pros and cons of shorter school days

To compare, a regular semester generally lasts 16-18 weeks. Our general school hours run from 9 am - 2 pm, with extra . She studies hard, does her research and assignments, and goes to class every single day. Shortening the school day can give kids and teens more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to improve learning outcomes, among other benefits.. With more room to move and less worry about following the rules in class, kids can be better equipped to focus when needed. Examining the pros and cons of year-round school gives insight into why some education leaders push for its adoption while others argue for sticking to the traditional 10-month schedule. They question the value of a continuous . Thats two hours of lost time for farm chores, homework, or other responsibilities that rural families have more often than urban or suburban families. It can help teachers and students better manage the process of learning. An understandable concern for parents, teachers, and students about the 4-day school week is the extended time required to be at school during the day. These will be some pros of a four day school week. Research has shown that in this configuration, students who are low-income, minority, or special needs dont fare too well academically. 5. They can supervise their children at the bus stop in rural districts as well. Massachusetts, a pioneer in extended learning time (ELT), has made significant progress in this field. It has been so problematic that in Colorado, some urban districts which switched to a 4-day school week have gone back to the traditional scheduling instead. The Cons of Longer School Days. Although families benefit from the 3-day weekend and those scheduling benefits, the non-traditional time off given to students can offset some of that savings. Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. 1. The schedule forces teachers to spend small blocks of time on specific topics without really being able to dig into in-depth issues. Eleven states set the minimum number of instructional days between 160 and 179 days, and two states set the minimum above 180 days (Kansas and Ohio). The challenges of implementing such a schedule for parents, administrators, and even some teachers have caused some Colorado school districts to return to the traditional schedule instead of the alternative 4-day schedule. In Peetz Colorado a debate is going on four a four day school week. Some families find that aligning the school day with typical parent work schedules is a family-friendly approach. We were able to build a strong community and school consensus as a result of our programs success. The kids groan, complain about getting out of bed, and struggle to get through the morning routine. Also, there have been studies that found that special populations do not thrive under this configuration. Delaying school start times will assist students in developing the skills required to reach their full potential. In the United States, the average school day is around six and a half hours long. Teachers report In 2022, companies in the U.K., the U.S., and Canada instituted a four-day workweek pilot program to test the concept. 2 Students Should Be Getting More Rest In addition to students having more time to focus on important activities, a shorter school day would give them more time to rest. What Are the Pros of a Longer School Day? Other popular year-round schedules are the 60-20 and 90-30 calendars, where students are in class for 60 or 90 days with vacations of 20 or 30 days respectively. Others believe that lengthening the school day is an expensive endeavor that wont yield substantial results. There are approximately 300 children enrolled in California Elementary School under the age of eight. Students with less sleep have difficulty paying attention in class and are likely to have lower grades. They may also experience irritability and fatigue. Long summers are known to cause "summer slide," or the decline of academic skills and knowledge over the course of the extended vacation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address! Many school districts still operate Monday-Friday, even on a 4-day week. Money is saved on that day because they don't have to run lights, heater or AC. (5) Most costs that were reduced were Operations and maintenance, heating and cooling, janitor supplies. Many of these schools are already operating on an alternative schedule because that is what works best for their community. If so, keep reading. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. Working a couple of hours after school gains experience and disposable income. This occurs because a large number of students are moving around the school campus. According to him, providing education to all would be beneficial to society. Additional costs savings from a shorter day include less . Most schools, when Year Round Schooling: Should it Be Implemented? One of the biggest concerns of a 4-day school week is the length of seat time that younger students must complete. Easier to recruit employees. After analyzing Colorado schools operating on four-day school weeks, (Dam) reports that transportation costs can be reduced by 20%. . Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. Each community has unique needs which must be met, so there is the possibility of a 4-day week being useful to some districts, but not others. Underperforming schools and the lagging performance of U.S. students in comparison to other countries is a concern. It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. Over the course of their first year on this new schedule, they reported that the frequency of discipline referrals for their students dropped by 73%. 2023 The Black Well Firm. There are positive outcomes that may occur, but there are negative outcomes that must also be managed. The list just gets longer. Pros of the 4-day School Week. Read the Full Transcript Judy Woodruff: For many American students and. There are several major pros and cons of a 4-day school week which must be considered by school districts looking to make this kind of change. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports on the pros and cons for students, families and schools. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. Pros of Year-Round School. (Lewis) In Bonneville, Idaho the school started later in the day which resulted in absences dropping 15%. Most school districts are sticking to the 5-day schedule. Teachers are attracted by the prospect of having a shorter work week. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. In 1095or in 1905, depending on your sourcesRoberto Nevelis of Venice, Italy, is often credited with inventing the concept of homework. The basic assumption of a 4 day work week is fulfilling the duties in a shorter amount of time, instead of the usual five-day workweek and receiving the same pay. After 12 hours of being away from home, students struggle to find time to study during the 4-day school week. Four day school weeks may not be a realistic situation for all schools throughout the nation, but for those that it is possible, the four day school week saves money, improves test scores, and further improves the school as a whole. Going to the 4-day schedule can create scheduling conflicts with other districts, particularly with sporting events, performances, and groups like 4-H. Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our countrys educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. It was suggested that a combination of four-week summer holidays and a school day finishing at 4:30pm would lead to improvements in pupil attainment. According to the findings, relocating some math classes to the morning and other subjects, such as English, to the afternoon might result in an increase in students GPAs and test outcomes. From the moment you walk into the second you walk out. Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards, 21 Ways to Teach Students to Use Learning Materials Appropriately, Classical Idealism: Everything You Need to Know, Good Research Topics about Womens Movement, Most Interesting Wine Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Walmart Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting W.E.B. The school days are spread more evenly over the year, with more frequent short breaks and the absence of a 10-12 week summer break. Very Costly. This is one reason school districts use to implement dress codes. Your email address will not be published. Shorter school days that start later in the day could alleviate this problem, promoting healthy habits and the many benefits that go with a solid sleep routine. Students can adjust to the new schedule. Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules. Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. It provides an extra day for actual rest to occur when it may be needed without compromising the remainder of the family schedule. Changing the times could increase attendance by 1%, which could bring in $40 million more. Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. Shorter school days should be used in the United States education system since they have several advantages. After-school jobs are a common way for teens to make money. The move toward a shorter workweek is gaining momentum. Better Employee Engagement A 4 day week can lead to happier and more committed employees. A switch to a 4-day schedule gives teachers more time to use teaching styles that are more effective. According to Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, there is no guarantee that popularity will be replicated in other schools. The benefits are many. Students already feel like their school day is too long. This means students in a district with this alternative schedule get out later for the holidays than students on the traditional Monday-Friday schedule. It was Mann who founded the first public school in the United States and is widely regarded as the Father of the Public School System. What are some arguments for ending school at 8 hours? . Potential for juvenile crime to increase. If you want to avoid withholding recess as punishment, consider rewarding yourself rather than punishing yourself, such as rewarding yourself with extra recess for good behavior. Students are tired and cranky by the end of the day. If a student lives an hour outside of town and have an 8am school bell to meet, then theyre on the bus at 7am. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. 3. The idea has been to cut hours while keeping pay the same. But slowly over the nation, schools are switching to a four day school week. It takes about 4-years for schools to get these students back on track academically. This leads to added costs that some families, living paycheck to paycheck, may not be able to afford. There are a variety of health issues that can be caused by a lack of sleep. Public school everything for schoolchildren and students. Many schools are, in fact, offering year-round services now to accommodate the changing needs of their communities. There will be days, even with the best efforts of everyone involved, where a student is stuck with an after-hours activity, deep into the night, after being in class for most of the day. Imagine a school year that gave the students one week off after every quarter and every Friday off. To see how shorter school days hurt both teachers and students, we need to look at a major structural change in education. Pro: In 2004, the school day was lengthened for a Massachusetts school to address the issue of underperforming students. List of the Major Cons of a 4-Day School Week 1. Older students can spend time engaging in resum-building public service or paid work. If practicums can be included with small group discussions, the retention rate can top 90% for some students. What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? All rights reserved. Overall, a shorter school schedule resulted in a 7% increase in math scores and a 3% gain in reading. More time to focus on mental health In the typical K-12 schooling model, mental health education is too often shunted aside. Other Debates. 1. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children between the ages of 12 and 18 require at least eight hours of sleep per night, and in some cases as much as nine hours. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. time attracting qualified applicants. It is a program for mostly rural and small school districts. When it comes to school, we most likely understand what its like to go to school all year. This got me thinking about the pros and cons of longer vs. shorter trips. How would it sound if school weeks were only four days long and, in doing that, it saved your school money at the same time? All rights reserved. Increase Engagement and Productivity. The organization 4 Day Week Global sponsored the program. In Alabama, the school year lasts 180 days and the school day lasts 7.03 hours. The idea of having a four-day school has been around for several decades, and has been considered at least since the 1930s, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. They do have a full day free for a job in some instances, but trying to find work on the weekends only, especially in a rural community, is never a guarantee unless you dont mind working on a farm, that is. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on students math and reading scores. flexibility to teachers schedules and as a result, makes their jobs more School districts save money. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. If no other elements are in place, it is highly unlikely that extending the school day would result in increased student learning. recess is not only ineffective but also harmful to students who may feel that the punishment is excessive. The 4-day schedule eliminates one full driving day for the transportation department. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages to each. It matches the class schedule to a parent's work schedule. I say this because we would have to start. Pros And Cons Of Five Day School Week Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. First, it would give students more time to focus on their homework and studies outside of school. Do students learn better in shorter classes? not just on the weekdays when students were out of school. The only question is does it hurt students education but the statistics are showing that is clearly not the case one bit. This issue occurs at all grade levels. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. Our individualized learning setup at the Tenney School allows us to offer more instruction in a shorter amount of time. When I was a teacher, many moons ago, this was a fringe schooling schedule only practiced by rural school districts. The Trump Administrations Vindictive Attack On Federal Workers: The Shutdown Of The Office Of Special Counsel, Michigan State University College Of Law: A Top Law School, Why Union Safe Company Is The Best Choice For Protecting Your Home Or Business, The Life Of John Laurens: A Patriot Lawyer And Army Officer. How To Switch School Districts Without Moving? 4 day school week would be better for schools without a doubt because you save money and kids will be more refreshed and not burned out also their behavior is showed to become better. Shorter school weeks or longer school days are reasonable solutions when there is a shortage of funding, or possible budget cuts coming to the school district. Shorter work weeks can improve employment productivity and provide families with more meaningful time together. There are many financial benefits from a 4 day school week.With only 4 days in a week, that is one less day theschool has to pay for lunches . on those days off. Advantages Of Five Day School Week Traditional Five Day Class Week Should be Resumed Samantha, a freshman college student taking up Bachelor of Science in Nursing, values her education so much. Having students to fit 5 days' worth of classroom time into 4 days would make for a tiring schedule, where many of the younger school children would find it very difficult to focus on their study for such long periods. Teachers can use more time in the day to go on field trips or expand content areas. In 2009, there were 3,000 schools in the United States operating on a year-round basis. the fifth day, but they forget, they will still be open and running activities There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. They were located in 7 western states in the U.S. and all but 13 of them identified themselves as being a rural school district. The final class ends 1-2 hours before the work day ends for most parents. The Cons. The reason why school districts are going to a 4 day school week is to save money and the states that you see switching to a 4 days are states that have economic problems such as Oklahoma. Schools may even have to purchase lights for after school activities. Extending the school year may help make teaching a full-time, more lucrative profession for educators if year-round schools can cut costs through . It also means that they would have more time to mark the voluminous quantity of homework that they have to complete every night. Many recommend that teens get at least eight hours of sleep to feel well rested and . Harvest times were set in the old way and still are when most school calendars are set up, when the United States was a farm country. This may not seem like a lot, but when you factor in homework and after-school activities, it can be a lot for a student to handle. Students spend less time on the bus. recess has numerous benefits, including assisting students in reducing aggression and improving learning. For school districts struggling with funding issues, the potential savings here could save the budget. Overall, there are pros and cons to shorter school days. Does time of day affect student learning? We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of Americas P-20 system. remediating them begin to take a bite out of the budget. The Rochester City Council established the Extended Learning Time initiative as part of Rochesters ongoing commitment to education. Sometimes, schools are forced to travel during the school week to play some games or attend certain events. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. Finally, teachers and students would have better relationships as they spend more time together instead of being rushed. Over the course of a 2-year period on this alternative schedule, they reported up to a 20% increase in student attendance. 1. If you ask the average kid what they think about school, youll get a very honest answer: Its boring. From K-12, it can be difficult for students to stay engaged in the classroom during a 5-day school week.

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