Obama wants more school time added??

Anyone else read this article that Obama wants longer school days and less Summer (time off).... My first thought was OMG nooooo way!!!!

Would we get paid more? I dont think I would be able to continue teaching if it were 8-5.....that would be insane!!!!!

ARTICLE HERE:

OBAMA SCHOOL ARTICLE

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

lol i can barely keep the kids attention from 8:15-2:35. and forget summer time when theyre melting or going back to "their country" for months!

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I think I would have to look for a new job!

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

There's no way that if you are in a union they wouldn't pay you more.


I'm on the fence. There would be more time for specials and whole class time w/o kids being pulled out.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

As a working person, no I wouldnt want to work extra hours or days without compensation. Heck knowing what the job entails even with compensation I'd say a big fat no.

As a teacher more school days would be beneficial to the kids. NOT longer school hours. So if it went through I would support more days vs. hours. Think of the extra days you could spend on certain topics you wish you had time to cover.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

There is no way I can be in school until 5PM everyday - Not only would I lose my attention so would the kids. I think it would cause alot of kids to be disruptive. Kids need tje summer off - camp is a great experience for the kids that are lucky enough to go

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I think it's delusional thinking to think that young children can focus on education for 8-10hrs/day. In order for that to be successful there would need to be a complete overhaul on how kids are taught. However I see his point on shortening summer vacations. Considering the poverty level in this country many kids aren't having their brains challenged by going to summer camps or vacation. No child "needs" the summer off, the whole origin of having summer off was to help the family on the farm and let's face it how many children are farming on their summer break.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I don't think the length of the school day is the problem in this country. I think the problem is the way that teachers are expected to teach and the class sizes.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Posted by MrsRivera

Posted by prncsslehcar

I don't think the length of the school day is the problem in this country. I think the problem is the way that teachers are expected to teach and the class sizes.

And the fact that the parents would much rather argue with you about things rather than support you as an authority figure.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I think adding on a hour or 2 a day wouldn't be horrible as long as you are doing hands-on projects and such . My students could work on something 2 hrs straight if its something interesting.

I also favor no 2 month long summer vacations but rather a 2 week break every 6-8 weeks instead. I think it would be very beneifical to work year round but with intermittent breaks in between.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Posted by MrsRivera

Posted by prncsslehcar

I don't think the length of the school day is the problem in this country. I think the problem is the way that teachers are expected to teach and the class sizes.

And the fact that the parents would much rather argue with you about things rather than support you as an authority figure.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I have has students who already come to school by 7:30 and because of the various SES programs they stay till 5:30. You'd think, with all that time in school, that they'd be way ahead. They're not.

I think the overall quality of education needs to be addressed, including things like class size and teaching preparation. I think more needs to be done to involve parents, even making welfare benefits, etc. tied to whether or not you show up for meetings, etc. BUT I think the biggest problem is that we don't value education enough. But I don't know if a longer day/year is the solution.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Umm for starters lets forget all this BS paperwork that we are mandated to do and start going back to basics...

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

i'm sorry but i think our leaders are grasping at straws if they think the amount of time in the classroom is the problem. they need to compare our curriculum to those of other countries. in nyc i'd start by looking at why reading programs change every couple years in every school and senior teachers are not respected for doing what has worked for them for years. that article really irks me.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I have to say that this is ridiculous.

More school time is NOT the answer.. kids don't have the attention span for it.. the key is using our time efficiently, not adding more hours.. it will just be counterproductive.

Teaching is so exhausting as it is, with the hours we have. If they were to add more days & longer days to it, I know many teachers including myself would not continue.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

WHAT?!?!

No way........

Honestly, even if I wasn't a teacher, I think it's important for kids to have a life outside of school. I remember leaving school at 3 and then going to different after school activities, etc. Also I think the summer is a VERY important time for socialization- something that rarely gets emphasized in school these days!

I would be sad if my own kids missed out on the summers I had as a kid..... and personally, a longer day is unreasonable too, in my opinion. So, what the kid gets out of school at 5, comes home and does homework till like 7, has dinner, takes a bath/shower.... and then bam! bedtime already! That's not even healthy. It's essential to have a set amount of downtime, etc.

That would just be insane.....




Oh, and another thought.... One that NYC teachers can relate to. We JUST had a thread going about how that extra 37 minutes is a waste.

Can you imagine an extra 2 hours?!?!?!?!?!?!

Message edited 9/28/2009 1:46:04 AM.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

American students spend the most time in school,...and yet he considers them at a disadvantage. If you compare the time we spend in school to those in Europe and Asia...it is UNREAL! Maybe he should worry about changing something else....

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

It really has to do with HOW we teach. All these assessments mean we teach "an inch deep, but a mile long," while in other countries they teach fewer topics, but in much more depth.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

It's not the answer! They are KIDS!!! Yeah, a kid with ADHD is really going to succeed with 2 more hours added to the day! How about these people spend some time IN a classroom instead of idealizing classrooms.

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

I agree with those who said class size was the issue.

Perhaps whatever extra money they will spend on keeping schools open extra days and longer hours could be used to decrease class size.

The more one on one attention a child recieves the better.

Use the money to make classes smaller, and I am certain we will see improvements in students!

Re: Obama wants more school time added??

Honestly I am so angry with him. These politicians have no freaking clue what goes on these classrooms. You don't add more time... you change the curriculum especially in NYC schools. Hello... teachers college??!!! Obviously these students are learning anything. I mean give me a break.