Longer School Days, Extended School Year: For or Against
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a friend teaches elementary school--second grade.
She told me that the teachers got together at her school and totaled up the amount of time they spend testing and preparing students for the standard mandatory tests.
They determined that theyspend six weeks out of the year testing and preparing the students for these mandatory tests...six weeks that are not spent on teaching the students the knowledge and skills they need for a good foundation!
She told me that the teachers got together at her school and totaled up the amount of time they spend testing and preparing students for the standard mandatory tests.
They determined that theyspend six weeks out of the year testing and preparing the students for these mandatory tests...six weeks that are not spent on teaching the students the knowledge and skills they need for a good foundation!
I am 100% against a year 'round school year - kids need a break and time to be kids. We do need more time in the actual school day/year, but a lot of that could come from reducing wasted time w/in the day/schedule and distractions.
I am also convinced that a large part of the problem with our public schools is how much interference and kibbitzing there is in the school curriculum/schedule from parents, the government and the $%#^# teacher's unions. It's like how the lobbyists and special interests all screw up our government.
Teachers need to be able to run their classrooms without parents interfering and overruling any attempts at discipline. And 99% of the "self-esteem" and "learning disability" crap needs to go out the window so GRADES, HARD WORK, and LEARNING are the focus. Likewise the 3 day weekends for "teacher inservice" that just happen to fall on holiday weekends, excessive standardized tests, any electronics in the school that aren't being used by the teacher to teach, inappropriate dress, and a variety of other distractions need to go buh-bye.
Kids should go to school from approximately Labor Day to Memorial Day, with a vacation at Christmas and in the Spring, with 8 class periods a day (4 before a palatable lunch, 4 after) that include art, a foreign language, music, and gym class................but do NOT include time out of the school day for organized sports teams.
All after school activities need to end by 6 pm (so kids have time for a family dinner, homework, and sleep) or be limited to one night a week if travel (only allowed within your general geographic area for conference competition and on a big yellow bus) is involved.
I am also convinced that a large part of the problem with our public schools is how much interference and kibbitzing there is in the school curriculum/schedule from parents, the government and the $%#^# teacher's unions. It's like how the lobbyists and special interests all screw up our government.
Teachers need to be able to run their classrooms without parents interfering and overruling any attempts at discipline. And 99% of the "self-esteem" and "learning disability" crap needs to go out the window so GRADES, HARD WORK, and LEARNING are the focus. Likewise the 3 day weekends for "teacher inservice" that just happen to fall on holiday weekends, excessive standardized tests, any electronics in the school that aren't being used by the teacher to teach, inappropriate dress, and a variety of other distractions need to go buh-bye.
Kids should go to school from approximately Labor Day to Memorial Day, with a vacation at Christmas and in the Spring, with 8 class periods a day (4 before a palatable lunch, 4 after) that include art, a foreign language, music, and gym class................but do NOT include time out of the school day for organized sports teams.
All after school activities need to end by 6 pm (so kids have time for a family dinner, homework, and sleep) or be limited to one night a week if travel (only allowed within your general geographic area for conference competition and on a big yellow bus) is involved.
8 class periods a day? If each teacher gives 30 minutes of homework that's 4 hours of homework. After an 8+ hour school day you're over 12 hours of school work a day. Kids just can't handle that much. I'm for year round schooling with longer breaks in the summer and winter. Other than industries that rely on high schoolers as employees a shortened summer break doesn't really hurt anyone.
As for sports they are a necessity as they teach teamwork, discipline, and keeps kids from becoming obese and lethargic. Having said that coaches need to instill a sense of hard work that extends to academics and enforce a high standard for athletes. Letting them play sports with a solid D average is just stupid and only supports athletics being more important than academics.
As for sports they are a necessity as they teach teamwork, discipline, and keeps kids from becoming obese and lethargic. Having said that coaches need to instill a sense of hard work that extends to academics and enforce a high standard for athletes. Letting them play sports with a solid D average is just stupid and only supports athletics being more important than academics.
Part of the reason for the 8 class periods is to allow students the opportunity to take all the elective classes (like band, art, chorus, industrial arts, home ec etc.) they want and to allow them to be able to have a study hall so they can use the library or school computers if needed to do their homework.
Your scenario assumes that kids have no study hall/class time to do work and get 1/2 an hour of homework in every class every night - which is not realistic since their classes would include non-homework classes like gym, art, shop etc. and teachers who give that amount of homework would have to spend a significant amount of their time correcting it.
I agree sports (and other extracurriculars) are important - but not so important that time needs to be taken out of the school day for them. Plenty of time for competition and practice after the academic school day is done and students would also be receiving the benefits of exercise during gym. Typically the kids who would benefit the most from regular exercise are not participating in extracurricular sports.
Your scenario assumes that kids have no study hall/class time to do work and get 1/2 an hour of homework in every class every night - which is not realistic since their classes would include non-homework classes like gym, art, shop etc. and teachers who give that amount of homework would have to spend a significant amount of their time correcting it.
I agree sports (and other extracurriculars) are important - but not so important that time needs to be taken out of the school day for them. Plenty of time for competition and practice after the academic school day is done and students would also be receiving the benefits of exercise during gym. Typically the kids who would benefit the most from regular exercise are not participating in extracurricular sports.
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