Longer School Days and Shorter Summers to Improve Standards
Published September 29, 2009 @ 07:52PM PT
If students aren't learning enough in school, perhaps just giving them more school-time is the way to improve things. Some may say more resources, smaller class sizes, or quite simply a better quality education is the best way to go, but longer longer school days and longer school years are likely to be one of the cornerstones of this administration's education reform policy. Arne Duncan supports longer school days with shorter summer breaks. He explains, "our school calendar's based on a 19th century agrarian economy. I'm sure there weren't too many kids in Philadelphia working in their parents' fields this summer."
Obama might be remembered as the President who stole summer, but the administration believes we need to better keep up with China and India, who offer kids more time in school. Here, quantity is beating quality.
[Photo credit: senor_codo]
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Mike Smith is associate editor at Change.org. Email: mike@change.org
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When are we going to stop comparing ourselves to students in other countries? Our students are being educated in OUR country, one in which the education system that I teach in is outstanding and effective. I think the real issue here is not what is taught in class, how long it is taught, how many days are used up for "review," but the issue of student responsibility and accountability. Educators can teach content, conduct skill and drill, create assessments requiring critical thinking, conduct reviews for quizzes and tests (before school, during the class periods, and after school), help each individual learn skills and content in a way that best matches his/her learning style and ability, and the list goes on. "At the end of the day" it is the student that must learn the information. Teachers cannot "learn" for the students. We support students, create fabulous lessons and projects, analyze data from a student's entire school career worth of standardized tests, establish incentive programs for student achievement, honor those who do well, create support systems for those who struggle, and do virually everything under the sun to HELP KIDS LEARN! We don't "sign up" for teaching, as was stated on CNN by someone who supports longer school days. Educators are professionals who obtained their degrees by going to colleges and or universities. Educators must renew their licenses by taking courses that help keep us all up to date on current teaching strategies. Educators have degrees beyond a Bachelor's Degree, and many have even earned their Ph.D. and continue to teach in the classroom because it is what they have a passion for! We teach kids HOW to learn, but CANNOT LEARN FOR THEM. Longer days, shorter summers? Can one ride the same horse longer, giving it less rest, and expect it to do more? Really!
Posted by Gina Dillingham on 09/30/2009 @ 09:06AM PT
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