Full Version: Four-day school weeks
Due to budget constraints, a district near Denver has moved to a four-day school week(wonderful how educational decisions are based on economics rather than sound educational theory and practice isn't it?) Disgruntled parents started a charter school to bring back the five day week.
on the postive side of things:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-0...ools-usat_x.htm
Questions for debate:
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
QUOTE
"Our feeling was that the students lose a full day of instruction if they don't go to school on the fifth day and that the three-day weekend every week was disruptive to the continuity of the learning process," says Tim Koepke, a mechanical engineer on the Indian Peaks Charter School board. The charter school serves about 50 children in grades K-8.
on the postive side of things:
QUOTE
There have been no comprehensive studies of how students on four-day schedules fare academically compared with their five-day peers. But anecdotal evidence suggests they usually do as well and sometimes better.
"Our high school staff in particular said they saw students coming to school better prepared, with a better attitude about grades and wanting to excel," says Vern Hagedorn, superintendent of the Hot Springs, S.D., school district that just completed its second year on a four-day schedule.
"Our high school staff in particular said they saw students coming to school better prepared, with a better attitude about grades and wanting to excel," says Vern Hagedorn, superintendent of the Hot Springs, S.D., school district that just completed its second year on a four-day schedule.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-0...ools-usat_x.htm
Questions for debate:
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
QUOTE(nebraska29 @ Jun 14 2004, 04:37 PM)
Due to budget constraints, a district near Denver has moved to a four-day school week(wonderful how educational decisions are based on economics rather than sound educational theory and practice isn't it?) Disgruntled parents started a charter school to bring back the five day week.
on the postive side of things:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-0...ools-usat_x.htm
Questions for debate:
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
QUOTE
"Our feeling was that the students lose a full day of instruction if they don't go to school on the fifth day and that the three-day weekend every week was disruptive to the continuity of the learning process," says Tim Koepke, a mechanical engineer on the Indian Peaks Charter School board. The charter school serves about 50 children in grades K-8.
on the postive side of things:
QUOTE
There have been no comprehensive studies of how students on four-day schedules fare academically compared with their five-day peers. But anecdotal evidence suggests they usually do as well and sometimes better.
"Our high school staff in particular said they saw students coming to school better prepared, with a better attitude about grades and wanting to excel," says Vern Hagedorn, superintendent of the Hot Springs, S.D., school district that just completed its second year on a four-day schedule.
"Our high school staff in particular said they saw students coming to school better prepared, with a better attitude about grades and wanting to excel," says Vern Hagedorn, superintendent of the Hot Springs, S.D., school district that just completed its second year on a four-day schedule.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-0...ools-usat_x.htm
Questions for debate:
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
Just asked my husband who taught in a four day week program.
His views are that it does cut down on absenteeism, which is a big problem in most school districts. But he feels that all sports should be held on Fridays(if that is the day of the week the district cuts out)
Children really do go about the same of amount of class time, their day is longer.
Our school schedule was from around 7:45am until 4:30pm for the middle schoolers. For some reason the state thought they needed more class time than other grades(myself it would have been high schoolers).
As for the budget being a factor, think budgets are a fact of life. Some school districts are going to year round schooling.
How many people actually go to school board meeting and find out how much it cost to run your district, and how the money is actually being spent?
QUOTE
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
My daughter just completed the fifth grade. Every Monday, we had to pick her up at 2 p.m. instead of 3:30 because there were teachers meetings held every Monday. I often commented that they should just eliminate Monday classes altogether. The longer hours are a little harder, but there is an additional day off for the kids to recuperate.
QUOTE
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
I don't think that it is more indicative of misplaced values than a school system's inability to retain good teachers, a good teacher:student ratio, keeping the buildings in good repair and providing the children with adequate, up-to-date school books and supplies in order to keep the schools running and the kids learning.
And then there are those awful "sales" of terrifically overpriced candy and junk the kids are supposed to peddle (and parents usually end up purchasing because Aunt Midge or Uncle Harry has already been hit up by another niece or nephew) in order to raise money for band uniforms and class trips...
Yeah, speaking as a liberal, I think our priorities are skewed. But the four-day school week is not the worst of our problems related to budget constraints.
I think this would lead to daycare problems for two-parent families, on the other hand it would be easier for working age teens to get more hours of work in per week.
As far as I'm concerned sign me up, I would like to work in a four day per week situation.
As far as I'm concerned sign me up, I would like to work in a four day per week situation.
QUOTE
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
QUOTE
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
I address both of these questions at the same time because I believe they go hand in hand, resulting in a commentary about our country's ideas about public education. In a broad perspective, we can agree that education is not (or at least should not) be about the number of hours or credits a student puts in, but rather ideally about the subjects being taught and the overall transfer of information and experience. However, our country (as well as many other similarly developed countries) has created an education system that frets about snow days, class lengths, and "teaching to the test." Education isn't about the "whens" and "wheres", it is about the "whats" and "hows." The fact that the four-day week has caused such tremendous upset is evidence enough that we place little value on so called "true learning."
Here's my direct answers:
-Is a four-day week okay?: Yes, it is fine.
-Is the "bottom line" more important that true learning?: Yes, it is.
Sincerely,
Locke
1.)Are four-day weeks a good idea and sound practice?
I would say they could be a good idea if implemented correctly. By this I mean that, the actual time students are in school should not be reduced, so a few hours would need to be added to the M - TH classes.
Other than that, there are quite a few positives to the approach:
1) It allows the school to be closed for all intents on purposes on Fridays which would reduce costs.
2) All Staff meetings could be held on Friday, Teachers could hold conferences with parents, grade papers, prepare for the following week, etc.
3) Kids would have a long weekend to look forward to so they would have more time for homework and their personal lives motivating them to get more out of school.
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
Possibly, but the fact of the matter is, education costs money. If tax payers and politicians aren't willing to fund schools more heavily then schools sometimes have to make tough calls like this. As I wrote above, it could be a positive change if done right.
I would say they could be a good idea if implemented correctly. By this I mean that, the actual time students are in school should not be reduced, so a few hours would need to be added to the M - TH classes.
Other than that, there are quite a few positives to the approach:
1) It allows the school to be closed for all intents on purposes on Fridays which would reduce costs.
2) All Staff meetings could be held on Friday, Teachers could hold conferences with parents, grade papers, prepare for the following week, etc.
3) Kids would have a long weekend to look forward to so they would have more time for homework and their personal lives motivating them to get more out of school.
2.)Is the fact that budget constraints are a key reason why four-day weeks are implemented, evidence that the bottom line is more highly valued than true learning?
Possibly, but the fact of the matter is, education costs money. If tax payers and politicians aren't willing to fund schools more heavily then schools sometimes have to make tough calls like this. As I wrote above, it could be a positive change if done right.
Four day school week are ludicrous. We have one of the shortest school days and school year now in the industrial world. Little wonder we have some of the lowest scores and have had for decades.
Education is vital for our countries survival and we cannot let budget cutters short change our kids. Thankfully Mr. Bush has done something that actually leads to better education – the establishment of standards.
Education is vital for our countries survival and we cannot let budget cutters short change our kids. Thankfully Mr. Bush has done something that actually leads to better education – the establishment of standards.
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