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| Expanded School Days Gain Popularity |
| posted by: Alix | October 24, 2011, 09:23 PM |
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One of the most debated aspects of school reform has been the issue of the traditional school schedule. Currently, most of the country operates on the traditional short, five-day school week with summers off, a system largely based on a century's old calendar that has little significance for the majority of American students. As reformers seek to find a schedule that works, many have argued for school week models that not only add instructional time, but do so based on the highest student need. In Rhode Island, for example, districts are piloting a new system that adds an extra hour to the school day, five days a week, focused on building on the stem subjects—science, technology, engineering, and math. For two of those weekly hours, students leave the classroom for field-based instruction led by their teacher in partnership with community providers. On the other days, the additional hour is reserved for instruction related to the field experiences. In Texas, a Houston district adopted strategies from high-performing charter schools for its Apollo 20 Initiative that added five days to the year and an hour of instructional time to the day, four days a week as a means to turn around a failing urban district. Similarly in Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is in a heated battle with the teacher unions to increase instruction time under their current system. Urban schools advocates insist that with longer days students will have more time in the classroom obviously, but also will be kept off the streets during the times students in inner cities might be more likely to get into trouble. While many experts assert that these programs can be extremely beneficial, funding constraints are traditionally a factor in implementation. "Quite honestly, there is no way with our economy that we could robustly afford to expand the school day for all of our kids," said Hillary Salmons, architect of the Rhode Island program. "For this model to be scalable, we need to be strategic with limited funds." Still, districts in New York, Florida, and elsewhere are expanding the school day as a turnaround strategy with other states, like Colorado, investing in research to determine whether expanded learning is an effective use of state funds. With a No Child Left Behind overhaul underway in the Senate, additional states may consider expanding as the current draft of the legislation suggests the strategy as a school turnaround option. The National Center on Time & Learning, an organization that tracks these programs, estimates that 1,000 schools around the country currently have expanded-learning-time models, all of which vary in performance and outcomes. While the number grows exponentially yearly, reform experts contend that expanding the day can be an effective tool; however, more time isn't a magic bullet. "We need to make sure we're doing all we can to use time smarter and more efficiently before simply demanding more of it," said AEI's Frederick M. Hess. Clearly while factors including funding, and the overall strategy of implementing a longer school day are elements to consider, the average school calendar will undoubtedly be modified and modernized in the years ahead. What do you think about the longer school day model? Would it work for your school? Comment below. Comments (7)
Anything for the kids, but....
written by Susan, math teacher in Alaska, November 06, 2011
I would be willing to add time to my day but as others have stated, would more of the same just add more failure? I do believe in keeping kids off the street, sports and other activities are great for kids. I recently tried to follow our school rules and collect a student cell phone when she refused to put it away in class. She told me FU and refused to give it. According to the discipline matrix she should have been suspended and the phone confiscated until the end of the year. Instead, she was given the phone right back and back in my class the next day. They always blame the teacher for kids not learning but how can I now teach this child? The teacher is constantly undermined by administration that just wants to be popular and by parents that just want to have their way. If we could all work as a team and the student saw that - we could do miracles with extra time in the day!
Attitudes and lack of work ethic is killing our school system. I've seen some teachers just give up and start making the parents happy and "entertaining the kids" so their life is easier. It is so hard some days, I want to give up too. But then I think, what if I make a difference in just one kid today? I'm going to set the bar high, I'm going to work my students everyday, I'm going to expect them to follow the rules, I'm going to let them know someone does care if they learn and have a chance at a good future.
first grade teacher
written by ruth hoak - Makanda Illinois, November 05, 2011
I would rather have year round school - more days in the summer and a 2 week break during the Fall, winter, and spring
first grade teacher
written by ruth hoak - Makanda Illinois, November 05, 2011
I am not sure about a longer day but all year round school would help. I feel the kids are out of school too many days. I would like to see more days in the summer and a two week break in the Fall, winter, and spring.
They have to be kidding -- we're barely surviving as it is!
written by JJ, November 04, 2011
Our school district is going to a longer day next year, but only because we are moving to a four-day week to save money on building maintenance, electricity, etc. Our teachers are mostly happy about the change because we now might actually get two days off per week. As it is, we have almost no planning or grading time during our contracted hours (due to bus duty, parent meetings, mandatory training and staff meetings, etc.), so we all work nights and weekends trying to keep up with all that is required of us.
If we go to a four-day week, we will add 60 minutes per day to instructional time and still work five days a week (the fifth day on our own time) -- but we might actually get the other two off that way. I can't imagine having to increase our work hours and STILL be expected to teach five days a week. I fully agree with "Math teacher" above -- longer hours won't equate to better student performance. It will just produce more worn-out, discouraged teachers.
More of the Same ..... Just Insanity
written by Math teacher in Md, November 04, 2011
This reminds me ot our economy "let's spend MORE on failed programs" and we buy in. We must be insane. This sounds very similar. I have been teaching for 30+ years and have seen "magic bullets" come and go. Some even sounded good until LIBERAL educationalists twisted them. There are so many reasons for our educational disaster but from my prespective the main problem is our enablement of the growing laziness of students. More kids than ever are taking high level classes, getting vastly higher grades than ever while working/studying less than ever and wonder what is wrong.
Administration do not want or reward the REAL good teachers that know their subject and Directly Instruct (which studies have proved the best method with REAL results). They are looking fordemanding "facilators" that try to "please" their students by "PLAYING" disguised buy the title Differentiated Instruction.These are the people usually rewarded... the grade inflators. The Grade drives everything and like government $ handout, "A's" and "B's" have become an entitlement that is expected without any student effort. With the exception of a minority of parents a students failure is always the teachers fault no matter how little a student does. Until our "microwave" society that worships entertainment changes NOTHING will improve education as a whole. We put kids in classes that they are not ready for or capable of doing then INFLATE grades (lie) so the "system" looks good and the parents feel good. More time, like money will only cause greater grade inflation to "prove" the success of the NEW AND IMPROVED while our kids know less and less while doing even less. When a WORK ETHIC returns to the classroom students will learn more. I used to have a sign in my room, "I can teach you but I can't learn you." Teaching has left the school house but learning left first.
Another hour...no way! written by DJ, Florida, November 04, 2011
I can't imagine having to teach an additional hour. Currently, most of the teachers don't even have a planning period during the day. We teach 9:20-4:05 with a 22 minute break for lunch! Planning, grading, paperwork, meetings - all done before or after school. (Of course, this plan is designed to save money for the school.)
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