More school?

[ducknwork]

I am not really sure how I feel about this...although I am leaning more towards thinking it is not a good idea. Can't kids just be kids? Also, if kids go to school longer and more days, does that mean that teachers will get paid more? If so, where will that money come from? Many states are struggling to pay them as it is. If not, why would anyone teach so much more for no more money?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090927/...us_more_school
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Volcano Vaporizers

[Goose]

Maybe we should just give up ownership of our children to the schools during the school year. Little dorm rooms attached to the school where they could sleep and watch re-runs of Dear Leader's propaganda speeches about healthcare, cap and trade and global warming.

Teach the little ones to be good soldiers for Obama and to sing songs praising him. Who needs parents when we have our Dear Leader and educators at public schools! They know best.

We live in Cuba now.

[YardleyLabs]

I don't know what the patterns are around the world. In Europe and the more advanced countries of Asia, typical school days last about eight hours with a lunch period but little or no free periods during the day. While my academic program in high school was fairly typical, I graduated from high school at the end of 12th grade with 32 credits, including 16 credits for lab sciences, or almost twice the number required in most US schools. America balances that some by having college last four years for a Bachelor's Degree vs. three in other countries. However, it is hard for the US to compete academically when its schools offer significantly less time for content at the secondary levels. As a parent, I felt that having summers "off" was good as long as my kids were engaged in structured activities such as jobs, camps, or summer schools. However, I was never prepared to simply allow my kids to have a two month vacation. From the age of 14 on, I insisted that they have jobs.

[mjiorle]

Jeff, The statistics of other countries being academically superior to the US can be very misleading. Consider that those countries mostly apply a system of tracting (sp?). where only the academically gifted kids attend academic schools, and the other students are enrolled in vocational/trade schools. I imagine if we only tested the best and brightest we have, we would look pretty good too.
Mike

[Bob Gutermuth]

It is another way to recruit and propagandise our kids into the Osama Youth and brainwash them to vote dem.

[dnf777]

It is another way to recruit and propagandise our kids into the Osama Youth and brainwash them to vote dem.

Nah, they just put special chemicals in the water and drop them from airplanes. Haven't you noticed the increase in contrails since Obama was sworn in?

I'd like to see more quality school time spent on science and math, and also, more PE activities. We're turning out fat, stupid kids as it is. Not all the schools' fault though, many parents can't help their kids with 3rd grade math, even if they cared to. And when there's school boards that want to teach the earth is 6000 years old in science class......God help us! (pun intended)

[dnf777]

I don't know what the patterns are around the world. In Europe and the more advanced countries of Asia, typical school days last about eight hours with a lunch period but little or no free periods during the day. While my academic program in high school was fairly typical, I graduated from high school at the end of 12th grade with 32 credits, including 16 credits for lab sciences, or almost twice the number required in most US schools. America balances that some by having college last four years for a Bachelor's Degree vs. three in other countries. However, it is hard for the US to compete academically when its schools offer significantly less time for content at the secondary levels. As a parent, I felt that having summers "off" was good as long as my kids were engaged in structured activities such as jobs, camps, or summer schools. However, I was never prepared to simply allow my kids to have a two month vacation. From the age of 14 on, I insisted that they have jobs.

First off, we should have YOU teach photography classes! I just looked at your Bucks Co. shots and they are fantastic. You certainly have an artistic eye, at least through the shutter. One aspect of some photography that amazes me is when someone can take the mundane, as you put it, and capture the beauty that is often hidden right before our eyes. I would have driven past those barns and never seen those shots you obviously did. I'm thankful for digital cameras....they allow me to shoot the requisite 1 million shots needed to get ONE that is half as good as any of yours!

[twall]

Public schools have become an indoctrination system. Parents have abdicated the education of their children to the government. If parents are serious about the education of their children they should home school. Who knows their children better than their parents. Who cares about their children more than their parents?

Tom

[Buzz]

From what I've read, if you compare our best students to the best students from around the world, we come out very well. Where we are failing is in providing good education for those on the lower end of he socioeconomic spectrum. I would think that the blame can be shared between the parents who serve as poor role models and the system we have for funding education in our country.

[mjiorle]

Maybe we should let educators handle the business of education. There's already too much influence from outside sources. Politicians (Bush "No Child Left Behind") Now another plan? Community, and parents can sometimes have too much influence in educational decisions. Speaking as a teacher(please don't bash us), our hands are tied because of someone outside of education having a great "plan" or way that we should do things. As far as home schooling goes, the children who do well with it would also do well in school, because they have parents who care. I've seen the good and bad of home school. Any way you look at it, we have a flawed system in this country. I am a teacher, and a taxpayer. I also look at my grandparents(in NJ); getting killed on their taxes. I don't have the answer, and I don't know if there is one.
Mike