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Big pros, few cons of back-to-school plan for B.C. secondary students

December 04, 2020

Original Article: https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/08/20/pros-cons-bc-school-plan-secondary-students-expert/

As details slowly start to trickle out of Metro Vancouver school districts, we’re learning some will split the school year into four quarters, instead of semesters or trimesters, to limit contact between high school students.

The change, coming to Vancouver, Surrey and Abbotsford, is a smart move, despite a few trade-offs, says Wendy Poole, an associate professor in the University of British Columbia’s education department.

“In the time of COVID, to me, this makes perfect sense,” she says.

The move to quarters will shorten study periods to 10 weeks, meaning kids may have to brush up on time management skills and stay on top of studying for quizzes and tests, and teachers are going to have to adapt their lesson plans.

It also means yearly breaks may be shortened to accommodate the need for four learning periods, including summer (which is often optional in existing quarterly systems).

Poole says the benefits include less contact with others but also a chance for kids with focus and attention issues to succeed.

“There are both pros and cons to this, it’s specific to the student. If they have difficulty moving from one course to another, and having to do homework for several courses in one night, this may be better for them,” says Poole.

Parents have expressed concern that those needing extra time may be left behind if pacing of courses moves too fast. They also worry if a student misses a chunk of time due to illness or having to self-isolate, it could be tough to catch up.

Poole says the difference between trimesters and quarters is not that significant, adding kids who need extra time will be able to find it within the 10-week quarter because their workload will be less overwhelming.

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