ajc article

[roxyrn]

Working in an elementary school I hear from teachers that the days are too short to cram in everything they need to teach to prepare for the standardized tests. Even Kindergartners are so busy with reading and spelling that there is not time for fun projects such as finger painting. I could easily see both the days lengthened to provide for an extra recess to let off steam or something fun and the need to increase the number of school days per year to provide for the curriculum parents demand.

Personally, I think that most of us parents want to push too much on our kids at too early of an age and school administration want to see test results. Last year was our first for all day Kindergarten and everyday throughout the year kids were wetting their pants. This year we add Spanish starting in K. Wonder what that will bring.

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by roxyrn

This year we add Spanish starting in K. Wonder what that will bring.

A lot of interesting comments.


We started our child on it when he was first starting to speak.

He did not understand the difference between the two languages, and would use them both simultaneously.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by roxyrn

I could easily see both the days lengthened to provide for an extra recess to let off steam or something fun and the need to increase the number of school days per year to provide for the curriculum parents demand.

The proposal, however, is to lengthen the school day so as to cover the existing curriculum in fewer school days per year, as a cost-saving measure. If you're cutting the number of school days per year, the longer day does not provide any opportunity for extra recess, fun, or new subjects.

[AcidSnake]

I just don't know why so many people in this country still seem to hitch themselves to the idea that EVERY child is college material. Many countries in Western Europe allow for testing throughout the child's life to see what sort of aptitude they may have and what type of education would be suitable to that child's needs, and send him/her to the appropriate high school(Academic, Trade, or other).

It's only in our Westernized American society where we massively stovepipe everyone into a one-size-fit-all format and then wonder why so many children dropped out. America needs an official standardized school placement system, not the ad hoc one that we have now.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

I just don't know why so many people in this country still seem to hitch themselves to the idea that EVERY child is college material. Many countries in Western Europe allow for testing throughout the child's life to see what sort of aptitude they may have and what type of education would be suitable to that child's needs, and send him/her to the appropriate high school(Academic, Trade, or other).

It's only in our Westernized American society where we massively stovepipe everyone into a one-size-fit-all format and then wonder why so many children dropped out. America needs an official standardized school placement system, not the ad hoc one that we have now.

I will agree with this. Let's face it, some kids are destined to be brick layers and lawn maintenance people when they grow up. And that's not to belittle anyone either - if we did not have "laymen" (and women) in the world, it wouldn't be a very pleasant place to live in. The people who work on the roads and build the buildings are frankly just as important as the brain surgeons.

Everyone wants their kids to be doctors and lawyers and IT people, but people have to fill EVERY job out there, folks. Not everyone is going to be (or should be) white collar. Yet, it does appear as if the educational system (and parents) steer kids down that narrow road anymore.

[jeffreda30238]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

School should be year-round with three, 2 week breaks during the year. No months-long "summer break" period. Two weeks during the holiday season, two weeks in the summer, and two more weeks at whatever else they determine is appropriate either as one two week break or two, 1 week breaks each. It's been proven in systems that do this that the kids retain much more each year and they do not have to play "catch up" at the beginning of each year, and their grades do better as well. The problem are the districts not being in coordination with each other - it should be not just local, but COUNTRY wide. Everyone on the same plan.

They can trim time by trimming the fluff classes. The kids should be actually learning the basics, plus a "life economy" class that actually teaches them how to balance checkbooks, manage bank accounts, what mortgages are, how to manage credit properly - things that they are actually going to be faced with in the real world, but thing that few schools and fewer parents actually take the time to teach them about. Driver's ed should also be brought back as a required course. Math, basic science, basic history, a life economy class, and driver's ed. No ski club or chess club or the countless other non-essentials.

They spend more money on thinking about tons of variations that never come into play, when a simple year-round, non-fluff solution is all they need.

I DEFINITELY agree! The resources for kids in their summer break are becoming non existent, so I say keep them in school ALL YEAR. It won't hurt them at all...it will help them