4-day school weeks gain popularity across US

Originally posted by hhott
It's not that way for most of the world, nor is it that way in the animal kingdom. You learn and acquire the skills you need to be a successful adult, or you die.

School is more a mean of selection than a mean of teaching.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


speculativeoptimist,
thanks for your comment!

As to the ideas that have been put forth. I do know many parts of the world have longer school days and more days a week. In the past many have also used brutal teaching technics. I am not saying longer or shorter school hours are the answer, I don't know. I think it is best to let every district look at the results and decide for them selves.
I have nothing against a four day forty hour work week. Regardless if you are a student or a teacher.

Originally posted by hhott
In my opinion, this is going totally in the wrong direction. European countries have (or had?) six day school weeks.

As the world gets more and more complicated, kids need more time to learn, not less.

Also more free time is not a good thing. Used to be in the "old days" when kids worked their butts off 7 days a week on the farm or business, they learned responsibility and didn't have so much time to waste and get into trouble.

Where did we get this idea that childhood is supposed to be all about play and goofing off? It's not that way for most of the world, nor is it that way in the animal kingdom. You learn and acquire the skills you need to be a successful adult, or you die.

The mind needs time to absorb what it has learned. You will end up have a suicide culture among children who can't deal with the stress and honestly, if their future is flipping burgers or even managing a Wendy's franchise, what point is there in burning them out? Is that a successful adult? Can everyone be an astronaut or PHD?

Leave long hours where it is with higher education, the curriculum and teachers need improvement. More hours will not make smarter kids and smart kids don't always become "successful" adults.

It sounds like you are worried about idle hands which can be more effectively remedied with extra-curricular activities and good parenting. You are in essence asking the state to raise you're children more than they already are!

[edit on 5-6-2010 by SmokeandShadow]

I went to school in one of the (supposedly) best high schools in CA (although CA was ranked 49th in the nation at that point!). I was convinced then and now that I am an adult that I could have received a far better education had I been allowed to spend that time in the library rather than the dumbed down classes taught by PE and Home Ec teachers (Maths and science, respectively).

I would think this could work out, w. careful thought. In their position, I would create an "independent study" project to account for the missing day, where students could choose (with instructor approval and support) a subject or career that actually interests them and create a project/paper due at the end of the year, much like college (and real life). W/ instructors on board to act as advisers as needed, it could actually increase the informational and practical skills acquired by kids. But if they just drop everything that no longer fits in the schedule, that could have some very negative results. It's all about the roll-out and thoughtfulness they apply to the situation.

so do the teachers lose a days pay or get paid the same wages as if they worked 5 days?..

Have we not been dumbed down enough already???

reply to post by LetFreedomRingLoud


I'm not in any position to make a claim on the validity of your statements, but come on.. If you want to be taken seriously then present yourself in a serious manner. Derailing threads and spamming the board isn't going to get you anything more than eye rolls and bans.

The person who came with that idea probably didn't know that the quality of education in the USA is below avarage compared to other countries.

If his reasoning would be that it will spare those poor students from having an other day of bad education I can understand.

Originally posted by icecold7
school makes money student are happy
but what about the parents??
lol

My first thought was AAAACCCKK NOOOOOOOOO!

But you do bring up a very valid point. Not many people have a flexible schedule that can allow them to work from home and cater to this. Not everyone has kiddos old enough to stay by themselves or parents have the resources for an additional day of daycare. Or heck even extended family members to watch the kids.

*do not start with the world overpopulation thing*

What will happen to the daycare or baby sitter or other programs that watch kids, will they have the resources to hire more staff for the increase of kids?

I can see the benefits of a 4 day school week. I am lucky enough to have my kids old enough to stay home a day, plus I am extremely lucky enough to be a Stay At Home Mom. But I can also see how this can turn into a drunken monkey mess too.

I can see why the four-day school week to be so popular. But I'll sold as a pair say the problem of having a child out of school for three days and possibly not having the child care, to be able to have the child is safe carrying environment. It saves money in the short-term gas for buses money for teachers and such things like that but more money comes other parents pockets possibly paid professional childcare or who knows I mean older children could get in trouble possibly end up in jail or prison because they're not in a structured environment.

I think in order for this to work you would have to bring jobs down to four days a week for people with children. And I think this would eventually not right away cause people with children to get discriminated against. When it comes to the hiring process. We already have enough things that an employer can hold over our heads why should our children be another. We pay our taxes on time I know in my case in Dyer County Tennessee I pay an $80 wheel tax and as a divorced father of my kids do not even live in that county they lived in Henry County Tennessee where there is a much cheaper with tax but because I live in Dyer County Tennessee I cannot pay the Henry County Tennessee almost $30 cheaper wheel tax. I think that we're going to have our kids out of school three days a week that the government should have to supply a childcare or unfortunately Passmore walls stating that discrimination against people with children is impermissible and unconstitutional.

I can see why they want this but I can also see the unintended consequences of what they're about to do or what they want to do.we already have kids out there that are latch key kids who have no supervision after they leave the school environment and we've also seen that this causes delinquency in children. So what do we want? Do we want to save money on gas? Or do we want our children to be unattended and possibly unruly. Because let's face it we have to work.

Originally posted by SmokeandShadow
The mind needs time to absorb what it has learned. You will end up have a suicide culture among children who can't deal with the stress and honestly, if their future is flipping burgers or even managing a Wendy's franchise, what point is there in burning them out? Is that a successful adult? Can everyone be an astronaut or PHD?

Are you kidding? The mind "absorbs" what it has learned by using the knowledge and practicing the skills. Besides, I didn't see a high rate of suicide in European children when they were going to school 6 days a week and the school days were longer than US school days.

I do think that schools are teaching the wrong things in many respects. What children need to learn are skills like how to learn, how to think, how to problem-solve, basic math skills. logic skills, reading, etc. Skills they will need to be successful in their lives no matter what their profession is.

Leave long hours where it is with higher education

Umm.. what?? Last I knew, a "full-time" college schedule was 12 hours a week. You call that long hours??

You are in essence asking the state to raise you're children more than they already are!

Nope, not me. Never had any kids. But .. who is asking who to raise the kids? It's the "state" who gets upset if parents want to keep kids out of public schools and educate them themselves. Just ask some parents who try to home-school how many state hoops they have to jump through. If our society and economy still allowed for a parent to stay home with the kids, 4-day school would be great. But we know that most households have 2 working parents and no extended family members living in the household.. so this leaves the kids either on their own or in "day care" an extra day a week. You think that's better than them being in school?

Originally posted by speculativeoptimist
Thanks for the post RedGolem!

After reading the article, I am convinced the notion is a good one. One school saved 400,000 dollars, that is significant. I like the idea of teachers and students getting more rest and the fact that teachers and students can better prepare themselves for classes.
With so many families needing help around the house too, with their elders or any other responsibilities, this may be helpful.

I wonder if the decision affects their funding from the Govmnt any?
I also wonder how many days kids in other parts of the world attend classes.

Personally I think an extra day of R/R is good for everyone.

Peace

In asia they start school at 3 and go 5 days a week with 2-3 hrs a day tuition classes on weekends. School holidays during new year (chinese new year, eid al fitri, deepavali about a month and a half for all 3 ) also for national holidays and about a month during summer. The rest of the time they attend school. Also for those who do well on exams they get scolarships, laptops and cash awards from the government and recognition in the media for their accomplishments.

reply to post by Expat888


Thanks for some insight into your system!
I like the idea of incentives for students. We have similar ones, scholarships, recognition and maybe even a star by your name for doing good.
Cash and laptops sounds good too!
I am curious how our Govmt views this 4 day thing, think I'll go digging to get some perspective.

Peace

As an incentive they should say that each student that under performs will be required to maintain a 5 day school week. If you made a 4 day school week national and did this, I bet you you'd see kids doing anything to keep their 3 day weekend and it'd save money and they'd learn more.

reply to post by ghaleon12


Now that's not a bad idea! It would give a little more attention and time to students that struggle with studies as well.
Maybe an answer lies in the middle ground too, as in alternate 4 and 5 day weeks, one week 4 days, the next 5, and so on.

Peace

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Welcome , they also are supportive of and encouraging life long learning awhile back an 89 year old man went to uni and got a masters in accounting.. Another man went back and studied with his son and completed his schooling that he wasnt able to when he was younger as he had left early to work to help his family both graduated together.
In schools curriculums cover language (local language along with english) maths, science, arts, history , it (e-books a new program 2 years ago students in primary schools get laptops with the course material to study on the laptop rather than lug books around).
Theres even classes at community centers in most towns for people to learn things from cooking to computers. (Big push for IT growth among people of all ages)