Strollerderby : academic

Longer School Days, Better Grades?

JasonAvant — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:16:00 GMT

Ferris Bueller's worst nightmare might be the answer to bad grades and dismal test scores. CNN highlights a new trend - extending the length of the school day. The article reports that on average, students in the U.S. spend less time in the classroom than their counterparts in many other industrialized countries. Programs in Massachusetts and other states increase the number of hours per day that students spend in class, as well as the number of days - some programs have kids in school on Saturdays, and may have their summer vacations shortened. In some cases, students end up spending 50% more time in school than they would in traditional programs.

The argument that giving students more time to study will yield positive results is compelling, but let's face it - not a lot of kids are going to be excited about tacking on another two hours' worth of lectures about the Hawley-Smoot Tariff Act. And extending the hours spent in the classroom could cut into after-school sports programs as well as daylight hours that kids could be spending outside at play - an important consideration, considering all of the talk about childhood obesity these days. To combat student boredom and lethargy, schools that extend their hours are offering a variety of non-traditional classes to keep kids engaged. This includes classes that incorporate physical activity, and adding on additional recess time.

I'll admit that I'm on the fence here; as a grown-up, I'm a big fan of work/life balance, and despite the positives, I wonder if longer school days are really a good thing. Yes, getting an education is important, but so too is having some free time. After all, kids will have about 40 to 50 years of sitting behind a desk for 8 hours a day to look forward to after graduation.

Texas Leaves Children Behind to Work at McDonald's Someday

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:56:00 GMT

Education experts say one in three Texas students drops out of school. They're predicting a social crisis in years to come, but I don't know why everyone's worried. With deplorable academic records like that, these Texans could end up as oil magnates, big league baseball team owners or, wait for it ... president.

Of course, life won't be quite as fun for those that don't make it to the White House. According to a Houston Chronicle story, high school dropouts earn about $9,000 less each year than graduates, and there is an increased risk for poverty, illnesses, jail time, fatherhood and writing for blogs. (I really should have listened to my guidance counselor.) And because more kids in the state's largest cities are dropping out than graduating, experts are predicting, well, something close to Armageddon.

"We have a huge problem," the state's lieutenant governor said. That's right -- you do. Because there's no way in hell I'm moving to Texas. California is doing, ahem, just fine, thank you very much.... God I hope the next guy -- or girl (hope hope) -- actually does something about education. Besides leaving children behind, I mean.

Academic vs. Play-Based Preschool: Honestly, Who Gives A Shit?

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 13:01:00 GMT

I don't know about you, but where I live, the preschool admissions process is way competitive, and I just don't have the intestinal fortitude to deal with that bullshit. San Francisco is one step behind New York City in that we don't require I.Q. tests for our two-year-olds, but type-A assholes that have their priorities out of whack still get on the waiting lists for the "popular preschools" the minute the stick turns blue.

Navigating the preschool admissions minefield could be a full-time job for most people. First there's deciphering all the jargon: Waldorf, Montessori, Reggio-Emilia, play-based, project-oriented, student-led, blabbity-blah-blah. Then there are the school tours where you try to look well-rested—and like you didn't just have a fight with your husband because he forgot about the tour even though you told him a hundred times and now he has to cancel a meeting and go visit a preschool instead and he's all pissy about it—hoping to make a good impression on the preschool admissions team. You walk around looking at sculptures made out of painted styrofoam cups and pipe cleaners and listening to the spiel about "enrichment activities" while the other parents size you up. (What are you looking, you uptight beeyotch?)

These tours are always in the mornings and I'm always fascinated by the parents that are obviously on their way to work as soon as the tour is over. The women look so effortlessly put-together and the men are dry-cleaned to perfection. They are the "point" to our "counterpoint," my husband wearing a wrinkled broadcloth shirt that has spent two days in the dryer, and me in yesterday's bra. We're soft. We'd be swallowed up whole if we lived in New York.

My point is this. When kids go to preschool, they're usually around three. Three. If we're lucky, they have a good 12 to 16 years of schooling ahead of them. Why put the pressure on now? By the time your kid is three, even if you do nothing, chances are there will be a preschool somewhere in your city ready and willing to accept your child. To me the most important thing is that my child is happy and loves school and learning. Three-year-olds don't know their Waldorfs from their Wiggles. My daughter's preschool could be a garbage detail charged with picking up trash from the side of the freeway and she'd love it as long as there were eight other three-year-olds and a quick-to-hug teacher doing it with her.

Lighten up, parents! It's only preschool. They can't count higher than twenty, they spend half an hour deciding "who is going to be the mommy and who is going to be the daddy" when they play house, and they go to the bathroom with a buddy.

Just remember, the time will come when you are stressed-out about completing applications, getting academic records in order, writing essays, and securing glowing letters of recommendation from influential people. And that time is kindergarten.