Typically, middle schoolers have six to eight classes each day. In 2021-2022, students would have five classes that would convert depending on their electives. Unfortunately, the schedule changed due to low staff, making periods longer. Now, students spend an hour and twenty-five minutes in each class with little breaks. Although, not all schools can have multiple subjects throughout the day. The public school district should work to have shorter periods due to its benefits on students’ education and performance and overall create better environments.
Shorter periods create better academics for students, improving their overall education. These classes can widen the number of subjects taken and improve students’ performance and the learning environment, even for teachers. Smaller periods allow students to have multiple subjects. Periods can span fifty minutes to an hour in a student’s schedule. If periods are shorter to fill in the last hours of school, there can be more subjects for students to learn. The increased number of classes motivates students to learn more subjects and widens their education, preventing boredom. Not only this, but these classes help improve the environment for students and teachers. An article, “6 Excellent Benefits of Shorter Class Periods,” by Tenny School, states that shorter class periods benefit teachers’ and students’ environments due to increased focus. Instead of the students getting bored, students stay engaged in the subject. Unlike long class periods, students won’t become restless or distracted, making teachers’ subjects easier to be taught. The same article also says that in short class periods, the brain can focus on excelling students’ performance in shorter periods. Shorter class periods improve student’s concentration and focus, resulting in better grades and allowing them to excel. Sitting for long periods can lead to boredom, making the classes ineffective. Due to the benefits on students’ education, performance, and classes, many have recommended having shorter periods instead of longer classes, having students lose focus affecting their overall academic success.
While there are some things to consider in schedules consisting of shorter classes, longer classes can cause fatigue and a loss of student attention, making the curriculum ineffective and affecting their performance. The article “Are Shorter Class Periods Better for Students?” states that longer classes take more energy and focus, which makes it hard to keep up for long periods. When students are learning for so long, there are certain times when they are no longer taking in the information. These classes don’t help students and instead should be shorter.
Although not everyone thinks having short periods affects students’ education, you should consider the benefits of shorter periods that allow students to focus, improving their classes and performance.