Obama presses for longer school years

[manglor]

Originally Posted by Th3RealF0lkBlu3s

Extend the school year by breaking up summer vacation and adding more free time in between. Better than grouping up a large chunk of free time in one period and having children lose traction with reading and mathematics.

This.

We have no choice if we want to compete with the rest of the world.
  

 

[nachobroadweezy]

Needed long time ago, along with more focus on science and math

 

[nachobroadweezy]

Needed long time ago, along with more focus on science and math

 

[dontae]

so happy im outta school... always trying to start some bull! lol

 

[dontae]

so happy im outta school... always trying to start some bull! lol

 

[thebachellor]

Originally Posted by mytmouse76


standardized test HAVE GO TO GO...thats all teachers teach for and even they hate it but they have to do it...for those of us that get it its boring and those that dont hold the class back

 

Hyperbole. There has to be some sort of performance measurement that is agnostic towards where students are taught.

If the school system is going to be overhauled, it certainly shouldn't be this way. This is basically punishing kids who don't need the extra month while doing nothing for those that do. I've been in class with many stupid kids I highly doubt another month is going to motivate Dayquan to turn his life around. He doesn't care anyway.

You can't help someone that doesn't want to help themselves. And you can't help someone who's support system doesn't want to acknowledge shortcomings of their own. Unfortunately the faults of the education system aren't the major reasons that kids are "falling behind". Its the culture of America. This problem draws many similarities to the issue of gun control and how countries with similar gun control laws have far less firearm deaths than the U.S.

Once you get it in Mr. and Mrs. Johnsons' heads that their child is a troublemaker and not willing to do work, and stop using euphemisms like "gifted in his own way" and "special", then maybe we'll get somewhere. I've been disgusted seeing parents defend their kids to the death even though they know that they don't study, do work, and are delinquents. Again, more to do with the culture of America and the commonly held notion that "family is above all". No, it isn't. If a teacher is telling me TheBachellor Jr. isn't doing work I guarantee he's going to be in class the next morning with a black eye and all the missed assignments in.

 No excuses.

The most important thing I learned about HS when I graduated and still do believe a couple of months away from my B.S. is that school is not for everyone. Some people can't take authority very well. Others simply won't invest time in to something that they will not use in daily life. And others are just not in an environment after school (home, their neighborhoods) that are conducive to learning. If a student is performing bad well in to the later years of his/her HS career, its unlikely that work habits will change. I've seen it happen, but its time to start suggesting trade schools to failing students who continue to remain uninterested and have demonstrated years of  poor performance. There is more than one way to the top.

 

[thebachellor]

Originally Posted by mytmouse76


standardized test HAVE GO TO GO...thats all teachers teach for and even they hate it but they have to do it...for those of us that get it its boring and those that dont hold the class back

 

Hyperbole. There has to be some sort of performance measurement that is agnostic towards where students are taught.

If the school system is going to be overhauled, it certainly shouldn't be this way. This is basically punishing kids who don't need the extra month while doing nothing for those that do. I've been in class with many stupid kids I highly doubt another month is going to motivate Dayquan to turn his life around. He doesn't care anyway.

You can't help someone that doesn't want to help themselves. And you can't help someone who's support system doesn't want to acknowledge shortcomings of their own. Unfortunately the faults of the education system aren't the major reasons that kids are "falling behind". Its the culture of America. This problem draws many similarities to the issue of gun control and how countries with similar gun control laws have far less firearm deaths than the U.S.

Once you get it in Mr. and Mrs. Johnsons' heads that their child is a troublemaker and not willing to do work, and stop using euphemisms like "gifted in his own way" and "special", then maybe we'll get somewhere. I've been disgusted seeing parents defend their kids to the death even though they know that they don't study, do work, and are delinquents. Again, more to do with the culture of America and the commonly held notion that "family is above all". No, it isn't. If a teacher is telling me TheBachellor Jr. isn't doing work I guarantee he's going to be in class the next morning with a black eye and all the missed assignments in.

 No excuses.

The most important thing I learned about HS when I graduated and still do believe a couple of months away from my B.S. is that school is not for everyone. Some people can't take authority very well. Others simply won't invest time in to something that they will not use in daily life. And others are just not in an environment after school (home, their neighborhoods) that are conducive to learning. If a student is performing bad well in to the later years of his/her HS career, its unlikely that work habits will change. I've seen it happen, but its time to start suggesting trade schools to failing students who continue to remain uninterested and have demonstrated years of  poor performance. There is more than one way to the top.

 

[jordan supreme]

i don't believe the school year needs to be longer, i just think the curriculum needs to be more effective.

like some of you have already mentioned, i believe that the United States put waaaaayyyy too much into standardized testing

and not enough into true learning. If the schools could teach you how to be successful in life, rather than teach you how to be

successful on some stupid test, American kids would not be so far behind.

 

[jordan supreme]

i don't believe the school year needs to be longer, i just think the curriculum needs to be more effective.

like some of you have already mentioned, i believe that the United States put waaaaayyyy too much into standardized testing

and not enough into true learning. If the schools could teach you how to be successful in life, rather than teach you how to be

successful on some stupid test, American kids would not be so far behind.

 

[tsx24]

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

Obama should also press for:

Destroy the current system and rebuild it

Pay teachers a hell of a lot more

Teach our students critical thinking from the jump

 

[tsx24]

Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

Obama should also press for:

Destroy the current system and rebuild it

Pay teachers a hell of a lot more

Teach our students critical thinking from the jump

 

[finnns2003]

Originally Posted by Mangudai954

I dont buy that %@%% G. I want teachers on here(we have a few on here) to chime in though. The curriculum itself needs to be overhauled. Less learning how to pass standardized tests and more emphasis on actually learning! I remember whole weeks at a time studying for nothing but the FCAT(Florida standardized test) and not actually learning! That needs to change imo. I also think more trades need to be available as electives. There's a lot of little things that put together could help improve the education of the public.

Yeah my gf is a teacher and completely agrees with you.

 

[finnns2003]

Originally Posted by Mangudai954

I dont buy that %@%% G. I want teachers on here(we have a few on here) to chime in though. The curriculum itself needs to be overhauled. Less learning how to pass standardized tests and more emphasis on actually learning! I remember whole weeks at a time studying for nothing but the FCAT(Florida standardized test) and not actually learning! That needs to change imo. I also think more trades need to be available as electives. There's a lot of little things that put together could help improve the education of the public.

Yeah my gf is a teacher and completely agrees with you.

 

[vq35dett]

I'm currently a teacher in a very high needs school in a large urban school district.  The issues with education in America are so profound and so deeply rooted in all aspects of society.  Certainly extending the school year is one potential intervention but you need to look closely (and comprehensively) at what is actually going wrong with education.  Education starts from home and the community long before teachers get to start their work.  If children are raised in a home where education is not pushed or in a community where the distractions are truly handicapping children then it doesn't matter how long the school day or year is.  If a child isn't learning anything in 10 months (nothing!) then what will 11 or 12 do?  The parents are the same.  The neighborhood is still there.  I mean, what's more time in school going to do, other than tire everyone out and agitate students?  We had compulsory summer school at my school this year and many days had to be cut short because of how hot it was due to a lack of air conditioners.  Here's a brief list of what I think needs to be done (not in order, but rather, all at once):

1.  Fix the infrastructure - fix crumbling walls, broken doors, water fountains, heaters/air conditioners, and make the schools are appealing places.  I get nagged all the time by my bosses that my room needs to look more appealing for the students.  What can I do if paint if peeling and the place is just generally filthy?

2.  Get materials - make sure every student has textbooks and the required learning materials.  I'm not talking about pencils or notebooks, almost everyone can afford these somehow.  I'm talking about textbooks and workbooks that are vital to learning.

3.  Overhaul the curriculum - What exactly is one year of progress in math?!?  How arbitrary is it that there is some block of math that should be learned by every single child in the city/state/nation.  Do I think there should be standards?  Yes, but these standards need to be re-done.

4.  Maybe get extend the year/day - This isn't going to happen any time soon with how the union's act unless teachers start making a lot more (which is ok...teachers deserve to make a lot more...).  No one is going to put their political career on the line (like Mayor Fenty in DC) to try to seriously overhaul schools.  This was a major experiment and unfortunately he (and the kids) lost.

5.  Parents - This is a near impossible fix.  Some parents are just not good at being parents.  Do they care about their kids?  Yes.  Do they want their kids to go to school and not punch other kids and teachers?  Of course.  Not all parents, however, are good at raising their kids.

The problems with education are so systemic.  This might sound weird but education in America is not going to be solved from within the walls of schools.  Education is going to be fixed through communities and parenting. 

 

[vq35dett]

I'm currently a teacher in a very high needs school in a large urban school district.  The issues with education in America are so profound and so deeply rooted in all aspects of society.  Certainly extending the school year is one potential intervention but you need to look closely (and comprehensively) at what is actually going wrong with education.  Education starts from home and the community long before teachers get to start their work.  If children are raised in a home where education is not pushed or in a community where the distractions are truly handicapping children then it doesn't matter how long the school day or year is.  If a child isn't learning anything in 10 months (nothing!) then what will 11 or 12 do?  The parents are the same.  The neighborhood is still there.  I mean, what's more time in school going to do, other than tire everyone out and agitate students?  We had compulsory summer school at my school this year and many days had to be cut short because of how hot it was due to a lack of air conditioners.  Here's a brief list of what I think needs to be done (not in order, but rather, all at once):

1.  Fix the infrastructure - fix crumbling walls, broken doors, water fountains, heaters/air conditioners, and make the schools are appealing places.  I get nagged all the time by my bosses that my room needs to look more appealing for the students.  What can I do if paint if peeling and the place is just generally filthy?

2.  Get materials - make sure every student has textbooks and the required learning materials.  I'm not talking about pencils or notebooks, almost everyone can afford these somehow.  I'm talking about textbooks and workbooks that are vital to learning.

3.  Overhaul the curriculum - What exactly is one year of progress in math?!?  How arbitrary is it that there is some block of math that should be learned by every single child in the city/state/nation.  Do I think there should be standards?  Yes, but these standards need to be re-done.

4.  Maybe get extend the year/day - This isn't going to happen any time soon with how the union's act unless teachers start making a lot more (which is ok...teachers deserve to make a lot more...).  No one is going to put their political career on the line (like Mayor Fenty in DC) to try to seriously overhaul schools.  This was a major experiment and unfortunately he (and the kids) lost.

5.  Parents - This is a near impossible fix.  Some parents are just not good at being parents.  Do they care about their kids?  Yes.  Do they want their kids to go to school and not punch other kids and teachers?  Of course.  Not all parents, however, are good at raising their kids.

The problems with education are so systemic.  This might sound weird but education in America is not going to be solved from within the walls of schools.  Education is going to be fixed through communities and parenting. 

 

[bostonthreeparty]

no

 

[bostonthreeparty]

no

 

[seymore cake]

I'm all for it...

 

[seymore cake]

I'm all for it...

 

[everysingletime]

It's not about increasing the length of the school year... it's about increasing the quality of the education.  An extra month of crappy education is a waste of time. 

 

[everysingletime]

It's not about increasing the length of the school year... it's about increasing the quality of the education.  An extra month of crappy education is a waste of time. 

 

[undermedicated]

Even if they overhaul how kids are taught, in the end its up to the kids to pay attention so maybe another month or so wouldn't hurt and just short breaks throughout the year.

 

[undermedicated]

Even if they overhaul how kids are taught, in the end its up to the kids to pay attention so maybe another month or so wouldn't hurt and just short breaks throughout the year.

 

[23kidd]

In my opinion, long school years is ehh, however i believe long school DAYS will have a better effect. Students in europe are going to school from 8-4( i believe) This way, more information can be taught so teachers wont rush and the kids will have longer recess/p.e time to get their workout.Everything is being rushed IMO in classrooms, which provides less time for students to learn and rushes the teachers to teach, so they dont do a good job.

 

[23kidd]

In my opinion, long school years is ehh, however i believe long school DAYS will have a better effect. Students in europe are going to school from 8-4( i believe) This way, more information can be taught so teachers wont rush and the kids will have longer recess/p.e time to get their workout.Everything is being rushed IMO in classrooms, which provides less time for students to learn and rushes the teachers to teach, so they dont do a good job.