1. Should school start after Labor Day, stay as is, or should we go to year-round school?
2. Public comment has begun on proposed changes by Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Bennett on how teachers should be trained. Will you comment and what will you say?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
We can open the doors in early August like we do now but many parents do not send their children until after Labor Day. It usually takes the IPS high schools until Labor Day to get the students schedules made or changed and to get teachers hired for all of the vacancies......so does it really matter???
ReplyDeleteJust a note about public education in China:
ReplyDelete_______________________________________________
Because China is in the northern hemisphere, its summer months are in line with Asia, Europe, and North America. The school year in China typically runs from the beginning of September to mid-July. Summer vacation is generally spent in summer classes or studying for entrance exams. The average school day runs from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a two-hour lunch break. Formal education in China lasts for nine years. China provides all students with uniforms, but does not require they be worn.
There are about 21 students in each classroom. All Chinese students study from textbooks that emphasize China’s unity, past and present accomplishments, and its future. Students in China also have great access to computer technology, with a computer to student ratio of 1:2. Chinese language and math skills are tested at the end of each year. Math is typically taught by drill, which means students are repeatedly taught the basics of math until they are able to demonstrate comprehension.
_________________________________________________
I guess you noted a few differences...two hours for lunch opposed to our 25 minutes, average 21 students per classroom opposed to our 'whatever' number, formal education that lasts for only 9 years opposed to our 12 years (13, 14, or 15 depending on how long it takes to earn a high school diploma), 1 computer for every 2 students, math skills taught by drill (oh, my God).
No, we do not need a longer school year; we simply need to use the current number of days more wisely. The physical school plants might remain open during the summer months for 'special programs' for students to keep them off the streets and to keep their skill levels current, but having a year-round academic program is too much.
ReplyDeleteOur overall daily attendance would be higher if school began after Labor Day. As it stands, an extraordinary number of students are absent until after Labor Day, and we end up having to re-teach material that was introduced before Labor Day.
I agree. We need to start school after Labor Day. Good 'ole Tony Bennett needs to force every school corporation in the state to be on the same school calendar.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. I see nothing wrong with starting when we do. I really don't want to go to the middle of June to make up the difference and that is what will happen. It takes roughly one month to settle into the school year no matter when it starts. I also liked summer school much better this year.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Bennett should change anything with teacher training. Textbook selection is what is holding back learning in this state. We don't even have Spellers through 8th grade.
I'd rather start after Labor Day and keep the same number of days. We need to work smarter, not harder. Teachers must be given back the right to act professionally. Teachers must be able to decide what is and is not right for each student, how long to teach which concepts, and when children have had enough or not enough instruction. One size never fit all and never will. We won't need extra school days if we are allowed to use our professional judgement to teach the days we have now.
ReplyDeleteI think we should start no earlier than the last week of August. By the time we get schedules adjusted and other issues settled, it is the first week of September anyway. ALL schools should be on the same calendar.
ReplyDeleteI never thought I would see the day when I wanted Suellen Reed back in office but with Tony Bennett, Reed suddenly looks really good.
ReplyDeleteEnding the semester before the winter break is wonderful, I really wish we would all go to year round school, the ten weeks off in the summer is not good for the kids, go to five weeks and divide the other five weeks, an extra week in December, two at fall break and two at spring break. Offer manadatory remediation to those who would otherwise fail during that period in Language Arts, Reading and Math.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't we go later into the month of June? Start at the end of August or early Septemeber?
ReplyDeleteI would like to see it both ways.
ReplyDeleteI think we need to try one high school on a year round calendar (maybe Manual, they have tried everything elese from what I have read in the paper). Or maybe a small community high school like Howe or Washington.
See how it (students, parents, and teachers) responded after two or three years (not a one time deal and revert back before parents can get on board). If students don't show up by a certain date they can attend a traditional calendar school. Send them to Tech (that is Dr. Whites personal high school to raise right, negating all others).
No high school, outside of magnets, have tried this (approach) schedule. I believe once in students and teachers would like the breaks and be able to keep sanity. Parents would like the other times outside of summers to take vacations or travel(outside of peak times).
When tried though, it has to be at least a three year to five year trial. One or two years does not give true numbers. To get true numbers you have to let a program settle (something our district never does, going from one knee jerk to the next).
Traditional Calendar schools should not start until the last week in August or after labor day in my opinion.
*****
As for Bennets other proposals. I wonder if really understand what is happening in education. He usually just spouts party line rather than doing what is best in my opinion.
Though coming from a country school maybe he just does not understand urban problems and that is it?
As a college student who plans to teach secondary education, I would actually like it if the changes go through. My education classes are really, really weak. I don't mean there is nothing valuable in them, but I mean they take a whole semester and cover subject matter that would be two weeks of material in my other classes. Besides, just practically speaking, a degree in my major could hypothetically be used outside of education. I also think the whole teacher residency thing sounds like a good idea. But I admit most of you would understand the broader implications of these changes than I would. What am I missing? Why do so many of you object?
ReplyDeleteI'm a parent, and here is my perspective. We are not ready for year-round school because we do not have childcare for the 2- and 3-week breaks. Nor do we have enough vacation days to support that. Even after generations of the traditional schedule, there are no day camps that open the day after school ends and end the day before it begins again. Once your kids are over 6, there is very little in the way of decent daycare. Parents use up vacation days for Fall Break, Presidents Day, conferences, and filling the gap between school and day camp. Who has enough time off left to get sick, much less take an actual vacation?
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind, I have a professional career where I enjoy paid vacation days. What about the parents who do not have that luxury?
When child care evolves to support the school calendar, then parents will be more willing to accept changes to that calendar.
I'm all for letting folks with a bachelor's degree earn their teaching license through on the job training. Especially for math & science teachers. When you graduate with your BS, you need to start working to pay off those loans. Very few can afford 2 more years of college, then student teaching. That is why we do not get the best, brightest science and math folks. No other profession asks you to pay them to work for the first 10-12 weeks, but we still think it is ok for teachers.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the Education School methods classes are usually pretty weak and useless. On the job experiences are much more valuable. My problem is that I don't think a 5 week crash course in the summer makes a person a teacher. Being very well educated in the content area is helpful but I have seen too many of the transition teachers simply not have the teaching or personal skills to be a successful teacher. Schools are not the private business sector and being knowledgeable in a subject does not always make you a good teacher of that subject. Classroom management is a real problem for new teachers.
ReplyDeleteno year round.
ReplyDeleteI don't care aobut other people's child care needs, nor do I think it the school systems responsibility, I just hate the schedule.
We need to flip start times with older and younger grades. That will solve many issues.
Your want 6 year olds out in the dark at 6a.m. ????? Think about it.
ReplyDeleteAn article appears on the front page of the Star on the proposed changes in teacher licensing and the next day Tony sends out a damage control e-mail. He has no idea what is in Rules 46 & 47 and Rules 2002.
ReplyDeleteAs to the title REPA, the kind of accountability the US Department of Education wants is a data connection between individual teachers and student test scores.
"Your want 6 year olds out in the dark at 6a.m. ????? Think about it"
ReplyDeleteThe school where my little boy will go starts at 8:00 A.M., so the kids get on the bus at 7:15ish. They are out by 2:30, which is about the time that little ones have shut down. As it is in IPS the little ones aren't getting home until 5:00 or after! It's dark then, too.
why not start school at 9 for all kids, when their brains are actually functioning, but of course that would mean going back to neighborhood schools.
ReplyDelete