Learning time loss: Why bell-to-bell learning matters

Imagine this scenario: You teach at least 5 classes or 5 hours a day (this accounts for both elementary and secondary teachers). Each 1 hour block takes about 5 minutes to get started and ends about 5 minutes early. 

This means that roughly 10 minutes out of every 60 minutes are underutilized. Over the course of the day, this means that roughly 50 minutes out of every 300 minutes are not focused on learning.

Over the course of a typical 5 day week there will be 250 minutes not spent on learning out of a total 1,500 potential learning minutes.

Over the course of a typical school year of 174 school days there will be 8,700 minutes not utilized for learning.

Now, let's be realistic and cut that number in half because we all know there are assemblies and other events that cut into learning time throughout the school year. That leaves us with 4,350 minutes of time not spent learning.

4,350 total underutilized minutes divided by a typical 300 minute school day = 14.5 days per school year are slipping through our fingers. 

Does every minute need to focused on learning, of course not. Are there times when kids and educators need a few moments to simply 'breathe,' of course there are. 

It's unrealistic to think every minute can be focused on learning.

However, even with conservative numbers, almost three weeks of school each year are being lost. In other words, 8.3% of a student's year in a 36 week school year. And, there's one thing all educators can agree with... time is precious and we always need more of it. 

Let's really focus on making sure we are maximizing the time we have.