With C days in full swing this year, there is a lot of debate as to whether or not they’re useful for both teachers and students. But, the shift has many people overreacting. 

Sure, it’s a change and nobody likes change, but is it really that bad?

C days started during the 2019-2020 school year with the intention of focusing on social and emotional learning. However, Coppell High School reverted back to an alternating A and B schedule during the Spring 2020 semester after reviewing feedback from students, teachers and families. 

The main reason C Days were eliminated was shuttle issues from New Tech High @ Coppell, CHS9 and CHS. Kids were missing larger amounts of class because of the scheduling of shuttles. This year, however, these issues are being corrected. For example, some single-block class students stay at their respective campuses and learn from that location. 

Based on my conversations, a minority of students at  CHS would say that they genuinely enjoy C days. The shorter class periods are a nice way to relax at the end of the week. So, students don’t feel stuck in a classroom for 90 minutes, impatiently waiting for the bell to ring.

Those short 45 minutes are useful for revisiting material students learned throughout the week. Students can utilize those 45 minutes to ask additional questions about a topic they may be struggling with. 

“I like the time I have to review all my content,” CHS senior Mithila Vijay said. “I [also] appreciate that I don’t have to do anything new because I feel like the time I have to synthesize the information really helps me.”

The list doesn’t end there. Because of the shorter class periods, teachers are not allowed to have tests on C days.

“I really like C days because we don’t have to do tests or anything,” CHS sophomore Aniruddha Kumar said. “I can end the week on a less stressful note rather than cramming for yet another exam.” 

C days are not just beneficial for students, but teachers can also gain from the increased student and teacher interaction that  C Days have to offer. 

“I love the opportunity that C Days allows me to see all my kids,” CHS AP Biology teacher Bianca Benitez said. “It allows me to touch base with my students and answer any questions that they might still have going into the week.  I can confirm that they solidified the content for that week and are ready to build upon it in the following week.”

Aside from those benefits of C days, being able to see all your friends the entire day is another perk. The opportunity to have fun with them during the class period and get to meet all of them before school lets out for the weekend is something that can be looked at in a positive light.

C days are not going away anytime soon, unlike what happened a couple of years ago. Rather than detesting them, let’s all adapt. Enjoy the positive things that come out of them, such as the review time and shorter classes. They really aren’t as bad as you may think, it just takes a little getting used to.

Follow Shreya Ravi (@shreya3220) and @CHSCampusNews on Twitter.

Forty-five minute class periods, five-minute passing periods and a way to build anxiety over the weekend. The reinstated C day policy is not benefiting students in the way the district thought it would for a multitude of reasons.

The conversation on whether or not we should go back to a schedule similar to the 2021-22 school year should begin because of the lack of productivity and meaningful student-teacher engagement.

C days operate on a bell schedule with 45-minute class periods and five-minute passing periods, half the length of passing periods on A and B days. If a student has a class across the building, it’s a struggle to be on time to class and the hallways are just as congested as A and B days.

Coppell ISD decided to reinstate C days as a way for students to catch up on work. Coppell High School Principal Laura Springer confirmed when asked that teachers are not supposed to administer tests or quizzes and not introduce new content. Their primary function is “remediation and review.” This raises a problem for many students that are taking higher level AP, IB or honors classes.

“Teachers end up planning too much or too little material on C days and then we have to make that work up on the weekend. Class periods are too short to do anything,” Coppell High School sophomore Jackson Chen said. “I end up getting more homework from every class.”

AP and IB classes can’t afford to slow down on C days as they are designed with a college-level curriculum. These teachers lose valuable time to further teach high-level material in class and students are forced to play catch-up on new concepts, adding to stress. 

“Some teachers try to cram lessons in and it’s not helpful,” CHS sophomore Oorja Agarwal said. “Not every teacher can stick to all the restrictions and then students are left confused because we don’t get enough time to absorb the material. If a teacher is behind schedule, then C days aren’t review days anymore.”

The district had a certain idea of how C days would function but in some cases, the plan isn’t being followed exactly as there are still teachers who give out new content and quizzes because it’s not possible for them to lose an entire class period and still have successful students.

Then, C days don’t stay C days anymore, and the shorter class period becomes a hindrance when teachers try to use it like a normal 90-minute class block.

“AP and honors classes require much more time and effort, and the workload becomes a problem over the weekend because we don’t get constructive time on Fridays,” Agarwal said. 

Burnout is a real issue when it comes to a multitude of difficult classes that need assignments and lessons, all of which get piled on to the weekend. Not to mention all the different types of classes you end up attending on C days. 

“C days feel a lot more tiring because I have to go to every class and get work from a wide variety of subjects,” CHS junior Chloe Kryzak said. “Honestly, they feel much longer, too.”

Many students share the sentiment of being “bounced around” from place to place and not being able to settle in to do any real review work. It creates a situation where every teacher has the chance to assign you homework before the weekend, especially since they don’t have adequate class time to cover content. Eight classes crammed into one day with the potential of being assigned homework in each class is rigorous especially for students who have packed schedules outside of school. 

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