tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11830870.post6942379146586368714..comments2023-12-05T10:04:14.177-05:00Comments on Ittybits & Pieces: Nobody ever thinks of stopping to helpUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11830870.post-37797836189387380422010-10-08T10:56:36.734-04:002010-10-08T10:56:36.734-04:00Longer school day is kind of a bad term ... much t...Longer school day is kind of a bad term ... much the same way "global warming" didn't describe climate change too well.<br /><br />Longer school day could include more time in the day or more days in the year or a combination of both.<br /><br />It would also mean educational time, and it would require schools to revamp instructional requirements.<br /><br />For instance, most schools require students to have only three years of math and science for graduation purposes at the high school level. Why not four? Also, perhaps languages should be introduced earlier so children are more apt to become fluent.toyfotonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11830870.post-33999089765748780392010-10-08T08:57:45.576-04:002010-10-08T08:57:45.576-04:00We don't even need to lengthen the school day ...We don't even need to lengthen the school day -- just stop taking so many days off. We're off today for no reason. Our vacations have grown longer and longer. There are halfdays all over the calendar. I honestly don't know how parents who don't have someone at home manage it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11830870.post-29660731588618074602010-10-07T10:10:52.009-04:002010-10-07T10:10:52.009-04:00I'm not really blaming schools, though I would...I'm not really blaming schools, though I would agree there has always been a lot of "grasping at straws," types of policy/curriculum changes. Phonics, whole language, "new math," all debated and derided during my own primary school days.<br /><br />Likewise, for as far back as I can remember, schools have been blamed for letting kids run wild. I don't think it's ever been completely true. <br /><br />I suppose my point is that since we know students whose parents take an interest in their kids' education do better in school, and we know there are kids whose parents don't take an interest - or can't be there because they are holding down jobs to secure the rent, or the health insurance, or the food in the fridge - are at risk for falling behind, we have to figure out other ways ensure they meet reasonable standards.<br /><br />We also should see that students who don't understand the material have a harder time being motivated. <br /><br />An enormous percentage of students who DO graduate high school don't make it through their first year of college and that shouldn't be happening, either.<br /><br />I really don't believe most teachers are happy just collecting a paycheck or socially promoting students, just as I don't believe motivating unmotivated students is impossible. It won't be easy. It will cost money. But it can be done. <br /><br />We'll pay for it one way or another.toyfotonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11830870.post-23018527482000270532010-10-07T08:25:25.800-04:002010-10-07T08:25:25.800-04:00At the top of the class, you see the same parents ...At the top of the class, you see the same parents at every event. They're always there. While my kids are doing 2-3 hours of homework every night, the children of, let's say, less visible parents are walking up and down the street. True, a longer day might cut into their smoking time, but I don't know that it would change their lack of motivation. I find it hard to blame the schools. <br /><br />The schools don't do themselves any favors by engaging in constantly changing policies, all of which are suppose to fix some problem or other in ways the simple parent just can't understand. Ours has gone around the bend on class scheduling, trying absolutely every possible combination of ways to schedule classes, all justified with some study or other that says this NEW one is the best. Then the next year they try another. Then they go to a system that was tried when I was in school 30 years ago. Then something else. It does make us wonder if they have any idea what they're doing, or if they make change for the sake of change.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com