Saved By The Bell

This was one of my favourite shows growing up. Who could resist the charm of the adorable Zach Morris?

But what is the bell saving us from?

Schools are run on bells – warning bell, bells to start the day, bells to start the class, bells to end the class. Bells ensure that everyone is running on the same time – that all students are getting “X” number of minutes of class time.

Of course we can aim to time our class to the exact second that the bell will go off but often times that is near impossible. I’ve encountered times when, while keeping my eye on the ticking second hand, I’m talking to the class and the bell rings and low and behold, the kids jump out of their chair, pack up the books and bags and stop listening. One moment they are attentive students, then the next they are out the door. The bell has conditioned them to stop listening.

Where else in our lives do we work around a bell?

Before teaching, I worked at job where we held weekly meetings at the same time and place. There would be reminders about the meeting but of course it was up to each individual to schedule their time to ensure that they would be on time. If a colleague was late, we started without them and it was their responsibility to catch up. Often times, that colleague would be early for the following meeting. Over time, we developed a rhythm where everyone was always on time as we were all crucial part of each portion of the meeting. There was an inherent understanding that we were each responsible for being there on time, as it would disrupt the rest of the group if we were not. This took time to develop but a key factor in all of this was that each member of the meeting felt that they were an integral part of the whole – that they had something to contribute.

Do all students feel this way in a classroom? What can be done to foster this kind of environment and to lessen the effect that the bell has on us?