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 Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 1:43 pm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33044676/ns/us_news-education//
Ignore the political parties involved. Sound off on the content, which is the state of the current American educational system (sorry canadians) and how we might fix it and why you think that.
There's several interesting ideas presented there.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 3:07 pm
When I was in high school [lolz this conversation was 6 years ago burning_eyes ] they were talking about shortening school hours. I think they wanted to reduce our classes from 1 hour to 50 minutes or something like that. Maybe they were 1:10? I really don't remember.
I always thought classes were a bit short myself... well, when I cared about the topic. Most days I'd get very, very bored and want to leave.
It's a tough call, but overall I don't think they should be longer. Being robbed of your entire day is ridiculous. Kids (still applies to me) can't focus on so much stuff they only marginally care about for so long. You give up, drift away. Extending the day would not have helped me. Then if you want to consider the obesity and social problems that are becoming more important you don't want to remove their free time...
Personally I can't imagine the system where you have those 7 or 8 courses or whatever at once, for an entire year, which goes together with the ridiculously brief 45 minute periods. It just defies all logic to me... I always had 4 or 5 at a time for at least an hour.
Even in university it sometimes took a good 10 minutes before the class shuts up and thats after the 10 minutes we already sat there before the prof started teaching.
More school days sound much better than more time in class to me, assuming you get your hour per subject. Summer is pretty long...
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 6:15 pm
I agree with ghar, longer days would not make a difference. Not for american kids anyway.
I feel like maybe optional programs in more schools over the summer would make a difference in maybe, retaining information, instead of spending the first couple months back from summer, learning things they already previously learned.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 6:18 pm
Where I went to high school, we had 45 minute periods (give or take... they made the schedule weird my junior year) That seemed just about right.
Personally, I like the idea of going Sept-June. Once June hits, go to half days. Start in the mornings and be done by lunchtime, so you can have the rest of the day to do something during the summer. Have August off, so football can have two-a-days and other school activities can do their big practice camps (other practices can be held through the summer in the evenings), and then school can start all the way again after Labor Day.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 6:28 pm
I don't know how it is in other high schools in MA, but i can speak for mine. There are four periods a day, all for about 80-90 minutes each, which is a bit long. For instance, i've seen much too many people fall asleep during class because there is so much time, and the teachers do not take full use of the class time they are given.
Also, the school year differs a bit from the rest of the country, or state even, in my area. They start at about the last Wednesday of August, and then go until about June 10th, give or take snow days.
Now as for time, because of the way i learn, i would benefit more for something like a couple classes a day. I would rather have the ability to focus on a couple classes, rather than to be bogged down with work for classes you don't particularly care for. My point is, i think schools should shorten school days, but allow for students to fully control the classes they are taking, determining how they spend their time in school. To me, it makes more sense than extending the school day, because, i know i've have my fair share of napping on a desk.
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