PRO:

As many of you know, Flexible Instructional Time also known as “FIT,” is designed to give students more freedom and opportunity of choosing what they need additional help with academically.
In the past many students have complained and asked why were not granted more time to get our work and extra studying done and now with FIT, we are granted that opportunity with out it taking up our free time.
Classes are designed to have a certain amount of time each day. An issue with this technique is that if a student didn’t understand the lesson taught and needed further instruction on it, it’s hard to get that done in the amount of time granted.
The second week FIT was going on, I had this problem. My first thought was to log on to my student portal to see if there was a session on the particular subject, and there was. While I was on my way to the session I couldn’t stop thinking about whether or not I was going to get the help I needed, and if it would make effect on the grade I was going to make.
Once I was there the teacher allowed me to freely ask any questions I needed answered and thoroughly explained what I needed help on, with this I got a better understanding of the material which resulted in me getting a good grade on the test that had slipped my mind.
With FIT we are given the opportunity to sign up for any class we feel we are not strong enough in and get the extra help we need.
If a student is not assigned to a particular subject, that means a teacher specifically pulled them aside with the mind set of them needing extra help with that subject. That student is now being given extra class time to learn more on a past topic that they are weak in.
With FIT you may be losing 10 minutes of lunch, and a couple minutes during your passing period, but you are being granted extra helping time that will reflect on your overall grade, which is far more valuable. -by Staff Writer Paige Rife

CON:

On paper FIT seems like it would be beneficial to students and give an extra edge on academics, but there have been complaints all over campus about the changes the new sessions bring.
Chaos flooded the halls as over 3,000 students scrambled to find a free session during the 2013 FIT trial week. Despite overflowing classrooms and the confusion that surrounded the FIT practice run, the administration remained determined to make FIT a permanent reality.
Teachers and administration patrol the halls during FIT to make sure everyone is in their assigned sessions and not skipping
During one FIT session I had been asked to run an errand for my teacher and before I was even 40 feet out the classroom I felt like I was being interrogated. I was stopped twice in one hallway and honestly was a bit scared. I understand taking FIT seriously, but I don’t think students should be treated like prisoners.
Calling attention to these issues will hopefully help make FIT into the viable session it can be.
For those who struggle in a core class, FIT may be a blessing, but some of the students who really need the extra help aren’t going to FIT anyway.
In order to make room for FIT, lunches were cut down by 10 minutes and passing periods to seven. Students have found it harder to be able to make classes on time and still get what they need to do done.
Another issue that I find with the shortened passing periods is being able to use the rest room and still have time to make it to class.
Referrals are given to those who do not attend their assigned sessions or simply skip FIT altogether.
There have been complaints about the FIT cloud portal students are expected to sign up for FIT sessions on. Many students are worried that they will get into trouble or even earn a referral for not signing up despite how difficult it is trying to find a certain teacher’s session using smart phones.
Fixing the online portal may offer FIT as a more viable and simpler solution. -by Co-Entertainment Editor Kamryn Bryce