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Block Schedule

Culver adopted a schedule that better meets the needs of our students while fully supporting our mission. Most classes meet for 85 minutes, allowing teachers to engage students through a variety of methodologies. Some reinforce time-tested teaching practices, while others allow for student-centered activities that lead to deeper understanding and call upon students to exercise greater leadership in the classroom.

Since students study what have traditionally been year-long curricula intensively for half that long, they are able to take more courses over the academic year even while taking fewer at any given time. This means less stress, as students channel their energies in fewer directions.

The most important element in Culver's academic schedule is the extended learning time. To support learning, longer time blocks provide for in-depth instruction, deeper understanding, and teacher-centered and student-centered teaching methodologies. The extended class time of 85 minutes allows the number of classes in a term to be reduced. For example, an 11th grader will complete Biology in a semester instead of a year; and all students will have increased time with teachers and peers, to truly learn versus simply cramming for exams.

Homework Loads and Course Selection

For the past few years, we have been gathering and analyzing data on student homework loads.  This data is intended to help senior administrators, department chairs, classroom teachers, unit counselors, parents and students make wise curricular choices based on the contribution that homework makes to a student's overall profile of activities and responsibilities. 

Based on what our students have reports to us, we have rated each course in one of five categories shown below.  This information should be used as a guide for estimating possible daily homework loads.

Level A:  0 - 29 minutes

Level B:  30 - 49 minutes

Level C:  50 - 69 minutes

Level D:  70 - 89 minutes

Level E:  90 minutes or more

Example:

Ceramics students (on average) spend 30 minutes per class on homework.  Therefore, Ceramics receives a "B" level rating.  Spanish III students reported an average of 49 minutes of homework per class, also a "B" level rating.  On the other hand, Physics with a reported 50 minutes of homework per class, earns a "C" level rating.  Homework loads for individual classes, if available, are noted under the Course Title on the Courses Available page.