Monroe Chat

I disagree fervently with School hours being 3 hours longer, however, have always felt that the 3 month Summer vacation does more harm than good. I am 'moderately' interested on how this plays out. Interesting concept for sure!

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AP Report:
WASHINGTON (AP) - Students beware: The summer vacation you just enjoyed could be sharply curtailed if President Barack Obama gets his way.
Obama says American kids spend too little time in school, putting them at a disadvantage with other students around the globe.
"Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas," the president said earlier this year. "Not with Malia and Sasha, not in my family, and probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom."
The president, who has a sixth-grader and a third-grader, wants schools to add time to classes, to stay open late and to let kids in on weekends so they have a safe place to go.

Full story: http://apnews.myway.com//article/200909 ... 0UAO0.html

I disagree with extending the school day by three hours as that would make their day equivalent to an adult work day. BUT, something has to change because it is a fact that the US is behind in test scores. Personally, I like the idea of year-round school. My nephews in Tennessee have year-round school where they live and they love it.

I do believe tutors should be made available to students of all grade levels after school because not all parents can afford to pay for a tutor. I have no suggestion as to how this can be accomplished since it would cost the school money (cost us money), but it just seems like kids should have somewhere to turn when they do not understand something. Maybe that is something we need to do.... look for people in the community who are qualified and willing to donate some time tutoring kids (all ages).

one would think there would/should be a program in place at the h.s. for the older students to tutor the younger students, kinda like a community service opportunity.

I tutor my kids and have since early on in school. I'm not sure who gets more out of it me or them!!!! It is not that pleasant a task as in some cases it forces me into being "homeschooled" by what I must do to keep up (math). (Too many miles and too little smiles) Kids who don't need that extra push with some ambition to do so would have no problem, but others that do need it with nobody to help, are going to be left behind. It is an ongoing dilemma, with the best answer to have a parent at home that can and will contribute or the ability to recognize and get timely help!!

Three hours is a long time to extend the day!!! I think longer school year and or year round classes would be better. I believe the summer offers too long a break and takes too much quality time in how we shut down and restart the school curriculum.

I also 'tutor' (possibly better to suggest that I badger) my Children with their School work. I have a strong belief in the value of investigation...... It is so easy to simply apply a answer and not understand the origin or theory behind it BUT if you have those you have a deeper understanding (Teach a man to fish comes to mind!)

Year round School would be very effective ... My own perception is the time spent in School growing up - although I am unsure what 'Year round School' actually entails, I believe that it might be how we were taught... Summer is the longest vacation period offering 6 weeks, other than that the 'Terms' (Semesters) are 4 ... Go to school for so many weeks, then a week off... (did that make sense?)

It positively grieves me when for the last several weeks of the year the students basically do nothing of any great value, then 3 months off, back to school and spend the next few weeks covering what you learned last year ..... how much time is simply idled away with revision rather than progression

BB you are correct with the value of Parent / Adult intervention at Home... I hear all the time about the students in my Children's classes who don't participate or have recess denied because they never hand in homework.... it saddens me greatly because these are the years where one can embrace the standard of education that provides our Children with a stepping stone into life....... without such a boost, these are also those Children that will not find motivation to aspire to live up to their full potential ...

I definitely agree that parents need to be tutoring their kids at home, but there are many parents out there who do not understand their kids homework.

It is inexcusable to have a child who has a pattern of not doing (or not turning in) their homework. Their parents should be notified after a couple of times before it becomes a problem. I would be looking into why the child is not doing the work (i.e., doesn't understand it or is simply disorganized and has misplaced it) and start working on that problem immediately. But again, that requires parental involvement. I don't think you have those problems when the teachers and the parents are fully involved.

Patey, yes that is how year-round school works. I forget the exact ratio, but basically they go for a quarter and then they have a certain period of time off. They get ~6 weeks off for summer. They do not spend near as much time at the beginning of each year in review as our kids do, but they get enough time off, that they feel like they had a summer vacation. Plus with the time off between each quarter, they actually feel like they get more time off than they used to before year-round school started.

HRHPatey wrote:I also 'tutor' (possibly better to suggest that I badger) my Children with their School work. I have a strong belief in the value of investigation...... It is so easy to simply apply a answer and not understand the origin or theory behind it BUT if you have those you have a deeper understanding (Teach a man to fish comes to mind!)

I believe this is the biggest issue when it comes to the US not keeping up with the other children of the world. Our system of learning is the real issue, not how much time we are spending in the schools.

I would be fine with the year around schedule, but until the way we teach our children improves, all it will do is improve test scores. Critical thinking will still be missing.

Not trying to start any controversery, but I have read comparisons between the "one room" school house, sometimes taught by a teacher with high school or less level education compared to todays current system of learning. The one roomers actually were said to have been superior in what was taught! What does this say, if accurate, about things on so many levels?

My observations about what my kids are being taught is the obvious that has been pointed out in that they are being schooled to pass the state test! While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it also is robbing them of a "rounded" education. What they are taught only skimms the surface or ignores certain aspects all together and will leave them totally removed from so many issues, occurances, significant items, of which they will be dumbfounded if and when it is breached at a future date.

On the other hand, the math that is taught is superior to what I had for the most part. However, I see a great devide in the level taught depending on the particular teachers and the luck of the draw of whom one gets as a teacher! I don't necessarily think hours is the answer.

I so agree!!!!!! My eldest had a 3rd grade Teacher who proclaimed math as her passion. My Daughter's strength was definitely English /Language arts. That year her math scores and over all understanding leveled up to match her English scores, from that point on, she has maintained her firm grasp of the subject, I believe this undoubtedly is a result of that Teacher and her influence.

My point earlier in this thread was exactly what you (BB) are saying above, teaching the Children to pass a test will accomplish 'answers' but does it mean that they have a clear understanding? I don't believe so.

Last year my Daughter had a Teacher who taught very specific rules, this year (same subject) her Teacher is saying that those rules are incorrect (in my opinion they are not!!) so we are faced with learning a new set of values in order to give this Teacher the 'answers' she is looking for How confusing is that????

One has to ask.....where is this money going to come from?? It's going to get to where we work to pay for all this other crap and have nothing for ourselves.......especially those without kids, are healthy, and work for a living.