Theme One: The Time Factor

One of the features that typify the shift school system is the issue of the scarcity of time.

Therefore, it was unsurprising that „time‟ was a prominent factor running consistently throughout the case study data. This theme provides a contextual framework in which other school elements are situated. The reduced teacher/pupil contact time is experienced by all learners; however, the impact is more acute on the experience of those pupils having SEN.

One may ask what has given rise to the time constraint? In a shift school the day is comprised of only five hours which is approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours less than the time spent in a whole day school. The shift system is a significant contributing factor that has given rise to the above mentioned time pressure environment. In MMPS there is a melting pot of views relating to the shift system. Stakeholders have conflicting views on the subject. This sub-theme „shift system‟ will present stakeholders, views about it.

4.3.4.1.1 The shift System 4.3.4.1.1.1 Administrators

There was a general a consensus amongst administrators with regards to their views of the shift system. They perceived the shift system in a strongly negative term; one which does not facilitate the education of pupils in general and especially of those who have SEN. Administrators were of the view that the MOE had reneged on its responsibility of adequately resourcing the school to make the shift system workable. Ironically, administrators maintain that despite the presence of the shift system, with its time constraints, the school was comparable to whole day primary schools in terms of its academic performance.

4.3.4.1.1.2 Teachers

Teachers‟ views of the shift system were polarised. On one hand, there were those who felt strongly that the shift system impedes the education of pupils especially those with SEN. In fact, some teachers opined that the shift system was a significant contributing factor to the underachievement in the school especially with regards to pupils‟ ability to read. On the other hand, it appears that teachers who wanted to and who were engaging in what is known locally as „moon lighting‟ (having a second job) and those who were studying tended see the positives in the shift system since it facilitates their personal

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activities. The system‟s weaknesses were also are admitted to, but to a far less extent.

However, it should also be acknowledged that there were some teachers who were neutral in their views.

4.3.4.1.1.3 Pupils

In contrast to the administrators and some teachers, pupils were on the whole satisfied with the shift system with only a few preferring being in a whole day school. Some expressed gratitude to be attending the school. Some of the incentives mentioned were being able to sleep in late in the mornings, having more time to do homework and being able to see their friends. On the whole pupils felt that their learning needs and particularly their SEN were being met. A few cited improvement in their Reading and Mathematics skills.

4.3.4.1.1. 4. Parents

The majority of the parents were not in favour of the shift system initially. They expressed a strong preference for their children to be able to attend a whole day school.

However, some stated that MMPS had „earned‟ their respect with regards to their liking the school although not the shift system per se. Admittedly, some parents were totally converted to the shift system as well. Some parents expressed a sense of gratitude about the shift system because they did not have any other options in finding alternative school choices for their children; especially premium school which is whole day school.

There was a minority that expressed very negative views about the shift system and that it did not facilitate their children‟s SEN being met. The upcoming subsections with outline how the time constraint was manifested in the school.

4.3.4.1.2 Time Constraint in MMPS

4.3.4.1.2.1 Incomplete delivery of the Curriculum Content

As was previously mentioned, the RPC directs the learning which takes place in Jamaican primary schools. It is based on this curriculum content that pupils are assessed both internally and in national examinations. Effectively, what the time constraint has done is to reduce (in some instances significantly so) the quantity of the curriculum content that can be delivered. Consequently, lesson objectives are often not completed within the stipulated timeframe for lessons. This typical day-to-day occurrence has a knock-on effect and is handled by teachers in different ways. Some teachers ascribe

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more importance to pupils understanding the lesson objectives and coming to a „natural‟

conclusion of their learning process. Others place more value on being able to complete the stipulated number of subjects to be taught in a given day.

For some teachers they are not able to teach the number of subjects as is timetabled for a given day.

Other teachers discontinue the lesson being taught at the end of a given session, with a view that they will continue teaching the lesson when next the subject is timetabled. In some cases the unfinished portion of the lesson is given for home work.

As class teachers experience the „time crunch‟ it has led to a knock-on effect of a

„specialist time squeeze‟, whereby specialist teachers are sometimes required to give up their time. This is done for reasons such as to the complete lessons or to do tests.

4.3.4.1.2.2 Teacher Stress

People's environment directly impacts their well-being and behaviour. The time limitation is evident in the quality of the lives that teachers are able to have at school.

There is an optimal space in which individuals are to function in order for them to have well-being and consequently (usually) maximum production. Some teachers revealed that they frequently do not have time to eat and in extreme cases find it difficult to get the time even to take needed comfort breaks. There were those who asserted that this had negative effects on their health.

4.3.4.1.2.3 Curtailment of Pupils’ Play

One of the most profound manifestations of the „time crunch‟ on pupils is the lack of opportunity for them to engage in unstructured play. Of the 5 hours that pupils spent in school, only one 15 minutes break was scheduled (see Figure 4.2). In theory, these 15 minutes should be used for eating lunch, a comfort break and play. In reality 15 minutes is not enough time to adequately address these issues. Eating and comfort break can be accommodated at the discretion of teachers in various ways. However, play has been squeezed out of the equation. Although there is such a scarcity of time at MMPS as a direct result of the shift system, there were several areas of school life that may be identified as misuse or weak use of time which are outlined below:

103 4.3.4.1.2.4 Disruption of Instructional Time

Meetings held too frequently

Devotions overrunning its scheduled time

Repeated late distribution of lunches which eroded instruction time

Parents coming in to talk to teachers at odd times during the already limited contact time (even though there is a set time slated for them for such meetings)

Unpunctuality and absences of staff

Time lost in addressing excessive disciplinary problems

High rate of non-instructional time spent on tasks. Teachers‟ excessive administrative workload which further erodes the teaching and learning time e.g.

preparing lunch lists, distributing lunches and filling out forms for the MOE

Pupils engaging in high rates non-instructional use of their time for activities such as distributing books and ancillary type duties (sweeping and wiping classroom floors).

Excessive number of committees (15). It appeared as if some teachers were in too many committees which placed a heavy time demand on them. These committees sometimes had meeting during times that teachers should be actively engaged in the teaching and learning process.

Breakfast programme starting too late generally at 7am, the same time as the start of school.

The MOE sometimes uses school as pilot project which made a demand on the school‟s time.

Special days (when all or a portion of the school day is used for unusual activities and the focus of teachers and pupils is not on instructional time (Smith 2000).