Favorite Power Hour Spots
STORY BY KHLOE CRAWSHAW »
When power hour is open, students not on the “F” list have the opportunity to roam the school. But where do students go after they eat their lunches?
While most flock to the library to get work done, there are other places that are filled with students looking to hang out with their friends.
“I either go to the choir or band room,” said Allison Gladfelder, Jr. “I go to the band room to work on things that I need to know,” said Gladfelder. She thinks that open power hour is flawed because of the disorganization, but fun. She can get work done, while still deciding where she can go and has the ability to do work with friends.
Power hour is supposed to be used for getting work done, and most often, students can use the time that they have to travel to the classrooms of their teachers. They might have work to finish, or need to ask their teacher specific questions.
This is very true for Mr. Keltner, who has students in his classroom most of his power hour asking questions about that day’s math homework. But, he can understand how sometimes students might just need a place to hang out during power hour.
“There are students who struggle to sit still and quiet for 50 minutes at a time for seven class periods in a row. It helps to talk to something that isn’t a textbook or a chromebook and break up the monotony of sitting and doing work,” said Keltner. While he thinks that people should definitely use their time wisely during power hour, he acknowledges that it is often helpful for students to keep moving and get out some of their energy.
Mr. Durkin is another teacher that frequently has students in his classroom during open power hour. He thinks that it is because it is a space where you can get work done without interruptions that might derail them from the work that they need to get done.
“I like to think that students are getting things done, just because if you’re in here during power hour, I’m trying to eliminate distractions,” Durkin said confidently. Students sometimes go to classrooms for work, but ones who do decide to use power hour for hanging out may be more inclined to choose rooms where there isn’t a specific teacher.
Maddy Torneden, Jr., sometimes just wants to get away from all the noise and energy.
“I go anywhere but the lunchroom during power hour. There’s just too many people,” said Torneden. “I feel like that using power hour as a hangout is good because you can get away from all of the things you have to do during the day,” said Torneden. She goes places like Mrs. Johnson’s room near the library.
Mrs. Johnson appreciates the fact that students go places like her classroom during power hour.
“I would rather people come in my room rather than going somewhere they shouldn’t be. I know students in here know my expectations,” said Johnson.
Mrs. Kerr is also a teacher who encourages students to go to her classroom, and thinks that might be because she does not have a specific subject that she teaches, so the students may feel less pressure to work on a certain subject.
“I’d say my classroom is used as a safe space where students can get work done if they want, but this is more of a place they can go to just kind of hang out,” said Kerr. “I think open power hour is a great opportunity for students to get help when they need it, and relax for a while.” she said.
Students who do not have work to do can go to her classroom and have a moment to relax, and not have to stress about impending things that will be due in the future.
“I know there’s students that should be taking advantage of their time,” said Kerr, “but they are in high school now, so they are learning responsibility through open power hour.”
