New York is one of 5 States to extend school hours and days

[Deerthug]

I read today that NY will be one of 5 states to extend the school days and hours in a trial period over 3 years. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/education/school-districts-in-5-states-will-lengthen-their-calendars.html?_r=0

I'm not sure if am for it or against it. Extending the hours may give students more time in each subject to understand the material better. But the work my 15 yo is getting in 10th grade AP courses today is so much more and even harder than what I was taking in HS 30 years ago and I was taking AP courses too. I don't know if extending the school calendar will help much with that but extending the hours will take away time from after school activities such as school sports, which I believe makes a well rounded student. It will no doubt increase school taxes even more to cover the additional hours. I'm sure I speak for most New Yorkers when I say I'm tired of paying the highest school taxes in the Country and not getting the results we should be getting from our schools for our kids. Based upon what I read, the US education system is so far behind many European and Asian countries.

I am not sure who will benefit more from the extension - the school, the students or the taxing municipalty. But I'll take a shot in the dark and say the municipality will benefit the most. What do you all think?

[erussell]

Funny thing is I asked my Daughters teacher today about it and she knew nothing of it. Can you say Union fight.

[tughillhunter]

I agree with municipality. I think its absolutey rediculous. Bad enough my kids dont get off the bus till 415 pm, then have a buttload of homework. (2 fifth graders doing whats equivelant to me being in like 8th grade when i went to school) I think it may kill the ambition that alot of kids have in getting good grades, like my kids for example. My gf said something like extending it to 300 academic hours or something like that? stupid. I agree with deerthug on the whole athletics thing too, i think that kids are just gonna want to get the hell home after being stuck there so long. The after school programs do make a well rounded student, i believe as well.

Edited December 4, 2012 by tughillhunter

[growalot]

What I'll say is even though I was in an accelerated classes starting in 7th through graduation ...had it not been for sports...I would have likely dropped out....

When are the US ppl going to start realizing that we can't compare the US educational achievements to the Asian or even Europeans....They are different societies!! Unless they think that our society can do a complete flip over night this band-aid they are trying...is going to fail miserably, for those that need help the most.... Putting those that are hanging in and trying at risk....

If Rochester thinks they had a large drop out rate before....hang on to your nickers...because there's going to be a lot of 16 yr olds wondering the streets....Where will they find the $$$ for the extra cops that will be needed?

Edited December 4, 2012 by growalot

[oldkevin]

and the gov. keeps dropping state aid to the schools so the taxes go up in the disricts to pay for what the state does not give them. or the schools have to layoff teachers to save money. to me the kids dont get the time they need for the work thats is put on them now. just cramed down they throats. then people wonder why the kids drop out or have poor grades.

[Doc]

I wonder at what point kids will begin to burn out. yes, I know they have all kinds of extra energy and capacity to learn ..... way more than any of us have left anymore ... lol. But there has to be a time for kids to be kids. There needs to be some time for kids to develop more memories than just encounters with school books. I have been struck with the difficulty I have even seeing my Grand-daughters anymore ..... almost need an appointment. Between the school work, and the homework and the extra curricular activities (band, sports, etc.) their entire lives are consumed. I suppose it is all just a training ground for when they finally get a job and are confronted with escalating hours of mandatory over-time. I'm awfully glad that I grew up in a less demanding time.

[SteveB]

General question:

So shorter hours and more non academic events will help stop the down hill slide of US education?

It is going down hill - what's the answer?

[tughillhunter]

answer- leave it the way it is.

[Doewhacker]

In my area I found it upseting that the budget for the multi million dollar astro turf field was approved so easily yet they have no air conditioning and it gets hotter then hell in school late in the year, perhaps we should worry less about sports and more about education. I'm all for more schooling, obviously a lot of kids need it.

[virgil]

The primary reason that our children are struggling compared to kids in Asian and European countries is because in those countries, education is considered a priority in society and, more importantly, at home. The responses on this thread show the our problem. We recognize that we're falling behind, but complain that adding time in the classroom will wear the kids out and make the problem worse.

[growalot]

Let me use this analogy...

Two mechanics,,,,,one you can pay to work many hours to fix a problem...and still need a better mechanic or one you pay a few hours to fix a problem...and still need a better mechanic ......

See the point I'm making?

[SteveB]

answer- leave it the way it is.

Even if broken!

If something is not working, doing more of the same will not change it.

It is broken - looking for discussion on how to fix it.

[virgil]

No. To use your analogy, extending the school day does not simply give the mechanic more time to work on the same problem, it gives him more time to work on other problems after solving the first.

[growalot]

actually trying to be nice in reference to the "professionals" in this equation....

[steve863]

perhaps we should worry less about sports and more about education.

+1000! If schools would devote some of the time and energy to other things besides sports we might be competitive with other nations in the education department. Between gym classes in school and after school sports programs, students devote way too much time to sports. We have freakin athletes going to college with sports scholarships that can barely read. There is something wrong with that big time. Only reason these clowns are in college is because the colleges can make big money off their sports programs. And the irony of it all is that even with all the sports programs we have in elementary, high school and college our youth are by far in worse shape and grow even worse as they age in comparison to other nations. So what good is it doing?? Absolutely NONE! Put more emphasis on actual education, and we might get somewhere.

[Deerthug]

The primary reason that our children are struggling compared to kids in Asian and European countries is because in those countries, education is considered a priority in society and, more importantly, at home. The responses on this thread show the our problem. We recognize that we're falling behind, but complain that adding time in the classroom will wear the kids out and make the problem worse.

I agree. It is a double edge sword moving in an endless circle. If we try making education a priority in the US like in Europe and Asia, that involves dumping a lot more money into the system. Where will this money come from? We the people is where it's going to come from in the form of higher taxes. This will cause those of us who are homeowners to complain even louder about having to pay higher taxes. Then after we dump more money into the system and we don't get the results we want then we start asking what good did it do us? And the circle continues on . . .

[landtracdeerhunter]

Yes, this means higher taxes for u and me. Increase utilities, wages, materials, the list just grows. Hasn't NY done enough to drive hard working people out of this state. When is enough- enough?

[Doewhacker]

Where will this money come from? . .

Cut the damn sports!

[virgil]

Thug- yes, like any other investment, there will be upfront costs. And, yes, it will take years before we see a return on our investment. But, a commitment to education will result in a more highly skilled work force and a better future for our kids. It doesn't do anyone any good to complain about a problem and then shoot down any attempts to address the problem.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Cut the damn sports!

We don't want a bunch of fat lazy kids around. Our presidents wife won't like that.

[Deerthug]

Doe I disagree about cutting sports completely. Should they put more emphasis on education over sports? Without a doubt YES! But the students do need an avenue to relieve some anxiety, tension, and stress over the amount of school work they get. And yes I've seen it first hand with my daughter how her taking Advanced Placement courses in 10th grade puts a lot of stress and anxiety on her. When she runs for 1 1/2 hours after school with her Cross Country team and now winter track team how much more relaxed and focused she gets when she sits down and does her work.

[growalot]

Ya know...Forget being nice politically correct...what ever.......A Good many teachers in this country STINK...no getting around it....They hate their jobs feel put upon and target kids they deem not worthy....I've seen it...and this isn't any thing new...hell back in the 70's in a rural farm land small high school ...we had teachers selling pot...recruiting prostitutes ...sleeping with each other and students...brown bags in the desk draws...not showing up for class..ect..ect...Do I think it was better in bigger schools...NO...has it gotten better over the years ...have had two kids go through school...Hell no...But hey...just extend the hours ...push the kids...take away any incentive to stick it out.....then send them home to parents that are miserable...because they have even more $$$ being sucked out of their pockets....

Edited December 4, 2012 by growalot

[Doewhacker]

We don't want a bunch of fat lazy kids around. Our presidents wife won't like that.

Have you seen the obesity in our society?

[Deerthug]

Thug- yes, like any other investment, there will be upfront costs. And, yes, it will take years before we see a return on our investment. But, a commitment to education will result in a more highly skilled work force and a better future for our kids. It doesn't do anyone any good to complain about a problem and then shoot down any attempts to address the problem.

I agree 1000% and I am willing to lay out the upfront costs but the problem is that not too many people would agree especially in areas like where I live where there are still a lot of old timers (no offense to anyone on the forum) who no longer have kids in school and are living on a fixed budget. I'm sure some people will tell them it's time to move out. But is that the answer? Even younger couples who move into this areas are struggling to find jobs and make money to support themselves let alone have to pay higher taxes.

[Doewhacker]

Oh thats it place the blame on the teachers Grow, parents should play the biggest roll in the childs work ethic not teachers. My son works his ass off being that he is on the Autistic spectrum with ADHD, and so do my wife and I and you know what he has showed major improvement thanks to two good teachers. We all work together and thats the way it should be, and he doesn't play sports.

Edited December 4, 2012 by Doewhacker