1

Lunchtime is serving up freedom:

A review on an academic hour used concurrently with lunch hour for a high school

in northern Utah

Shayne Bair, Lexie Richins, Taylor Roeling

JCOM 3120, Section 1

Professor Deb Jenson

December 1, 2017
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Literary Review:

A new public high school in northern Utah has implemented a common lunch hour into

its schedule. Thirty minutes is reserved for lunch and thirty minutes is reserved for study time

with teacher availability. This particular type of scheduling was taken from a previous high

school in the same school district, but overall it is unique and not much research has been

completed concerning this particular type of common hour for students. When an academic hour

is implemented at the same time as lunch period in a high school setting, it presents the

opportunity to address time limitations some students have throughout the school day, opens up

time for students and teachers to develop closer relationships, put more emphasis on academic

performance, and creates more time for team success in the school as a whole. The purpose of

this paper is to understand the use of academic hours within a casual setting by students at a

public high school and their perception of school climate, academic performance, and team

success.

Researchers have defined an academic hour as components of the school day that

organize students and teachers and guide the daily operation of the school (Ellerbrock & Kiefer,

2013, p. 171). Ellerbrock and Kiefer (2013) defined unstructured periods of the school day as

nonacademic times of the school day that students navigate on their own and experience

minimal supervision (p. 171). Unstructured times such as lunch, have shown negative peer

interaction results.

Kilby (2006) investigated the use of homeroom. For the purpose of this paper, any

teacher can be approached during this academic hour. The role of a homeroom teacher will

remain the same. This paper also includes the definition of homeroom and a common hour as

part of an academic hour. Homeroom is defined by Kilby (2006) as a designated part of the day
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where a small group of students were allowed a time where teachers and guidance counselors

could review student progress and focus on goal setting, student growth, and team-building

(Kilby, 2006). This homeroom teacher regularly communicates with the students, monitors their

school experiences, is a source of support, and acts as an intermediary between the students and

their disciplinary teachers (Yablon & Itzhaky, 2013, p. 484). In a 2010 paper written by

Elbousty and Bratt, they discovered professional learning communities had a positive impact

on students and teachers at an east coast high school. Teachers found it easier to connect with

their students and they gained valuable insight into different methods of managing their

classrooms (Bratt & Youness, 2010). One vital implementation of a common lunch hour proved

successful in Maryland. Moving to a common lunch hour has proven to be a strong component to

a successful and positive school climate at a high school in Maryland; students often visit

teachers for coursework help or review, coaches are able to hold team meetings, the gym is open

to promote physical activity, clubs are able to meet and even host speakers, and students are able

to pay for fees and take care of logistical things (Goodman, 2007). The school has seen the

suspension rate go down and student achievement increase over several years of having this type

of schedule. Goodman (2007) reached the following conclusion:

The bottom line is that, after six years in practice, one lunch period at Blake has

empowered students and staff members, raised student achievement, improved staff

collegiality and planning, and overall created an extremely effective and overwhelmingly

positive school climate. The consensus of the school community is that Blake's single

lunch period is highly successful and absolutely here to stay. (p. 48)

Longer homeroom or academic time would allow for increased time for teachers to focus

on supporting individual needs (Ellerbrock & Kiefer, 2013). When students spend more time
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with a teacher, teachers and students are able to pursue more personal relationships between one

another as well as showing a significant overall difference in higher grades across the grade

levels (Nichols, 2005). Research has proved this through blocked scheduling. A blocked

schedule consists of fewer classes than a traditional class schedule but with longer classes. When

the school schedule follows a blocked time schedule rather than a traditional class schedule, one

can observe longitudinally small gains in student achievement for each school following its

block conversion (Nichols, 2005, p. 308). This was proven in Kramer and Kellers (2008) study

in a 4 x 4 block scheduling reform where students who students who studied under this schedule

scored higher on most measures of mathematics achievement than those who studied under a

traditional schedule.

Research has found a supportive and positive school climate is key to student success as

it promotes cooperative learning, group cohesion, respect, and mutual trust (Thapa, Cohen,

Guffey, & Higgins-DAlessandro, 2013, p. 365). School climate is based on a variety of patterns

students experience and has a vital impact on the mental and physical health of students (Thapa

et al., 2013). It is important to look and evaluate the structure and climate of high schools to gain

insight and make further predictions and implementations to create a successful learning

environment for students both academically and socially.

In todays academic world, educators are dealing with the most diverse student

population than ever before educators have to help students stay in school longer and achieve

high academic success while also keeping students out of trouble and helping them gain essential

social skills (Schaps, 2009). Creating a supportive community at high schools is vital in

promoting student success. At the heart of a high-community school is an inclusive web of

respectful, supportive relationships among and between students, teachers, and parents (Schaps,
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2009, p. 9). Osterman (2000) defines a sense of community as a feeling of belongingness within

a group and how a community is not really present until members, in this case students,

experience this belonging; students need to feel like the group is important to them and vice

versa.

A high-quality school life, meaning a climate where students feel comfortable and

supported, is something that not only administrators are working towards, but something all

educators, students, and families are contributing to for the success of the school and its vision;

the climate is made up of norms, expectations, and values that create a safe experience in the

social, emotional, and physical realm (Cohen et al., 2009). However, school climate is more

than individual experience: It is a group phenomenon that is larger than any one persons

experience (Cohen et al., 2009, p. 182).

A positive school climate with a nurturing environment heavily influences all types of

student outcomes this includes not only academic performance, but also increased attendance

(Kotok, Sakiko, & Bodovski, 2016). There are a wide variety of factors which influence

students decisions to dropout, but schools play an important role in preventing dropouts because

many times it is due to a feeling of alienation students develop (Kotok et al., 2016). Siegle,

Rubenstein and Mitchell (2014) observed that students overwhelmingly attributed their interest

and motivation to their experiences with their teachers (p. 40). Students developed meaningful

relationships with their teachers when teachers cared about their students, knew them personally,

and were interested in helping them succeed. One of the more alarming findings within the study

Pharris-Ciurei, Hirschman, and Willhoft (2012) conducted on 9th grade shock and high school

dropouts was the pattern of failure in high schools was that

failure is not simply a poor grade on an exam, but being held back to repeat a grade and

dropping out of school. Small missteps, combined with inattention and school absences,

can quickly turn into failed tests, and then a failed course. Most failing students do not

drop out of high school immediately, but they may lose confidence and develop poor

habits that make it difficult to recover. (Pharris-Ciurei, Hirschman, & Willhoft, 2012, p.

723-24)

Creating a school climate which sets students up for success in the academic and social

world also helps students develop independence (Schaps, 2009). In a high-community school,

there are opportunities for the school itself to provide autonomy and influence because when

students have a say about their own learning, it helps them prepare for roles they will have in

future schooling and careers (Schaps, 2009). Osterman found that peer relationships are another

important factor when students are assessing their school climate. Osterman (2000) further

reported:

we can establish that students experience of acceptance is linked in many important

ways to students engagement and performance. In a more general sense, we can also

establish that, while kids care about the quality of peer relationships in school, many do

not consider themselves to be part of a supportive student community and have relatively

few opportunities in the school day to interact with one another (p. 344).

Ultimately, when students have few opportunities to engage with one another during the day

besides class time, it is more difficult for students to see themselves belonging to a supportive

community.
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Additionally, the student-teacher relationships and the support students see given from

them is vital to school structuring and climate. Studies have found that close relationships

between students and faculty lead to improved grades by helping students feel motivated for high

achievement as well as preventing dropouts (Kotok et al., 2016). In a high school community, it

is up to teachers and administrators to encourage the community sense by designing communal

activities to which all contribute (Osterman, 2000, p. 324). Furthermore, since the main

community of schools includes students and teachers, teachers are vital in creating a supportive

network, which in turn reduces stress for students (Osterman, 2000). In research relating to

school climate, it was discovered that many students felt the caring adults and mentors in schools

were vital in their attendance as well as connection to school; for example, when teachers

showed an interest in children, or when homes were called when students were absent, it made a

difference for students in speaking out about problems and finishing programs (Bryant,

Shdaimah, Sander, & Cornelius, 2013). Students equate respect and attention given by teachers

with support. When they feel liked by their teachers and that the teacher respected them enough

to offer assistance in the learning process, students report feeling valued (Bryant et al., 2013, p.

849).

A study of teacher-student relationships in Germany revealed that even if students

thought there were low quality faculty and student relationships overall, if a student had at least

one teacher they felt like they were close to and who cared about them, it created an emotional

bond which improved intrinsic motivation (Raufelder, Scherber, & Wood, 2016). For the

purpose of this study, teacher support will be defined as relationships students have with teachers

which are seen as helpful or not in aiding academic and personal success.
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Team success has been defined by researchers as the ability of students and teachers to

work with one another to create positive and proactive academic relationships (Bandyopadhyay,

Cornell, & Konold, 2009; Moolenaar, Daly, & Sleegers, 2010; Spilt, Koomen, & Thijs, 2011;

Hrynchak, & Batty, 2012). Students perceptions of the quality of their relationships between

their peers and their teachers predicts the students sense of membership within their school. In a

study observed by Johnson, Nyamekye, Chazan, and Rosenthal (2013) showed that teacher

encouragement proved to improve academics rather than educational instruction alone. In the

study, teacher Mr. Lee worked with African American students in a calculus class. He addressed

problematic behaviors through speeches of adapting the proper dispositions of a successful

student rather than to difficulties with the content (Johnson, Nyamekye, Chazan, & Rosenthal,

2013, p. 2). Lees speeches took a significant part of class time, however when exam scores

came back, only one student did not pass the assessment. Students' sense of identification, and

not their level of achievement motivation, predicted their willingness to contribute and engage in

their school (Lizzio, Dempster, & Neumann, 2011).

Positive association between teacher-student relations also have positive engagement and

achievement with students. Students perceive teachers as caring when students know them well

and provide guidance and help. Flexible scheduling and homeroom can help increase time

teachers have to build meaningful relationships with their students (Ellerbrock & Kiefer, 2013).

High-quality relationships promote academic motivation with students. In a study investigating

ways teachers support young adolescents academic motivation, it was found that almost all

students articulated that they were academically motivated when learning activities were

authentic and interactive (Kiefer, Ellerbrock, & Alley, 2014, p. 12). All students in the study

recognized and appreciated working one-on-one with a teacher.

Researchers have defined academic performance as student satisfaction with the teacher,

positive engagement in classes, greater retention rates, and positive achievement (Pharris-Ciurej,

Hirschman, & Willhoft, 2012; Siegle, Rubenstein & Mitchell, 2014). Throughout the school

week, students spend an average of 14 hours on school work outside of the classroom

(Kalenkoski & Pabilonia, 2017). When high school students spend more time on their courses,

spend time studying on their own, and spend time on other study-related activities by just 1%,

the grade has been shown to increase by 0.01% (Grave, 2011). Any activity that takes away from

time spent on school or schoolwork results in a trade-off of hours between time spent on the

activity and homework time. A structured time such as an academic hour would provide

academic support for students as well as a time during the day for them to socialize with peers

and teachers to form better relationships (Swenson, 2017). The teachers role in an academic

hour allows for more one-on-one time with a student than could previously be allowed within a

typical schedule, resulting in better relationships, especially in emotional support (Early,

Maxwell, Ponder, & Yi, 2017).

Better academic performance was found in schools where teachers reported more

positive peer relationships between students and lower levels of disruptiveness and safety

problems (OBrennan, Bradshaw, & Furlong, 2014, p. 132). This can be the result of structured

time being taken advantage of through academic hours. When students feel like they are being

supported by their teachers and friends those students are more likely to develop affective ties

to school and display socially acceptable behavior (Stewart, 2007, p. 28). These ties to the

school are a result of a sense of attachment and show signs of commitment to school and

schoolwork as well as higher GPAs (Pharris-Ciurej, Hirschman, & Willhoft, 2012).

In one study, researchers uncovered that when students were trusted to engage in the

process of self-monitoring, it made them feel trusted enough to the point they actually did take

some responsibility in watching over their own grade. The study theorized that it was because the

students felt trusted, it made them feel more like an adult, and as a result, more apt to learn. An

additional bonus was that it made more free time for teachers to attend to their own grading and

focus on their personal improvement (Rock, 2005).

In many studies, academic performance was typically used in the same way academic

achievement is which usually is in the context of how well students perform in class based on

grades and standardized tests. However, there are many factors which can either affect or not

affect academic performance. For example, Banai and Perin found intelligence is weak in

predicting academic performance and what students learn in high school contributes more to

their success at tertiary educational level than their individual differences in intelligence (2016,

p. 9). It is important to note there are several factors which can contribute to success of students

and their academic performance. In Ripski and Gregorys (2009) research, they found when

students feel threatened or unsafe, they are less likely to demonstrate academic success; when

students reported feeling treated unfairly they were also more likely to be disengaged as reported

by teachers.

The structure of scheduling and its relation to academic performance shows a positive

relationship in different subject areas (Trenta & Newman, 2002). In a study relating to academic

achievement, researchers found perceptions of school climate were most likely impacting student

achievement where students could identify with the school and its community (Reynolds, Lee,

Turner, Bromhead, & Subasic, 2017). Having a school structured where learning goals, instead

of focusing on getting good grades or failing, helps students enjoy learning more. This
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enjoyment of learning will then translate into their academic achievement as those with learning

goals had better grades than those who didnt (Froiland & Worrell 2016).

By examining the common lunch hour at a public high school, this study will focus on

the following research questions:

1. Do peer interactions improve as academic hours are put into place?

2. Is the use of a common lunch hour being used by students for its main purpose?

3. Is a common lunch hour increasing academic performance across the board?

4. Does a common lunch hour create close and supportive relationships between students

and teachers?
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Methods:

Research Tools and Data Collection

Research was conducted through interviews with teachers at the school. There were three

interviewers for one teacher interviewee. Researchers determined that in-depth interviews would

be the best way to conduct the study based on Guion, Diehl, and McDonalds statement that in-

depth interviews are most appropriate for situations in which you want to ask open-ended

questions that elicit depth of information from relatively few people (2011, p. 1). In-depth

interviews also are used to offer a more complete picture of what happened and why (Boyce,

Neale, 2006). Two of the three interviewers were moderators and the other was a recorder/note

taker. Moderator 1 asked questions that were written prior to the interview. This interviewer also

asked other probing and clarifying questions. Moderator 2 took notes on the interviewees

physical behavior. The Recorder/Note Taker was primarily responsible for recording the

interview on a cellular device as well as recording the times when important answers came up.

The interviews were an average of 50 minutes long.

After the interviews were conducted, researchers had 48 hours to transcribe the

recordings. Recordings were then destroyed. The interviewees were given pseudonyms in the

final work to protect their identity. Hard copies of the transcripts were stored in a restricted-

access folder in a locked drawer in a restricted-access office.

Setting

The study was conducted in a new high school in northern Utah. The high school consists

of freshmen to seniors with both boys and girls. The school had a common hour during its lunch

period. This hour was divided into two 30-minute sessions. Students picked which session they

wanted to use for eating lunch and which session they wanted to use for academic purposes.
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There was only one lunch period during the day available to all students and teachers. Academic

purposes, according to the high school, were those that can be used to better their academics and

involvement. For example, during that 30-minute period, students were encouraged to visit their

teachers to make up late work, review concepts covered in class, visit guidance counselors, and

attend club meetings. The school had an open-campus lunch, meaning students were allowed to

go on and off campus during this hour as they wished. All students had be back before this hour

ends.

In accordance with the state of Utah and federal laws, teachers must be allowed a 30-

minute uninterrupted break. This break was allotted during lunch time. Teachers also chose a 30-

minute session to have lunch. The other 30-minutes were used to help students. Whatever section

the teacher chose to open their classrooms must be advertised to students. Some teachers have

opted out of only being available one 30-minute period and opened their classroom for the full

hour.

This academic hour was replicated from another high school in the same county. The

prior principal from that school implemented a similar academic hour. The principal was then

employed at the new high school where the study was being conducted. The principal

implemented the same system into the high school which was observed.

Sampling

This was a voluntary study where teachers chose to be involved in the study. Teachers

working in the school were sent two emails. The first email was to recruit teachers and detailed

the interview process. Teachers were asked to participate and opt-in to the study. A second email

was sent to every third teacher in the school directory to directly ask them to participate. Four

teachers voluntarily participated in the study. There was no incentive for interviewees to be
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involved in the study. The teachers were made aware that this was a low-risk study and they

were free to leave at any point during the interview.

Epoches

One of the interviewers from the group attended the high school in the county that had

done an academic hour before the new high school adopted it. This interviewer knows the

current principal, one of teachers who were interviewed, and has been through the same

academic hour that was being studied.

Findings:

Based off the four interviews from teachers who worked at the high school with the

common lunch hour, the following themes were found: students developing accountability,

teachers providing more support, and more social opportunities being available during the school

day. Each theme was evident in each individual interview, even though the teachers taught a

variety of subjects, had different amounts of teaching experience, and had previous experiences

with a common lunch hour.

Students developing accountability in relation to a common lunch hour can be defined as

students having the choice and responsibility to come see their teachers during the designated

hour if they need help, or need to do makeup work in a certain subject. When analyzing the

interviews, teachers believed students developing accountability was the most essential and

positive aspect of having a common lunch hour implemented into the schedule. It prevents

students from having to come in for help either before or after school as they have a time

specifically scheduled in the middle of the day for this exact purpose. Students cannot find

excuses to not visit their teachers before and after school and are held accountable to visiting the

teachers during the common lunch hour already provided to them. One teacher stated, The

power of the program is the students get to own their own decisions. I get good students, and

even bad students, who are still self-motivated to come; its great. The hour did not require a

check-in process, so students were free to visit teachers if they wanted or needed to. This allowed

students to exercise agency. They could choose whether they wanted to utilize the hour or not.

The average number of students showing accountability and going to see their teachers depended

on several factors such as if there was a test or quiz in the near future, if teachers asked them to

come in, or if they were put on a guided common lunch hour due to suffering grades. Three of
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the participants had been teaching for more than 10 years in different schools all three also

previously taught at the other high school in the school district which first started the idea of a

common lunch hour. All three emphasized how the common lunch hour would be much different

if it was mandatory for students to visit their teachers. Because the hour did not require a check-

in process, students were free to visit teachers if they wanted or needed to this allowed

students to exercise agency. Another teacher interviewed said, Its great to help those students

learn how to be responsible and come in and get the help on their own, and I want to provide

them with the help. If theyre being responsible enough to ask me and if they care enough to ask

me for the help Im not going to tell them no.

Teachers interviewed showed distaste for anything mandatory, believing this takes away

from the students learning how to be young adults. One teacher stated, I dont like anything that

is mandatory. I want these kids to have an intrinsic sense that they make these choices because

they are young adults ... they realize the importance of spending extra time accomplishing the

goals or the task at hand. Students developing accountability therefore provides room for

students to grow in their independence and decision-making skills, whereas a mandatory

common hour would provide different results and less independence building. Self-motivation,

or having the desire to perform well academically, goes along with students developing

accountability because students realize the need to make the correct decisions in using the

common hour efficiently in order to be successful. One teacher said when students or parents

want to make excuses for poor grades and such, teachers are not held responsible since they were

available to students during the common lunch hour. According to Schaps, it was found creating

a school climate which provides steps for students to set themselves up for success in the

academic and social world will help them develop independence; in a school which can be seen
 17

as a community, it will provide opportunities for autonomy and influence because if students

have a say in their own learning, it will help them develop necessary skills to prepare them for

future schooling and careers (2009). Overall, the transcripts revealed that students developing

accountability was one of the most vital and positive impacts of a common lunch hour as it

teaches students important life skills such as independence, decision-making, and being held

accountable for the decisions and choices they make.

The theme of teachers providing more support in relation to a common lunch hour can be

defined as providing an opportunity for one-on-one time for students with their teachers outside

of class for help, which in-turn fosters closer teacher-student relationships. It is important to

qualify that the four teachers interviewed each allowed students to visit them anytime in the full

common lunch hour instead of only designating the first thirty minutes or the last thirty minutes

for student visitation; this allowed students to have even more freedom in choosing when they

visit their teachers and fosters a more supportive environment from the teachers. One participant

stated,

The real ends you usually make with your students are when you spend that time outside

of class with them. Thats when you get to know them, that's when you get to kind of

pick on them and spy on them, and all that kind of stuff. You get to know their little

idiosyncrasies and you make those personal connections.

One teacher found dedicating time to students helped form a connection which established trust

and understanding. Siegle, Rubenstein, and Mitchell (2014) said students overwhelmingly

attributed their interest and motivation to their experiences with their teachers (p. 40). The more

time this one particular teacher could spend with students, the more they understood how the

students minds worked, and what worked best for them to succeed. This connected back to a
 18

study conducted by Early, Maxwell, Ponder, and Yi which showed that more one-on-one time

with a student can result in better relationships (2017). Teachers want to provide that support to

their students as one participant described it is part of the job if teachers are passionate

about their job then the students will know, understand, and feel that they care for them. Even

more so, having supportive teacher-student relationships creates emotional bonds which will

improve intrinsic motivation in students (Raufelder, Scherber, & Wood, 2016). The participants

in this research described how the common lunch provides the extra time for educators to get to

know their students a little bit better than just in the classroom; teachers are there to build

knowledge and aid their students in their academic success. One teacher would spend time

within the academic hour reading tests aloud to students with low reading levels being aware

these students needed more specific help than others. They wanted those students to feel as sense

of safety they may not have felt with other teachers, because they were too intimidated to seek

help. They said often these students will want to put on that faade of yeah, I get it, when in

reality they are really behind." Having this academic hour provides this teacher and others with

the chance to connect with students so they develop a bond of trust. With this trust comes the

ability to open up and ask for help when it is needed. The theme of teachers providing more

support was evident and can be seen as contributing to a positive school climate at this high

school.

The theme of more social opportunities being available during the school day, in relation

to a common lunch hour, can be defined as providing time for students in the middle of the

school day to take a break and either socially interact with other students during lunch, or

interact in the classrooms where teachers have their door open. One teacher said they teach many

students who are not generally very social; the common lunch hour has enabled opportunities for
 19

these students to all socially interact together and connect over the same projects and

assignments this specific teacher assigns them. The teachers all mentioned common lunch hour

has given students a chance to interact with other students and teachers even if it is not related to

academic work. For students who maybe arent very social and dont have as many friends,

teachers leave their doors open to students so they can connect with their teachers on a social

level as well. One stated,

There are some students that come to the teachers even just for the connections. I mean,

they just want to be a part of somewhere so if they dont have friends and they cant go

hang out in the commons with some of the kids, theyll find a teacher and make that

connection and even eat lunch in that teacher's room because its a safe place.

Creating a positive school climate where students feel safe, comfortable, and supported is

something that is crucial for the success of a school; a high quality school life is made up of

norms, expectations, and values that create safe experiences in the social, emotional, and

physical realm (Cohen, McCabe, Michelli, & Pickeral, 2009). Students need to feel safe in order

to be academically successful and a common lunch hour enables students to feel safe by

providing more social opportunities with students and teachers.

Additionally, the transcripts from this research also revealed that although the

participants in this study all had an open-door for the entirety of the common lunch hour, they

did acknowledge that not all the teachers at this high school did the same. One teacher stated that

common lunch hour holds teachers accountable just as much as students, and there are teachers

they know who choose to either not be in their classroom during the common lunch hour, will

even leave for lunch, or will have their doors closed. Furthermore, the participants also

emphasized the fact that there are many students who use the common lunch hour as just an hour
 20

lunch and will often leave campus. This ties back to student accountability because it is the

student's choice to use their common lunch hour almost like a free-period; the teachers all said if

students who do this are getting good grades, or are choosing to just do more homework later at

night or in the morning, then it is acceptable as they have earned that time. This same teacher

stated:

If they are a good student and go get their homework done later and just want to have an

hour of downtime, that should be ok. Say you have an hour of down time after have three

hours, and then you go home and come back. Maybe you can handle the last two hours

better because you had a break.

It is the students who are academically average in their academic performance who are receiving

Bs and Cs who may need to utilize the common lunch hour more than those who have As and

more than those who are already put on a guided common lunch hour.

The insights these transcripts revealed may be useful in developing specifics in studying

a common lunch hour in the future. For example, while the participating teachers opened their

door for the whole common lunch hour because they want their students to succeed, it would be

vital to research why some teachers refuse to be available to their students during the designated

time teachers should be held to as much accountability as the students since it is their job to

help their students grow academically. Learning how to improve the system so all teachers are

motivated to being fully available to students during this time would be important to look into.

Even more so, it would be vital to research how to engage those average students who are

passing their classes with Bs and Cs, but could be achieving higher academic success if they

utilized the common lunch hour more efficiently. This would need to be done carefully as

participants said if a common lunch hour was mandatory, students developing accountability
 21

would decrease and take away students decision-making skills. Some more recommendations

for future studies include extending the length of the study, measuring quantitative data in

addition to the qualitative data, and including more people in the study. The study conducted was

not long enough to observe changes within students. In the next study, research should be

conducted for at least an academic year. Measuring quantitative data such as grades and

standardized tests would give perspective to the study. The research conducted was limited to

four teachers with only their opinions. Expanding the study to more than four teachers would

allow researchers to observe and understand more on student perspectives on the common hour.
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