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Regarding Asia, that's "official" time in school. These kids also go to before school and after school classes.
Have you seen the huge multi-billion dollar growth in the tutoring/learning center industry? Score!, Huntington, Sylvan, Kumon, etc.? American students spend time in those 'schools' outside of class. That hasn't yet been accounted for in the comparison.
We're still at the point where American students spend more hours in school.
Have you seen the huge multi-billion dollar growth in the tutoring/learning center industry? Score!, Huntington, Sylvan, Kumon, etc.? American students spend time in those 'schools' outside of class. That hasn't yet been accounted for in the comparison.
We're still at the point where American students spend more hours in school.
I've seen those ads, but I don't know anyone who has done them.
ETA: In some Asian countries, it's virtually 100% of the kids who do this.
Personally I would rather all the brats be in there year round. I ain't there anymore, so I don't give a rat's ass. During summer, I want to be able to chill in the morning without underage fools running around my places of enjoyment.
I thought this was the most interesting part of the article:
Kids in the U.S. spend more hours in school (1,146 instructional hours per year) than do kids in the Asian countries that persistently outscore the U.S. on math and science tests — Singapore (903), Taiwan (1,050), Japan (1,005) and Hong Kong (1,013). That is despite the fact that Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong have longer school years (190 to 201 days) than does the U.S. (180 days).
Kind of negates a lot of the thinking behind Obama's sentiments. Obviously, there isn't a direct relationship between more time in school and better performance/knowledge.
I'd ask you keep something in mind when looking at those numbers; the countries you mentioned DO NOT put up with the trouble makers in school. There is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT decorum in the classroom than in many schools in the United States. The .... "learning environment" is different.
Also, they do not "integrate" kids with special needs into every class like US schools are prone to do. There are classes of "slow learners", classes for the disabled etc.
I'd ask you keep something in mind when looking at those numbers; the countries you mentioned DO NOT put up with the trouble makers in school. There is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT decorum in the classroom than in many schools in the United States. The .... "learning environment" is different.
Also, they do not "integrate" kids with special needs into every class like US schools are prone to do. There are classes of "slow learners", classes for the disabled etc.
I'd ask you keep something in mind when looking at those numbers; the countries you mentioned DO NOT put up with the trouble makers in school. There is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT decorum in the classroom than in many schools in the United States. The .... "learning environment" is different.
Also, they do not "integrate" kids with special needs into every class like US schools are prone to do. There are classes of "slow learners", classes for the disabled etc.
That gets to the heart of my issue, focusing on the length of the school day and increasing the total "contact time" seems to be missing the critical point. The "quality" and "content" of the time spent learning seems much more important to me than maximizing "contact time".
Another issue of note particularly here in my area (and may very well be elsewhere - I don't know) is the language barrier issue.
Non English speakers are placed in classes taught in English. Teachers spend an inordinate amount of time working with these kids trying to help them - I give the teachers an enormous amount of credit for their dedication and patience. But it can have an adverse impact not only on the quality of instruction but, the amount of material a teacher can get to in a given day / period.
I don't mind year around schooling, but what I do mind is the article I read Obama was talking about adding more hours to the school day. I know for parents that work it may save them daycare costs or their kids being home alone. I am blessed enough to be able to be stay-at-home Mom who is very involved in my kids schooling and I wouldn't want to see their day extended.
Obama even said it would help keep children out of trouble, that I don't agree with, it is not the schools responsibility to keep my kids out of trouble it is my responsiblity.
I can't see the teacher's union agreeing to this, there is already a shortage of teachers and unless they are going to significantly raise their pay to make up for all the hours they would be required to spend teaching, I could see some teachers leaving their profession. Another question is, who is going to pay for this? Alot of states and school districts are already stretched so thin, I doubt they could come up with the extra money needed. We all know how thin our federal gov'ts budget is stretched, so what would have to be cut to fund this? I think Obama has some good ideas but doesn't have good plans on how to pay for the implementation of them.
Last edited by ajzjmsmom; 09-30-2009 at 10:43 AM..
Reason: correct spelling
I don't mind year around schooling, but what I do mind is the article I read Obama was talking about adding more hours to the school day. I know for parents that work it may save them daycare costs or their kids being home alone. I am blessed enough to be able to be stay-at-home Mom who is very involved in my kids schooling and I wouldn't want to see their day extended.
Obama even said it would help keep children out of trouble, that I don't agree with, it is not the schools responsibility to keep my kids out of trouble it is my responsiblity.
I can't see the teacher's union agreeing to this, there is already a shortage of teachers and unless they are going to significantly raise their pay to make up for all the hours they would be required to spend teaching, I could see some teachers leaving their profession. Another question is, who is going to pay for this? Alot of states and school districts are already streched so thin, I doubt they could come up with the extra money needed. We all know how thin our federal gov'ts budget is stretched, so what would have to be cut to fund this? I think Obama has some good ideas but doesn't have good plans on how to pay for the implementation of them.
I don't agree with extra hours added to the school day either.
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