Longer school year

[Froobyx]

I used to think the school summer holidays were long... I finished college at the beginning of the month and I have to wait until the 28th September to start uni and by that time all my friends would already be at uni starting. I'll have nothing to do for the last week before I start uni

And my summer holiday last year was about 4 months long because I finished a month earlier than evreyone else, that was torture

 

[cardinalwiggles]

could some explain to me the entire school year? how isit longer? and how long the days are?

 

[Xanadeas]

I've had both longer school days and longer school weeks before. When I was in high school the teachers carelessly went on strike and the students had to pay for their money grubbing. We were forced to go to school on Saturdays for several weeks in a row because of it. I was quite pissed off about it as I /hated/ school with a passion. The longer day annoyed me but overall had no real influence.

 

[cardinalwiggles]

could some explain to me the entire school year? how isit longer? and how long the days are?

Sorry but are you implying you do not understand what a school year is or you want to know the parameters of the US school year?

lol see i'm in the U.K. just wonderingwhat is different to the school year the only thing i know about is that they have a longer summer holiday. but thats it how does it compare to the U.K.

 

[Kuchinawa212]

Personally (and I think I may get shot here) I like the year round thing. Keeps things sharp in my head and every break seems that much sweeter.

Wait a minute. That means I wouldn't have has much time to post on the escapist

 

[ygetoff]

i think they should have better education rather than longer school years.

I agree. As someone who actually has to deal with the American education system on a daily basis, I know for a fact that about 90% of students would respond to longer school days with slightly less than enthusiastic applause. A longer school year would also probably result in more young people such as myself have stress-related medical issues. If this law (or idea) is made real, and I suddenly stop posting, you all know what happened.

 

[Scarecrow38]

It seems a longer school year is always discussed in relation to a better approach to education. I think what's important to my answer is whether a longer year really helps. If more good could be done by simply training better teachers and removing teacher tenure, we shouldn't extend the school year.

If studies show an improvement, sure go for it.

 

[Yubadias]

I'm 12, and an English born guy living in America. I have to side with more year round school years. My cousins in England are in school until July 21st and go back on September 1st (or something like that). I would cast my vote for less Summer break, but longer year round breaks. Say, 6 weeks of Summer, 2 weeks spring, 3 weeks Christmas, see where I'm going?

This is why America's national under 18 IQ and EQs are so low. (EQs being low is also due to the high number of divorces, but that's another thread).

 

[Yubadias]

In the US there's 12 weeks Summer, 2 weeks winter, 1 week Thanksgiving, 2 days Halloween, 1 weeks Spring and some 10 professional growth days. In total, the school year is 180 days (in California), and a lot of those days are spent watching movies and celebrating that there's a break. In some Asian and European (actually MOST), the school years exceed 200, 250 and even 300 days. I think a combination of year-round school years and stronger education would get America up and running.

 

[Agayek]

Here in America there is a debate brewing as to whether we should have longer school days and also a longer school year. I know many other countries already do year round school, and I think this topic should be discussed more in Congress, the media, etc.




So what are your thoughts? I feel that we should have longer school years and days, or at least try it out in a few schools and see if test scores improve before we make it like that in all schools.

The only reason summer holidays exist was for the students to be able to help around the farm over the summer, so I'd back year round school schedules. One or the other though, either year round schedule with no massive weeks-long break, or each school day last til 5ish, with the same summer break we use nowadays.

 

[Agayek]

In the US there's 12 weeks Summer, 2 weeks winter, 1 week Thanksgiving, 2 days Halloween, 1 weeks Spring and some 10 professional growth days. In total, the school year is 180 days (in California), and a lot of those days are spent watching movies and celebrating that there's a break. In some Asian and European (actually MOST), the school years exceed 200, 250 and even 300 days. I think a combination of year-round school years and stronger education would get America up and running.

No amount of actual school will fix the problems inherent in America today. Rather, forcing people to think, to analyze, critique and apply logical thought, is what we require.

 

[Keela]

Maybe not a whole year, but I think they should extend it in the UK most schools get 6 weeks off in the summer. I always thought that is far too long.

We get from early June to mid-August.

6 weeks summer holiday is what we have in the UK. How long is the holdiay for kids in the US?

Early June to mid-August.

I have probably forgotten most of what I learned last year, and I still have a few weeks to go. My first few weeks of high school will be SHIT.

 

[Keela]

could some explain to me the entire school year? how isit longer? and how long the days are?

Sorry but are you implying you do not understand what a school year is or you want to know the parameters of the US school year?

lol see i'm in the U.K. just wonderingwhat is different to the school year the only thing i know about is that they have a longer summer holiday. but thats it how does it compare to the U.K.

We get what I consider to be some solid but a bit short week-or-so breaks for winter, spring, and Thanksgiving (fall). There are also a few day-long breaks for small holidays like Martin Luther King Jr Day, President's Day, etc. Followed by a 10-week long forget-everything-you-learned break. God bless America!

Edit: Traditionally, school starts in September and ends in June, but it changes every year. We don't get, like, 200 days of school and 165 days of break, we're always off by a few days.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I've never heard any stereotype that italian people are badly educated, so maybe there's something in shorter days...

However, I'd have gladly done an extra 2 hours a day if it had meant no homework.

I don't come home from work, then log on to my PC do give an extra 2 hours work helping customers thru our website, so I don't see what homework does to help kids, it isn't training them for later life, just screwing their down time.

I'm personally in favour of uniforms however, as it means less bullying of the poorer kids because they're not wearing name branded clothing, there was enough of that just over trainers/sneakers at my school.

 

[Keela]

I get up around 7:30. I have lived in my house for over a year, and I'm always so tired until 5th (out of 7) period. I could never tell you how to get to my middle school from my house.

 

[Keela]

I think school days should be 6-7 hours long and should start around 9 am.

See, I've heard from so many reputable people that the average teenage mind isn't "awake" until around 8-9, and in my experience, that makes loads of sense. I wouldn't care about going later in the day, when I'd actually learn something and not think about sleep that I could be having.

This shows that people are different. I have always been a morning person, so 9 am is good for me. But I think we can all agree that 8 am is too early. For me, it's pretty hard to concentrate during day time and I would rather do something else then.

True, true. I can wake up "early" on the weekends and during vacation, say 8-9 am, but at least I don't have to worry about the rat race.

I get up around 7:30. I have lived in my house for over a year, and I'm always so tired until 5th (out of 7) period. I could never tell you how to get to my middle school from my house.

Sorry for double post, quote wouldn't work.

 

[monkey_man]

Maybe not a whole year, but I think they should extend it in the UK most schools get 6 weeks off in the summer. I always thought that is far too long.

YOU WHAT ?!?! 6 weeks is waaay to short to bring myself in a state of obeyance
! i think 2 weeks of school would be enough for me ...(wonder if my brain will function if that would ever happen)

 

[Bulletinmybrain]

I've never heard any stereotype that italian people are badly educated, so maybe there's something in shorter days...

However, I'd have gladly done an extra 2 hours a day if it had meant no homework.

I don't come home from work, then log on to my PC do give an extra 2 hours work helping customers thru our website, so I don't see what homework does to help kids, it isn't training them for later life, just screwing their down time.

I'm personally in favour of uniforms however, as it means less bullying of the poorer kids because they're not wearing name branded clothing, there was enough of that just over trainers/sneakers at my school.

Homework is their way ofs aying, "I didn't have enough class time to fully educate you in this manner," or.. "I wish to check how well you understood the lesson"

Dammit, I would take a test everyday on the things that happened in class if it meant that I didn't have my grade pulled down my disturbing non-lacking backbone.

 

[Unknower]

Bad, bad, bad idea.

Finland has something like 10 week summer holiday + 2 week Christmas holiday + some weeks. Here's the results of the 2006 PISA survey [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PISA_(student_assessment)#2006_survey] Finland was in the top countries with Taiwan and South Korea + Hong Kong*. I'm pretty sure the students in other top countries spend a lot more time in school than in Finland. So: longer school year doesn't mean better results.

*Not a country.

EDIT: Gaah, I pressed "Post" accidentally.

 

[londelen]

Test scores aren't everything. They do not accurately represent the learning and ability of students.