Extended School Hours

[CrimsonTide4]

We've talked about year round schooling, school systems having 4 day school weeks and now we have school systems with longer days, primarily for elementary and middle school students.

U.S. schools weigh extending their hours
BOSTON - School principal Robin Harris used to see the clock on her office wall as the enemy, its steady ticking a reminder that time was not on her side.

But these days Harris smiles when the clock hits 1:55 p.m. There are still two more hours in the school day — two more hours to teach math and reading, art and drama.

Harris runs Fletcher-Maynard Academy, a combined public elementary and middle school in Cambridge, Mass., that is experimenting with an extended, eight-hour school day.

"It has sort of loosened up the pace," Harris said. "It's not as rushed and frenzied."

The school, which serves mostly poor, minority students, is one of 10 in the state experimenting with a longer day as part of a $6.5 million program.

While Massachusetts is leading in putting in place the longer-day model, lawmakers in Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington, D.C., also have debated whether to lengthen the school day or year.

In addition, individual districts such as Miami-Dade in Florida are experimenting with added hours in some schools.

On average, U.S. students go to school 6.5 hours a day, 180 days a year, fewer than in many other industrialized countries, according to a report by the Education Sector, a Washington-based think tank.

One model that traditional public schools are looking to is the Knowledge is Power Program, which oversees public charter schools nationwide.

Those schools typically serve low-income middle-school students, and their test scores show success. Students generally go from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and for a few hours every other Saturday. They also go to school for several weeks in the summer.



Read the rest here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070225/...er_school_days

Knowledge is Power Program: http://www.kipp.org/

Teachers, parents, what say you?

[ladygreek]

^^^^ Good stuff! But I wonder how the teachers feel?

[Little32]

I teach, though not at that level.

I think that it sounds promising, particularly if it means that students are more successful--and I am not just talking about test scores.

But I also wonder about the teachers. Are they happy with the extended class time? Do they receive additional compensation?

[Senusret I]

You know, I had this way too long response written and I just erased it, lol. Here is the bottom line:

1) As an educator who is experienced with after school literacy programs, I do agree with extended day school.

2) Many teachers here are against it because they are used to short days and summers off and have not been educated thoroughly about how extended day programs usually work.

3) Extended day school would be better than after school programs because they would be run by TEACHERS. Although I like the mentoring aspect of many programs that link college students and americorps members with kids, it's just plain better to have real teachers operate these programs.

4) In my school system, I think the afternoon program should have a mandatory academic component for students who are basic and below basic. Extracurriculars are great for systems with resources, but we have got to provide kids with what they REALLY need academically.

Basically, 20 years ago when I was in elementary school, somehow we got it all in six hours. Now, not so much. I don't know why.

[BlueReign]

Cause when I was in elementary school, like 30 years ago, there was more discipline and structure cause teachers could beat your ass, so we "got it" in those 6 or so hours.

Now today, you can't even yell at somebody's child without some parents (and even some educators) raising their eyebrows. I started teaching around 10 years ago and I know that with each year the school calendar year has gotten longer and longer. If it gets any longer I will quit.

[Still BLUTANG]

i could see an extended school day also helping families save on child care expenses.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally Posted by Little32

I teach, though not at that level.

I think that it sounds promising, particularly if it means that students are more successful--and I am not just talking about test scores.

But I also wonder about the teachers. Are they happy with the extended class time? Do they receive additional compensation?

From the 2nd half of the article, it does mention additional compensation as well as parents' reactions to the extended day.

Originally Posted by Senusret I

You know, I had this way too long response written and I just erased it, lol. Here is the bottom line:

1) As an educator who is experienced with after school literacy programs, I do agree with extended day school.

2) Many teachers here are against it because they are used to short days and summers off and have not been educated thoroughly about how extended day programs usually work.

3) Extended day school would be better than after school programs because they would be run by TEACHERS. Although I like the mentoring aspect of many programs that link college students and americorps members with kids, it's just plain better to have real teachers operate these programs.

4) In my school system, I think the afternoon program should have a mandatory academic component for students who are basic and below basic. Extracurriculars are great for systems with resources, but we have got to provide kids with what they REALLY need academically.

Basically, 20 years ago when I was in elementary school, somehow we got it all in six hours. Now, not so much. I don't know why.

I agree with what you posted. We got it in within 20 hours because we had discipline from parents and from teachers.

Originally Posted by BlueReign

Cause when I was in elementary school, like 30 years ago, there was more discipline and structure cause teachers could beat your ass, so we "got it" in those 6 or so hours.

Now today, you can't even yell at somebody's child without some parents (and even some educators) raising their eyebrows. I started teaching around 10 years ago and I know that with each year the school calendar year has gotten longer and longer. If it gets any longer I will quit.

Definitely!

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

i could see an extended school day also helping families save on child care expenses.

I agree!

If done correctly, this could be a win/win for students, parents and administration.

[pinkies up]

[QUOTE=BlueReign;1403235]Cause when I was in elementary school, like 30 years ago, there was more discipline and structure cause teachers could beat your ass, so we "got it" in those 6 or so hours.

That's the truth! Although we can still paddle students here, if the parents don't enforce the rules at home, we're just wasting our time.

[AKA2D '91]

PADDLE? Say what? It's legal?

[whatchasay_1920]

Originally Posted by BlueReign

Cause when I was in elementary school, like 30 years ago, there was more discipline and structure cause teachers could beat your ass, so we "got it" in those 6 or so hours.

In addition to that, teachers had more freedom...to teach. Thanks to the judiciary system and NCLB, teachers are more pressed to teach the test and help kids make the score.

As a teacher, anything that can help the kids succeed and is proven to work in a general sense, I am all for it. However, if I am on the job time, I want to be compensated for my services.

[FeeFee]

Originally Posted by BlueReign

Cause when I was in elementary school, like 30 years ago, there was more discipline and structure cause teachers could beat your ass, so we "got it" in those 6 or so hours.

Now today, you can't even yell at somebody's child without some parents (and even some educators) raising their eyebrows. I started teaching around 10 years ago and I know that with each year the school calendar year has gotten longer and longer. If it gets any longer I will quit.

Agreed.

Not only were teachers allowed to discipline the students, the parents actually teamed up with the teachers. Some 25 + years ago when I was in elementary and middle school, if one of my teachers called my house, my mother did not hesitate to deal with me. Nowadays, you have parents who want to fight the teachers and administrators. WTH?????

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by FeeFee

Agreed.

Not only were teachers allowed to discipline the students, the parents actually teamed up with the teachers. Some 25 + years ago when I was in elementary and middle school, if one of my teachers called my house, my mother did not hesitate to deal with me. Nowadays, you have parents who want to fight the teachers and administrators. WTH?????

My mom taught 30+ years in the Cincy Public schools. Teachers passed notes through the teachers' mail system. On the RARE, RARE occasion I got into trouble my goose was cooked before I could hit the door, good.

P.S. don't bring back the memories of when teachers could discipline you. My mom had a paddle that had holes in it -- to cut down on wind resistance!! You did not play in my mama's class.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by FeeFee

Agreed.

Not only were teachers allowed to discipline the students, the parents actually teamed up with the teachers. Some 25 + years ago when I was in elementary and middle school, if one of my teachers called my house, my mother did not hesitate to deal with me. Nowadays, you have parents who want to fight the teachers and administrators. WTH?????

I had a parent try to clown me for writing up her daughter who skipped my class. The mother had the audicity to defend the students actions and say I didn't know what I was doing. I stepped in to the hall with her and asked her where she worked so I could tel her is she was doing her job 'right'.....yet, she is unemployed and defends her daughter who fights at least once a week.