Principle of Time Table Construction

PRINCIPLES INVOLVED WHILE CONSTRUCTING THESE TIMETABLES

Ø  Principle of considering the type of school. 

The timetable is based on specific needs of the school for which it is meant for example primary, secondary, Jr. College (urban, rural), single teacher and double shift, day school, co-ed school, etc.

Ø  Principle of following Departmental Regulations.

n The regulations re obtained from the educational boards which has fixed the length of school year, duration of the school day, duration of each teaching and even the number of each teaching subjects, etc.

n  For example, in secondary school academic subjects like first language maths/science have eight periods per week, second languages and social studies has five periods per week, respectively. Non-academic subjects like Computers. P.T., Art and craft, etc., have two periods per week. Total periods per week are of 48 to 50. The duration of period varies from 30 minutes to 40 minutes.

n  Total number of working days excluding exams and unit test is 180 and total of 80 holidays including the two vacations Diwali and Christmas. The summer vacation of 30 days (excluding Sundays) is intermittent between the two academic years while the Diwali vacation is of 21 days and Christmas vacation is for 8 days. The different states of India have liberty to give any short vacation in place of Christmas vacation, e.g., in Maharashtra many schools give any short for Ganapati festival/Ramzan and Eid/Paryushan of Jains. In West Bengal a short vacation is given for Durga puja for Navratri. The other bank holidays and national holidays account for 21 days out of which only 3 days are kept as reserve holidays for any emergency.

Ø  Principle of amount of time available.

According to the type of school (day school/ shift school, etc.,) and total time available to school for maximum utility of all resources a timetable has to be planned.

Ø  Principle of incidence of fatigue.

Those subjects required more brain-work are to be placed when students are fresh and capable of doing hard and difficult work. For e.g., English and Maths to be placed in 1st to 3rd period, manual work (PT, craft, art) to be kept in last period or after break. One must take a note that P.T period is not to be kept after lunch break for scientific reason that body must rest for digestion after eating.

Principle of variety

Children have a very short span of attention and they get bored very soon. If there is variety then learning will become fruitful and meaning. For this, a change of room, of seat, of posture is an antidote against weariness. Varieties can be introduced by variation in subjects (by using a combination of different subjects for using both the left and the right hemisphere of the brain so that it gives opportunities for using the entire brain).

Analysis

Let us critically analyse the time table of any school based on principles of time-table framing:

• CLASS TIME-TABLE

•       This type of timetable displays the class timetable of each individual class.
•       It shows the distribution of subjects with teachers for each period. It also indicates the short and long breaks and the period for games and other co-curricular activities.
•       All the sections and classes in any school follow their respective class timetable. A copy of it is always displayed in that class and in the staff room.

• TEACHER TIME-TABLE

• This type gives the placement of teacher in the class at any particular time.
• It accounts for the workload of teachers and free time allocated to teacher.
• Such timetable ensures no overwork or overlapping of teacher at two different places simultaneously.
• This timetable is displayed are kept in the staff room and the copy is with headmaster.

• EXAM TIME-TABLE

•  This timetable is an important one.
• It is an indicator of assessment pattern of the curriculum.
• This timetable gives the detail information about the duration, subjects, time and location (seating arrangement) and supervision.
• This timetable is planned in advance and a copy of it is given to both students and parent.
•  Many schools give their exam schedule in the school calendar, which helps parents in preparation of their ward for exams test.
• It also helps the parents to plan the vacations.
• The school prepares for the exam in terms of getting the question papers, printing them, storing adequately for distribution during the exam as per the schedule.
• This timetable is of great importance to set deadlines for teachers in completion of portion and setting question papers.
• The exam department committee keeps a check on availability of stationeries for the exam/test.

• CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TIME TABLE

• This timetable ensures an adequate distribution of stimulus variation in terms of games, visit to audio-visual room, music period, dramatics or competitions.
• This timetable gives at glance the distribution of a variety of co-curricular activities adequately to each class and with no clashes between classes. It also takes care of the use of halls, auditoriums or extra rooms and allocation of staff to the different co-curricular activities.
• In this timetable the venue or place is of much importance, e.g., skating, judo, karate, dance, gymnastics require special spacious rooms or halls that need to be vacant at the right time for the right group.

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