Educators and parents globally often ponder the ideal structure of a school day. In the United States, debates frequently arise about the effectiveness of traditional schedules. Are they truly serving students and teachers in the best way possible? Many within the education system acknowledge the potential for change, yet inertia often prevails. Interestingly, when you ask students and parents, a significant number believe the conventional school day is ripe for an overhaul. While legal requirements like Carnegie Units dictate a certain amount of instructional time in the U.S., the flexibility within these guidelines is often underestimated. The trend often leans towards adding more, becoming busier, without fundamentally rethinking the structure.
Seeking inspiration and tangible examples of alternative approaches, a trip to New Zealand offered a firsthand look at a different paradigm. Having read numerous articles about their innovative school schedules, experiencing it directly was illuminating. Across eight schools, from elementary to high school, a consistent daily structure emerged, one that challenges conventional norms and prompts us to reconsider What Is The Time Of New Zealand schools truly valuing.
Here’s a typical New Zealand school day schedule:
Start of Day
Class 1: 1 hour 10 minutes
Morning Tea: 20 minutes (student recess/snack, faculty “teatime”)
Class 2: 1 hour 10 minutes
Lunch: 40-50 minutes
Class 3: 1 hour 10 minutes
Afternoon Tea: Student recess/snack, faculty “teatime”
Class 4: 1 hour 10 minutes
End of Day
Notably, once a week, the school day commences later to accommodate a morning faculty meeting. Furthermore, academic departments operate on a six-day rotation, dedicating a half or full day every six days to professional development. Observing a technology teacher PD session at Takapuna Intermediate School provided a glimpse into this dedicated time. Teachers collaboratively brainstormed new ideas, discussed student needs and support strategies, and engaged in rich exchanges about Project-Based Learning, assessment methods, educational theory, and shared anecdotes from their teaching experiences.
This schedule might initially appear “luxurious” in its allocation of time. However, the palpable connection between teachers, their profession, and their colleagues was evident across every New Zealand school visited. This highlighted a core difference in what is the time of New Zealand education prioritizing – collaboration and community.
The Essence of “Teatime” and its Impact
For those unfamiliar with the New Zealand school system, the concept of “morning tea” and “afternoon tea” might raise eyebrows. What exactly does this entail, and what effect does it have on the school environment? Each “teatime,” both morning and afternoon, begins with staff gathering for refreshments in a dedicated faculty lounge. Every school featured a lounge equipped with a small kitchen and communal seating. Announcements were infrequent and concise. The primary purpose of teatime was to foster collaboration and collegial interaction. Once a week, a specific department would take on the responsibility of providing food for the collective, fostering a friendly sense of competition and social engagement.
Reflect on your own experience in education. How often have you joked with colleagues about the rarity of actually seeing them? Perhaps you’ve had thoughts like, “If only I knew you were working on that, we could have collaborated…” The built-in teatime in New Zealand addresses this directly.
Interviews with numerous staff members during these morning teas revealed a consensus: this dedicated collaborative time was considered indispensable to effectively educating students, not just teaching subjects. Teachers felt they had the space to discuss concerns with peers, engage in philosophical discussions about education, and innovate collectively. Crucially, when issues arose or tasks needed addressing, this collaborative time provided the built-in structure to handle them, before returning to innovation and student-focused discussions.
Interestingly, students echoed this sentiment. One student described breaks as “a great time to decompress. I get time to think about what we’ve done. It’s easier to go back to another class. I’m ready to go back to class.” Observing students during teatime confirmed this. They were engaged in conversation, organizing games, or enjoying snacks. They were decompressing, relaxing, and connecting with each other.
The positive impact of these breaks extended into the classroom. Classes observed after teatime were consistently focused, engaged, and actively participatory. This observation underscores that what is the time of New Zealand schools investing in breaks is actually enhancing learning time.
Quantifying Collaboration: The Time Investment
Let’s break down the collaborative time integrated into a typical six-day rotation in New Zealand schools:
- Daily “Teatime” Contribution: 40 minutes per day x 6 days = 240 minutes = 4 hours
- Weekly Morning Meeting: 30 minutes
- Departmental PD Day (per 6 days): 5-6 hours
This calculation reveals that New Zealand educators and students accrue approximately ten hours of dedicated collaborative professional development time within their regular schedule over a six-day cycle. In contrast, many U.S. schools would consider even half an hour of weekly PD time a significant luxury.
The conversation around time extends beyond the school day itself. When questioning homework expectations, a New Zealand Head of School offered a poignant perspective:
“We expect teachers to be professionals during the day. We don’t expect them to take their work home. Why would we expect our students to do something different?”
This raises a critical question about balance and workload for both educators and students. When considering what is the time of New Zealand valuing, it’s not just about collaboration within the school day but also respecting personal time outside of it. In a world of demanding schedules, when was the last time you had a 14-hour workday and then felt motivated to learn something new for leisure?
Despite these schedule adjustments prioritizing collaboration and balance, academic standards in New Zealand schools are comparable to top-performing schools in the U.S. The difference lies in the pace – a more civilized and sustainable approach to education.
{width=460 height=345}Alt text: Engaged students participate in a hands-on technology class at Blockhouse Bay Intermediate School in New Zealand, showcasing active learning in a collaborative environment.
Credit: Adam Provost. Do. Make. Create. Tech Class at Blockhouse Bay Intermediate School, New Zealand.
Re-evaluating Our Priorities: What Time Are We Maximizing?
For years, the way time is structured in schools has seemed to amplify societal challenges. We express desires to change aspects of our own schooling experiences that we still critique today. We advocate for increased collaborative planning time. We lament perceived deficits in students’ social skills, yet we’ve made minimal changes to the very time structures that influence the development of these skills and the overall well-being of the school community. It’s time to rethink what is the time of New Zealand model teaching us about these priorities.
Addressing time utilization in schools is a crucial step towards meaningful change. The most compelling aspect? Shifting traditional school schedules doesn’t necessarily demand additional financial resources. It’s a cost-neutral adjustment, primarily requiring a shift in mindset and priorities.
Looking across the International Date Line to New Zealand, essentially stepping into tomorrow to study time, offers a valuable perspective.
A Challenge, Not a Blueprint
The New Zealand model isn’t necessarily a direct template for replication. It’s tailored to their context, including available space and cultural norms. However, its true value lies in prompting critical self-reflection:
- What are the current practices in our schools, and what is their impact on learning quality and the lives of students (and their families)?
- Does the existing schedule foster or hinder collaboration – for students and for adults?
- What alternative approaches could we explore?
- What fundamental changes are truly necessary?
{width=460 height=345}Alt text: A vibrant outdoor classroom area at Whangarei Heads School in New Zealand, illustrating the integration of nature and engaging learning environments in New Zealand education.
Credit: Adam Provost. Just one section of ‘Matt’s outdoor classroom,’ Whangarei Heads School, New Zealand.
The Undeniable Appeal
Beyond the educational insights, the allure of New Zealand itself is undeniable. The stories of its beauty are, if anything, understated. Experiencing it firsthand is highly recommended.
Next Steps in Exploration
The journey of exploring innovative educational models continues. The next destination is San Diego, California, to visit High Tech High and delve into school leadership, structure, and their impact on Project-Based Learning. Your thoughts and suggestions on this article, or recommendations for other insightful educational environments to explore, are welcome in the comments below.
