Comments on: Extra Time In School? If Done Right, I’m For It! http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649 :Roll up your sleeves and get messy Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:53:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Diana Fingal http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649&cpage=1#comment-158192 Diana Fingal Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:03:23 +0000 http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649#comment-158192 There is a huge disconnect going on between the federal government and the states. Arne Duncan is proposing we keep schools open 6 days a week for 11 months a year. In Oregon we are struggling to keep schools open 5 days a week for 9 months a year. This powerful video illustrates what is really happening in our schools. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeyfpRfgCic There is a huge disconnect going on between the federal government and the states. Arne Duncan is proposing we keep schools open 6 days a week for 11 months a year. In Oregon we are struggling to keep schools open 5 days a week for 9 months a year. This powerful video illustrates what is really happening in our schools. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeyfpRfgCic

]]> By: Charlie A. Roy http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649&cpage=1#comment-157665 Charlie A. Roy Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:54:36 +0000 http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649#comment-157665 Perhaps school reform is best designed from the ground up rather from the federal government down. The time on task issue helps make this clear. My students are predominately middle to upper middle class and their summers and breaks are filled with vacations. These experiences are mostly enriching and formative. On the other hand students from poverty are often not getting these experiences in the summer. If schools in low income areas worked hard to design an implement enriched learning environments in the summer this could go a long way in closing the achievement gap. Perhaps school reform is best designed from the ground up rather from the federal government down. The time on task issue helps make this clear. My students are predominately middle to upper middle class and their summers and breaks are filled with vacations. These experiences are mostly enriching and formative. On the other hand students from poverty are often not getting these experiences in the summer. If schools in low income areas worked hard to design an implement enriched learning environments in the summer this could go a long way in closing the achievement gap.

]]> By: Lisa Parisi http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649&cpage=1#comment-156597 Lisa Parisi Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:22:03 +0000 http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649#comment-156597 You make some great points. So many students, even those not in at-risk areas, go home and sit in front of the tv or computer all day. Vacations are just more time to do the same. I would love extended days to add back some enrichment activities. I do encourage my students to join every club they can. The concern, of course, is that nobody discusses extra time in school without meaning extra time for reading, math, test prep skills, homework help. No thank you for that! You make some great points. So many students, even those not in at-risk areas, go home and sit in front of the tv or computer all day. Vacations are just more time to do the same. I would love extended days to add back some enrichment activities. I do encourage my students to join every club they can.

The concern, of course, is that nobody discusses extra time in school without meaning extra time for reading, math, test prep skills, homework help. No thank you for that!

]]> By: Brian http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649&cpage=1#comment-156494 Brian Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:02:47 +0000 http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649#comment-156494 Yes, my school has some after-school programs ... but as you state they are so-so in quality. What I describe above has to be high quality or it is just more of the same ... we've done this somewhat, but on the cheap (like so many other things we do, and they we are reamed because the programs don't get the desired results and people claim it doesn't work based on poorly funded and designed experiences. Thanks for the comment! Brian Yes, my school has some after-school programs … but as you state they are so-so in quality. What I describe above has to be high quality or it is just more of the same … we’ve done this somewhat, but on the cheap (like so many other things we do, and they we are reamed because the programs don’t get the desired results and people claim it doesn’t work based on poorly funded and designed experiences. Thanks for the comment!
Brian

]]> By: wmchamberlain http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649&cpage=1#comment-156491 wmchamberlain Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:17:36 +0000 http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=649#comment-156491 Excellent points. I think that many schools have extended the school day as part of an after school program to help address many of these problems. Unfortunately, the quality of these programs are sometimes questionable. We do need to give our students more opportunities to learn about music, the arts, and to have more physical education. Extra time at school would not be a problem for me either, if these were the needs addressed. Excellent points. I think that many schools have extended the school day as part of an after school program to help address many of these problems. Unfortunately, the quality of these programs are sometimes questionable. We do need to give our students more opportunities to learn about music, the arts, and to have more physical education. Extra time at school would not be a problem for me either, if these were the needs addressed.

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