I would be all for it in our district. My kids are a bear to wake up most mornings. On the first Friday of every month, our district has what they call "Late start Friday." School starts 1 hour later than normal and my kids are always awake and ready to go. I am also leanning towards supporting year around classes.
Posted by glassman on :
so that's why i got a "C" in physics.. shoot, i thought it was just cuz the teacher was a jerk Posted by bdgee on :
I think this is only ONE thing that is neglected when we plan the lives of our children. Moreover, particularly with education, we plan things to be convenient and easy for us and our prejudices, not for learning and certainly not for the benefit of teaching.
Learning is not something that everyone does (or can do) at the same rate and certainly not in the same way. Yet, refusing to pay attention to that, we demand that your kids and mine (and not just the offspring that are kids, college kids too) be subjected to whatever the loudest parents in the neighborhood choose to believe is the right way (and things) to learn.
It isn't only that different students learn in different ways and at different rates, but different teachers teach differently also. We sniffle the very best of out teachers by dictating exactly what, in what order, at what rate, and how they present (or cause the students to become familiar with, which is the real secret of successful teaching) the subject matter they are to teach.
It is one thing to expect that each of our children will be exposed to and reach some specific level of proficiency in various subject matters, but not every student needs to do that in precisely the same order or way, and the experience you or I had with some particular history lesson or assignment when we were 13 years old is not a suitable criteria for what should (or should not) be the standard. The object is not to iron out all the wrinkles so ever "completed" adult turned out was painted with exactly the pattern of information and color of knowledge, but to provide them with something from which they may start the process so that a willing student will be able to apply and learn from experience throughout his or her life.
Posted by cottonjim on :
quote:Originally posted by glassman: so that's why i got a "C" in physics.. shoot, i thought it was just cuz the teacher was a jerk
No, you most likely got a C in physics because any mathematical based subject matter is more of a religion than proven fact. You obviously didn't have the faith Posted by bdgee on :
Maybe it wasn't a matter of "lack of faith", but a lack of mathematics?
Then too, it could be simpler still. Mathematics, in truth, is purely an art, in spite of it being one that most people can't "see" or "hear" or be 'moved by". For most people, where mathematics is concerned, they are much in the same position as one who speaks no English what-so-ever trying to decide, upon hearing it spoken aloud, if Carl Sandburg's "Chicago" is or isn't poetry and is or isn't artistic or good or bad.
Maybe you simply couldn't "hear" the music of physics?
Posted by The Bigfoot on :
I have an aunt who teaches year round.
It's really the way to go. Kids are more focused. Once they adjust families often end up liking the spread out breaks more than one big chunk in the summer. (It does have an affect on some summer sports though)
I also agree with later start times and gender separated classes for math and science. (The rest of the classes should still be together as there is a lot of social and behavioral skills that can only be learned in co-ed IMO)
Posted by thinkmoney on :
When I was a kid, I loved summer vacation - things to do other then school - vacations, camps, new places - and relax -
I want summer vacation for my kids - they love it - sometimes being outdoors, pool, beach is more fun and learning then textbooks....
It is a time to relax, try new things - rest and contemplate - I love the summer vacation -
Posted by bdgee on :
I like the chance of year round schools with classes in specified subject matter not meeting daily, but maybe three or two days a week, like college classes. And why must every student be "present" and on the same schedule?
Mathematics and sciences needs "time off" for ideas to jell and questions to develop in order for the students to be ready for the "next" step.
As the age of students goes up, I think more and more time between classes offers a better chance of a student progressing from task to task or concept to concept. I can't locate a single argument, other than convieniece for us, for not spacing out our children's learning so that it proceeds at a less hectic pace and could become enjoyable for the students rather than a chore. Maybe it would place new responsibilities and demands on us, but why are we here other than to make certain the next batch of world or community leaders or harvesters of produce has had the best chance to be successful? We can rearrange out lives and habits for that, I believe.
Posted by thinkmoney on :
I know i loved summer and my kids usually do new things - thre is an excitement - I would support year round school based on choice lik college semesters - take it or not -
Also, I think subjeects beginning frist grade shoyld promote kids vs grade promotion -
My kid is in first grade and because she excels is bored - I want her for social reasons with peers, but also advance according to ability -
School put her in a gifted reading but she also excels in math -
Wish scholls promote based on suject - this wasy classes would be diverse not necessarily own age group but according to talent and level...
And, kids would not have to be bored once they mastered a subject-
summer could be 2 six week sessions with new stuff to learn and can substitute camps for working parents -
Posted by glassman on :
quote:Originally posted by cottonjim:
quote:Originally posted by glassman: so that's why i got a "C" in physics.. shoot, i thought it was just cuz the teacher was a jerk
No, you most likely got a C in physics because any mathematical based subject matter is more of a religion than proven fact. You obviously didn't have the faith
yeah, and it wouldna hurt if didn't try to convince my teacher that Alice 'n Wonderland was really all about calculus... Posted by cottonjim on :
calculus.........riiiiight Posted by bdgee on :
Why couldn't schools be operated year round, with three approximately equal time semesters, some semestes stretching through two semesters or the year, and others overlapping or even shorter and students not required to be in school full time all year or all day, but selecting from the menu and fulfilling, via option of them and their parents, about the equivalent amount of course work through 12 months that they now do in 8 - 9 months. (Some people might prefer a winter or fall or spring school vacation rather than a summer one.)
It would surely be a good way to "decrease" school over crowding by maybe 30% and "increase" classroom availability by maybe 30%. (And the offer of more flexibility in work schedule might be attractive enough to lure more teachers to the profession.)
Posted by bdgee on :
quote:Originally posted by glassman:
quote:Originally posted by cottonjim:
quote:Originally posted by glassman: so that's why i got a "C" in physics.. shoot, i thought it was just cuz the teacher was a jerk :D
No, you most likely got a C in physics because any mathematical based subject matter is more of a religion than proven fact. You obviously didn't have the faith :D
yeah, and it wouldna hurt if didn't try to convince my teacher that Alice 'n Wonderland was really all about calculus... :D
In truth, that is a thing a person should know before being inflicted on students of mathematics (or maybe any subject), which says something about the failures of the existing "definitions" of "education".
Posted by cottonjim on :
quote:Originally posted by bdgee: Why couldn't schools be operated year round, with three approximately equal time semesters, some semestes stretching through two semesters or the year, and others overlapping or even shorter and students not required to be in school full time all year or all day, but selecting from the menu and fulfilling, via option of them and their parents, about the equivalent amount of course work through 12 months that they now do in 8 - 9 months. (Some people might prefer a winter or fall or spring school vacation rather than a summer one.)
It would surely be a good way to "decrease" school over crowding by maybe 30% and "increase" classroom availability by maybe 30%. (And the offer of more flexibility in work schedule might be attractive enough to lure more teachers to the profession.)
I know that there are some districts in MN that have already implimented a year around schedule. Shorter school days, some i think even went to a 4 day school week, with evenly spaced breaks through the year. If I remember correctly, I heard on MPR that the students showed marked improvements in grades and attendance.
Posted by glassman on :
to be honest? school was pure torture for me.
it was not just boring, it seemed inane for the most part. i can't stand to watch reruns. if i watch a movie twice it's because i'm really bored. or possibly it's a great movie.
if i can interact with what i'm learning? it's much easier ... why is it that they don't expect you to become interactive until Grad school? interactive behaviour in class is generally a liability... and i was liable as hell...
Posted by thinkmoney on :
For the most part, I enjoyed school, especially the learning. My dad instilled 'love of learning' in me...and I hope my kids have that value.
I was bored but enjoyed learning new things...
Posted by bdgee on :
I was blessed with both high school and college in being at schools that were decidedly independent, though at the time I had no idea that it was the case.
With very rare exceptions, none of my high school teachers used (or needed) a book to teach their subject. That was even more the case in college.
Even before high school, in jr. high, I had the benefit of mathematics and science teachers that taught with a love and knowledge of the subject and without any aid other than a black(sometimes green)board and chalk. Even there, we knew that the teachers of our mathematics and science classes were considered, by the other teachers, "privileged" to be allowed to teach their subject and we understood that we who were allowed to take those classes were "privileged" or we would be required to wait for high school to study those subjects, meanwhile sitting in boring standard classes. (As I try remembering the students in those classes, almost everyone of them I can recall ended up earning at least one graduate college degree.)
Posted by jordanreed on :
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