Possible Four Day Week School Days

[bobbbiez]

What's all think about having your kids in school four days a week?

I'm pretty sure alot of Moms and Dads will not be happy with that. It does mean to many the cost of a sitter for another day if both parents work.

I know a lot of southern states already have the four day week program for whatever it saves them and all don't seem to mind but how do you feel about it?

I don't have any school age kids to worry about so I'd like your input on this that might be instituted here.

[concerned]

I have always been in favor of extending the school year to at least 220 days. The old 184 does not work. As a former teacher trying to get everything in that the NYS Education Department demanded in each subject year along with all these extra federal and state mandates want is not an easy task. So many time teachers are forced to teach for the test, a not being able to give more detail about a particular topic within a subject area.

I would be in favor of a four day school week but the big problem is extending the school day in order to include what is being missed by dropping one day from the week. I think parents might not be so receptive to this but may be more receptive to an expended school year. Either way something has to be done about how we teach and what we teach.

[lucy]

I do not agree with a four day school schedule. If they want they can extend school in the summer I'm fine with that but do not condense it into 4 days. That is my opinion I have a child and when she starts school I work 5 days a week you tell me a daycare that will take a child for 1 one day a week. There aren't any places that would do that.

[Ralph]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Good luck with that idea.

[dgriffin]

State Senator Steve Saland is holding hearings this week regarding the proposal.
OK, let's see if I understand this. To allow teachers and administrators to continue to collect their salaries and even more in future raises, and since homeowners have run out of money and their backs are to the wall, someone thinks we'll save money on energy ... gas for buses, fuel oil for heating, etc. .... by making the kids sit through days that will be 2 hours longer (I'd hate to be teaching History at 4 pm!), thereby eliminating most extra-curricular activities, costing parents more in childcare for the extra day off, and letting loose a bunch of crazy teenagers on Fridays to roam the streets. Hahahahahahahahahaha!
(One reference I just read advocated Friday or Monday as the day off "because kids miss school on those days anyway." Hello? This a modern phenomenon, to frame discipline to match bad conduct rather than correct behavior. You can thank the liberal educational establishment for that, too.)

I can't find NYSUT's position on this. They're the folks who actually run education in NY state, the teachers' union. They'll probably say that it's OK with them, but that it's professionally more difficult to teach a 4 day week and therefore request higher salaries.

[kim]

I could do a 4 day school week...my husband could work 4 tens, so that would give him a 4 day week, too, and then we could have 3 days weekends to camp. :-)

[dgriffin]

I can see where it would work out for some people, Kim, as long as they could adjust their schedules.
I guess I just get tired of agencies and allied organizations using a problem dejour and finding a solution that just happens to suit their agenda.
Or maybe by this point in life I'm paranoid. I didn't get there without help, though.

[rrogers40]

I think it would be easier, and more effective, to just get teachers, and a curriculum, which are effective in teaching.

That way they can roll back the amount of school needed or extend Christmas Vacation or something like that. Along with having to hire less teachers as a competent teacher might be able to teach twice as much than an incompetent one.

[snickers]

It's interesting that whenever this topic comes up, the first and loudest protests have to do with child care arrangements. Are we hiring all these people to TEACH, or to BABY SIT?

Personally, I'd like to see year-round schools. The kids might just learn more, there wouldn't be the "regression" that many teachers speak of when kids are away from the classroom for weeks at a time. (Now, parents faced with THIS possibility start whining about Family Vacations to Disney World - oy!). Who knows? We might even improve our standing among nations when comparing education systems and results.

[dgriffin]

Dec 12, 2008 15:26:50 GMT -5 snickers said:

Are we hiring all these people to TEACH, or to BABY SIT?

Well, BOTH, actually. It turns out schools today have taken on (some might say usurped) many more services than they provided in the past. That's one reason why our taxes are so high. We have teachers, aids, counselors, psychologists, librarians, music teachers, art teachers and technologists. We have indoor building crews, outdoor crews to take care of the Olympic class track, fields and facilities, bus drivers (still in some districts), and all the administrators, clerks and secretaries needed to support the whole endeavor.

Just ask any modern parent of young children what they need from the school system these days and, if you're my age (65), you might be surprised at their expectations.

[Clipper]

I was married to one school teacher, and have a brother and a sister and both their spouses that teach. Incompetence is not a word that would come to my mind when thinking about school teachers.

Incompetence comes to mind when I think of the PARENTS. They give birth to the kids, pamper them until they are old enough for school and then in some cases want, nor take, any more responsibility for their education or training.

Teachers sure don't choose that occupation for the money, or for the material rewards. They choose it because they are dedicated to children for the most part, and enjoy the rewards of seeing the kids succeed. Our local State Assembyman was in my sisters class when he was in the first grade, as was a local dentist and a chiropractor, among others. She takes pride in them, and they stop and see her occasionally, and are grateful for the start that she gave them. Of the 12 teachers minimum, that they had in their 12 years of basic education, it is quite a testimony that they find time to return to their elementary school and to spend time with her.

In my opinion the school week and the school year are both at an optimum as they stand. Kids need a break and so do teachers. The teachers seldom use summer "vacation" as a vacation. They spend time taking classes, going to seminars and planning for the coming year. Some teach summer school.

If parents would only do THEIR job, and continue fostering the educational frame of mind, planted in the heads of kids at school, the homework would be done and the education at home would be as structured and responsible as the time that the kids spend in school. If the importance of education, and the discipline necessary to attain it is taught at home, the kids will thrive, the teachers will be successful, and the school week and year will be fine just as it is.

Educators and school boards are looking at ways to save money, but extending the day and shortening the week will have a negative impact on the kids. A longer day is not going to foster a better learning environment, and kids will lose interest and watch the clock for the last couple of hours of every day.

If money is to be saved in the schools, it should be saved on extra curricular programs and such, not teachers salaries and heat bills. It should be save when planning capital projects and new building, by using common sense in spending tax payer money, and not building olympic swimming pools and astro turf stadiums. There were students with aspirations to swim or play hockey long before schools had programs in place and pools to swim in or rinks available in the community to skate on.

Schools are there to grow college STUDENTS, not college ATHLETES, and capital projects should be planned to replace old facilities and repair them where possible.

Cut some of the "nice to have" crap and spend the money on classrooms, desks, computers, and teacher's salaries. Build the old fashioned brick buildings where teachers worked, and students learned. The sign in front says SCHOOL, not CHILD CARE CENTER. If there is to be swimming pools and professional grade stadiums, build them by region through BOCES and let all the schools share the pool and such.

I can't believe that people bitch every day about the level of education our country is giving our kids or at least the level of success the students are reaching, and then want to shorten the week, and blame the lack of success on incompetent teachers.

YOU teach your brat discipline, respect, and manners, and the TEACHER will teach them reading, writing, math and science. Between the two, there will be success in raising a generation of educated and successful children, ready to tackle the tasks of an adult. The teacher can't do it all, and they damn sure can't do it in a shortened week, and not necessarily in a lengthened year.

[rrogers40]

Dec 12, 2008 15:26:50 GMT -5 snickers said:

It's interesting that whenever this topic comes up, the first and loudest protests have to do with child care arrangements. Are we hiring all these people to TEACH, or to BABY SIT?

Actually if you look at the roots of the modern Education System the answer was, and is- Yes.

[Clipper]

The "YOU" wasn't directed at you Ryan. In re-reading the post, it could have been construed as such. It was a generalization of too many parents today. If parents all could be like Kim and her husband and spend time and effort in raising a child, they would be ready for school and the kid would be well rounded and socially acceptable.

People would know what I mean if they met Kim and Ken's little boy, and watched them interact for a few minutes. He is smart beyond his years and he only is getting started in the education system. He might be seen by some as being spoiled, but he IS an only child, haha. I found him to be very smart, inquisitive, and funny. He is going to be a great student and will do well in life. My buddy "Critter" is going to conquer the world. He reminds me of my oldest son when he was that age. His questions and observations are beyond his years. He spent summers with my mom and dad, and my dad taught him to read the summer before he went to kindergarten. When he was beginning the first grade he was reading on the 3rd grade level.

Three key words come to mind, they are TIME, DISCIPLINE, AND LOVE.

If you can foster those three words in your home environment, you will send a kid to school that is ready and eager to learn, and a teacher won't have to start with potty training, and common discipline before she can begin to teach the normal curriculum.

[countrygal]

I'm not in love with the idea of a 4 day week. I also don't love extending the school year. For my family, family time is just as important or more so than my kids being in school. With that said, I am a parent that makes sure my child is learning what he should and not slacking off. We go on vacation when we can get away from the farm not when the school vacation dictates. I think we could do away with the February break and maybe get out earlier in June when the weather is nicer.

Right now, I'm not a big fan of Gov. Patterson with all his proposed education cuts. That to me is not where the cuts should be made. Consolidating school systems is not the answer either. Education should be the last thing any politician looks to cut.

[Clipper]

Welcome back CG. I hope the latest vacation was a good chance to decompress and relax from the everyday toils of running that big farm. Did ya have a ball? I hope so. I am sure that the kids did. Did Tony shut off the cell phone and let the cows leave his mind for a few minutes? He really needs to take a break now and then also. Running a dairy the size of yours is a major responsibility and all those animals take an enormous amount of care. His mind must be awake and just whirring most of the time, worrying about one thing or another in todays economic climate, with such a large business to operate.

Glad you are back safe and sound. See ya soon!