Obama Proposes Longer School Days, Extended School Year

[Babyblue]

Thanks.

You're right - education is an ongoing process but however, with the greater significance of not embracing it is why it hurts when we all have to waste the half of the school year to review it. That is the problem, unfortunately.

Kids and parents are encouraged to continue the education during the breaks. Parents are the blame as well, for not continuously encouraging their child/children education.

Like I have said before... I do see a lot of slack, on the parents part.

It is too easy for parents to blame the school system. When they are not even encouraging it at home. "It takes a village to raise a child"

 

[Steel X]

The other thing I noticed about the schools in America is that we tend to give the students a day off for every holiday.......

I remember visiting my cousins who had Christmas Break, Spring Break and then have 3 months off for the summer.

Now it seems that every month--there is a 3 or 4 day weekend for the students as well as Thanskgiving break, Winter break, Mid-Winter break, Spring break....I mean for crying out loud--how many breaks do the students need?

Ahahaha yeah that is very true.

 

[Reba]

Obama Proposes Longer School Days | Edu in Review Blog

First of all, since when is it the duty of the President to propose anything about our public schools? Please show me in the Constitution where this is one of his duties.

One size does not fit all when it comes to schools.

For this generation of students to remain competitive with their international peers as adults, they need to start spending more time in school.

How many hours per day, days per year did Obama attend school?

How many hours per day, days per year did our NASA scientists, computer hardware and software designers, entrepreneurs, inventors, etc., attend school prior to the 70's?

If the quantity of school time increases, is that a guarantee that the quality of schools will improve? Or will it just be more hours of the same-old, same-old? Will the kids be alert late into the afternoon?

This week President Obama proposed that American school children extend their time in class, either by lengthening the school day, or spending less time on summer vacation.

I guess he doesn't have enough to keep him busy as President, so he's decided to get involved with schools.

In fact, American children spend the least amount time in the classroom when compared to other countries. Currently, the school year length in the States is 180 days. Advocates are pushing further toward a 200-day school year, which would align with Thailand, Scotland and the Netherlands, and leave us a close second with Israel, South Korea and Japan, who leads with a 243-day school year.

Yes, the government would love to have more hours of influence over our precious children.

This comes as Obama makes it very clear that education is on his hot-list of priorities. He admits the notion of spending more time in school is not “wildly popular”, but necessary.

I thought our economy and universal health care were his hot-list priorities; oh, and that pesky war over there.

He was applauded for his breadth of knowledge regarding the public education system in the U.S.

Maybe he should be Secretary of Education instead of President and Commander in Chief?

He cited that one-third of the 13- and 14-year-olds in our country cannot read at an appropriate level for their age, and that the eighth grade curriculum is two years behind competing nations. He says the part of the problem is our “race to the bottom” mindset, wherein states are comfortable with lower standards for students.

Specifically, how would longer hours and more days resolve those problems?

How will longer hours at school develop a love for reading in the Wii generation?

Obama and his Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are truly advocates for a superior education system than that we’ve previously and currently known. It’s imperative that states use the stimulus package money to rebuild curriculum...

What exactly happened to the curriculum, and what would be done to "rebuild" it?

increase teacher pay...

The stimulus money will provide the increase in pay for how long?

improve school conditions...

For how long?

offer newer technologies to students...

I thought they couldn't read and use a map. How will newer technologies resolve those problems? How did students manage to read and use maps in the past before technology was available?

and even extend the school year to ensure that this generation can not only keep up with their international peers, but even surpass them in the professional environment of the coming decades

Are we sure that adding a couple months of school will do all that?

Do we know how much it will cost to pay teachers, administration, and maintenance staff for those extra weeks? How much will it cost to air condition the schools thru the summer? How much will it cost to heat and AC the schools during longer school days? How dark will it be when kids go to school and come home? Will teachers experience burn out? When will teachers have time to get their advanced degrees? If high school students can't get summer jobs to pay for their college, what will they do? Will this plan be mandatory or will each school board decide whether or not to adopt it?

 

[KarissaMann05]

I agree!!

Our county did that last year, and a few of our neighboring counties.

For "Easter" We only had Good Friday and the weekend off. Spring break was a few weeks after.

It was a disaster! Due to many kids did not show up "Easter week" Families and etc took off.

Then when spring break was around. Kids were left stranded at home. Due to the parents went back to work.

Never seen so many temporary enrollments at the center I worked at during that week.

It was absolutely insane!

But I do agree about the "Pledge"

Speaking from both ends! "Meaning out of their asses and mouths"

Guess the Government can not please everyone!

That is why it is such a hot debate about the separation of church and states.

Schools are within communities. A widely diverse one! Should they be able to excused certain kids, from school with certain beliefs?? Meaning to allow them to take certain vacations? Due to their culture, and beliefs?

That's great questions.

But one problem is... taking religious holidays off that would effect on freedom of religions...

 

[Babyblue]

That's great questions.

But one problem is... taking religious holidays off that would effect on freedom of religions...

It is the Constitution.

 

[KarissaMann05]

Year round school with breaks in between.

Parents need to take the responsibility of educating their children. Doesn't have to be formal lesson plans or direct instruction but be more involved! Don't put children in front of the TV or let them play video games for hours each day. Talk to them, take opportunities of events during time together to each them the basics and READ to them for at least 30 mins a day or have them read daily and discuss what they read.

NMy 3 year old son already has a large vocabulary in both ASL and English because I expose him to it by talking/signing to him. He already understands the concept of "spicy" and uses it in his daily language. I fingerspell every word he sees or whenever he shows an interest in print. Also, I tell him the letters in spoken English as well.

Little things like that while they r so young make a world of difference for them.

Mmm... Good post.

Thanks for the answer.

 

[KarissaMann05]

It is the Constitution.

Yes, I am aware of that. So, why do you want to change those holiday days or get ruin of them just cos of religious reasons?

That's what your questions are sound like that...

 

[Reba]

I forgot to mention: what about all the fossil fuel that school buses will use during those extra months?

 

[Loghead]

I disagree with the thought of adding more school days in the States, but I'm liking the suggestions others are giving about using that money to make classrooms less crowded and put more modern learning tools in school.

In my Canadian province of Ontario, instead of the 180 schooldays the Americans have, we have 194 (6 days off the goal of Obama). I think that the added 14 days is good, because we already find it difficult to implement the entire curriculum in such a short period of time. Our government has also put a lot of money into education, so that's why we are doing so well. I find that the government seems to like to play favourites between schools here though. At my elementary school, we I was using math books from 1989 in 2007 (when I was in 8th grade... my elementary school was k-8). However, at my high school, it is extremely high funded. The reason could be because it is an institution of higher learning, I suppose, but I don't really know if that's fair. It also could be that the school didn't spend their money properly, because that has also been the case.

Anyways, to top it all off... it's not necessary to add more school days, but it is necessary to increase the funding for the schools. At least, that's how I feel. I don't really have a problem with the extra 14 days we have though, but I guess that's because it's what we've always gone with.

 

[Jolie77]

Kids and parents are encouraged to continue the education during the breaks. Parents are the blame as well, for not continuously encouraging their child/children education.

Like I have said before... I do see a lot of slack, on the parents part.

It is too easy for parents to blame the school system. When they are not even encouraging it at home. "It takes a village to raise a child"

Yes, I'm not saying that the fault lies on the teachers. Like you said, Parents are partially at fault on this too.

Encouragement goes a long way but with that, I think with the rotating break - It could help or it may not. The bottom line of this is to see where we could try to incorporate something. I don't know, I mean - If we see the aspect to make a fine line or a structure for both the parents and teachers to come together, it would have been a big difference. Unfortunately, most are not willing to do so.

 

[Foxrac]

Embarrassingly enough, this is quite true. Alot of our students cant even tell where Russia is on the map as well.

It was just bad teachers, I had learn alot about geography, including maps.

Extended school days wouldn't help, even if you have good teacher then it should help alot.

Back in 1950's, they would ask where is USSR.

 

[shel90]

I think the solution would be smaller classes, letting teachers teach the curriculm not pile all different kinds of paperwork or unecessary stuff on them making their jobs harder, and eliminate standardizing testing.

Also, the families need to take part too.

 

[Foxrac]

180 days? To me, 180 days is too short. Here in Germany average 220 days a year.

I support Obama´s suggestion to stay school longer. How about add gym class if Obama agrees to extend school longer... ?

I can´t beleive how early US students have to leave school to stay home alone for long hours because most parents are working longer and have little leave annual per year (accord thread somewhere that US leave annual per year is average 10 days and have to work long hours to collect overtimes hours)... I´m against to have children to stay home alone for long hours everyday because it would make them boring....crazy... that´s why I support Obama´s suggestion because they can stay school longer and do something like gym, sport, hobby, etc.

Come on, Go live in US and find out yourself.

Our education structure is very different when compare to other countries, additional with culture.

Go see my post about in 1950's and 1960's, only big problem is overcrowded issue and teachers with poor quality of education need to be addressed but extended school days wouldn't make any difference and all teachers that I met are against on extra days for many reason, along with kids.

There's countries with shorter school days, such as Canada and Mexico.

 

[deafdyke]

Japanese have came to America for ideas to teach their students in their country.

That's b/c Japan is good with rote learning......(ie the type of learning which can be easily measured by SATs) but isn't so good with creative thinking/learning.

 

[shel90]

Come on, Go live in US and find out yourself.

Our education structure is very different when compare to other countries, additional with culture.

Go see my post about in 1950's and 1960's, only big problem is overcrowded issue and teachers with poor quality of education need to be addressed but extended school days wouldn't make any difference and all teachers that I met are against on extra days for many reason, along with kids.

There's countries with shorter school days, such as Canada and Mexico.

What do u mean by teachers with poor quality education?

 

[Foxrac]

What do u mean by teachers with poor quality education?

I was means we have plenty of bad teachers or don't teach their child so well.

 

[shel90]

I was means we have plenty of bad teachers or don't teach their child so well.

That could be the case but there r teachers who r limited to teach a certain way due to pressures for getting their students to pass the standardized assessments. That can take the creativeness out of many teachers.

 

[Babyblue]

That could be the case but there r teachers who r limited to teach a certain way due to pressures for getting their students to pass the standardized assessments. That can take the creativeness out of many teachers.

I agree... Due to the standardizing assessments, makes the teachers and schools responsible. That is why they lose fundings. If the "school" fails. Meaning, they are graded by the students standards testing.

How can a teacher teach with lack of resources, lack of parental help, over crowding classrooms, Lack of discipline. the list goes on and on...

The school system does need a major overhaul! Adding more days is not the answer. America can not even teach the kids with the days we already have.

How is adding days suppose to help? When the resources are not even there. When our government are majorly cutting back on funding to the education system.

I thought the "Lotto" was suppose to cover that.. ( At least in Florida, They claim the Lotto goes to education)

 

[Grummer]

As a teacher, I totally agree. I am so overworked and underpaid. By 2 PM, I am so mentally tired but yet, I keep on for the sake of my students. Even my students are restless and distracted by that time too.

If they would stop piling teacher with so much BS paperwork, maybe we wouldnt feel so overworked and burnt out.

yes, those paperworks of accountability should be scraped from teachers and leave it to the adminstration. And strict 'technical teaching problems' as guided by 'guidelines' should be scraped also, teachers should be free to teach students whatever the objective knowledge/skills are, that is leave it to the creative thinking as in 'pure teaching' alone to the teachers themselves!! teachers arent robots, and neither the students should be treated as such either.

 

[HorseRace]

there are too many list of plm in america...

Jo
it is from your post..

If we see the aspect to make a fine line or a structure for both the parents and teachers to come together, it would have been a big difference. Unfortunately, most are not willing to do so.

.. i see that! that is why our ED in america are big mess! i look at Kendall at Gally campus.. they proof succeed! guess how did they? they did work with student and thier parent same time! example, students stay in school .. until it over.. their parent come to pick up but required to stay with teacher bec of homework.. so they all work together.. .. guess .. what student will end up? SUCCEED! i never forget that what i saw.. one was very young girl from kendall.. she walks to her mother who was student of gally.. when i was student of gally too.. that was long time ago.. anywya.. i saw her that she sat with her mother in cafe.. i was like mmm somehow i saw thier conversation.. i notice her how smart she is! i was like drop jaw..

so my point is that ED in american is need our tools such as tech... and need big update or upgrade on our textbook or anything like that.. Also yes we need to spend the money to our ED in american.. just like other country.. they use thier tax to spend thier ed system.. no wonder they succeed.. it wasnt about how long they need to stay in school... there are little good example of what canada did.. like what loghead say..

therefore,, i dont agree with what obama offer.. .. i would vote no..