. The. School. Year.

Now as if that’s not odd enough, our �irst-period class is 40 minutes long, and it is followed by a required study hall. The study hall is a whopping 23 minutes long. That is the perfect amount of time to get absolutely nothing done. As the day continues, we �ind that instead of having six or seven, 40-50 minute classes, we now have four 90 minute long class periods.

While this may not seem like a problem, it’s is exactly where things start to get messy. Mondays and Wednesdays are the days we have all of our electives, like art, digital media and agriculture. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have all of our core classes, like English, math and science. This means that instead of having a nice, balanced day full of both required and optional classes, we have two calm days and two stressful days. If you miss school

on the wrong day, have fun making up for it for the next week. Suddenly, going to the dentist becomes a negotiation between the importance of getting a cleaning and missing half a week’s worth of material. Don’t get us started on how track season is going to work out.

This new schedule is challenging for many reasons; perhaps the most obvious is that 90 minutes is a LONG time to be sitting. Our classes are so long that it can be hard to stay awake, let alone focus and learn. To make matters worse, homework for all classes is often due on the same day, and when it’s possible to have four days off between class, it can be nearly impossible to remember we even had homework to turn in, not to mention what we were supposed to have learned.

One of the driving forces behind this new schedule was to open up time for upperclassmen to work with mentors, so on Fridays some students leave for job shadowing. Job shadowing is an excellent experience for the students who know what they want to do. However, many of us don’t have any idea what we want

to do, and some students aren’t able to meet with mentors every week. Others don’t really go at all. This leaves those of us left behind with nothing to do for eight hours; that’s right, we don’t have anything to do ALL DAY. To kill time and to compensate for the opportunities we are missing by not being in class, the school has us do random activities that are supposed to help once we get out of school. Still, for most, the day is nothing more than a long, boring study hall. Many would argue that instead of wasting time every Friday, we should have the option to go home. If we have nothing to do at school there is no reason to keep us.

We are willing to concede that block scheduling isn’t all bad. The extended class time can be nice, especially in science classes where it allows for lab, and in art where it’s a blessing to have more time to work on projects. Everybody knows that the new block schedule is going to be hard to get used to, but with a little more time, perhaps the school will be able to work the kinks out, and we may be able to �ind a way to make it work.

Cartoon by: Gavin Keeler