This spring, students at Gavilan College will be offered a new
class schedule, with longer classes that meet fewer days per
week.
This spring, students at Gavilan College will be offered a new class schedule, with longer classes that meet fewer days per week.
The new schedule, called a block schedule, means students can choose to take classes on a Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday basis, with Fridays off. Most block classes are held in the afternoon, freeing time in the morning for students to work or fulfill other responsibilities.
The current, non-block schedule holds classes on a Tuesday/Thursday and Monday/Wednesday/Friday basis, with many classes starting before noon. Non-block classes generally last 50 minutes. The new schedule extends the classes about 25 minutes.
Although many classes will be offered in block, including several transferable credits, the new schedule was not compatible with all courses, said Jan Bernstein Chargin, spokeswoman for Gavilan. Lower levels of English, including English as a Second Language, will not be offered in block.
A complete listing of spring course offerings and schedules was sent to students via mail a few weeks ago, with a four-page spread detailing which classes are offered in block. Schedules also are available online at www.gavilan.edu.
The new schedule should afford students more flexibility with their time as well as ease parking problems at the school, Chargin said.
“I’ve spoken to a number of students who are pretty excited about it and have already set up their entire schedules in block. It’s a different approach to scheduling,” and an approach the college hasn’t taken before, she said.
A San Jose resident, Kimberly Adams, a journalism major, currently drives to Gilroy and Morgan Hill twice a week each for her classes, putting a strain on her car and her wallet.
“I’m used to five days a week of killing my poor gas tank,” she said. “Now I’ll have to fill up maybe once a week, at best. It gives me a better opportunity to look for classes I need at a better hour as opposed to how it was before.”
