school in 4 day weeks
CNN.com - Schools cut costs with 4-day weeks - I think this is actually a pretty good idea, at least for later grades. This would give a longer day to concentrate, AND a longer weekend to enjoy. For the lower grades, I could see how this would be a problem for working moms, because our school districts have early release Wednesdays, and that always causes issues for our employees.
What do you think?
Comments
I think it’s a great idea. Better for family outings, weekend projects for school, etc. Children are starting a five day workweek at 4 or 5 years old, sometimes even earlier and between that and camp and after school activities, it’s just too much. I know that there are many people who will be against it, but it would work very well for this family.
Posted by: Christine | September 11, 2002 05:02 PM
What happens to those kids who have two working parents?
Posted by: Jessica Parker | September 11, 2002 05:47 PM
Now, if the military will only move to 4 days a week!
Posted by: keith | September 11, 2002 09:21 PM
hell, i would love it at the college level.
it would be wonderful to get the hell out of here for a weekend, but sometimes i can’t justify making the four hour drive home to stay for one day. our weekends are too short, since one day is usually spent getting all of my wor done for the coming week. we need more than one day to veg out, dammit, and with my major, it’s next to impossible getting either an entire friday or monday free.
i really just need a break. too bad i don’t have one until the beginning of october...
Posted by: C. | September 12, 2002 04:42 AM
I’d like to see a four-day school week, and I’d hope that would extend to a four-day work week. While I’m not thrilled with the idea of attaching myself to my job for ten hours a day (this 40-hour work week has got to go!), if it meant a guaranteed day off each week, I might be able to handle it better. My only concern would be for the teachers, especially if the schools decided that they’d have to work the extra day as teacher prep on top of the extended day with students.
From a learning perspective, it’s always better to have longer, more open sessions for children. A twenty- or fifty-minute block simply is not enough time to explore necessary concepts in math, reading, and writing. A longer day might also mean that children would have more opportunities for humanities-type activities in art and music; the kids in Maryland schools only get art and music once a week... to me, it’s wrong to limit those kinds of classes when children need creative expression.
I might end up rambling some more about this in my blog, Kristine... I have so much to say!
Posted by: Mariann | September 12, 2002 05:52 AM
Oh! This goes to Jessica... the CNN article says that some states are providing child care subsidies to parents to cover the fifth day... so they’re at least remembering the working families.
Posted by: Mariann | September 12, 2002 05:54 AM
I actually don’t think it’s a good idea. You can only take in so much information before you can’t concentrate on things anymore, and that’s even more likely to happen in the lower grades with longer days. Kids need time to be outside and play, and it doesn’t seem right to take their remaining daytime hours away four days of the week.
Posted by: Amber | September 12, 2002 05:57 PM
i think it is a AWESOME idea especially cuz i am a kid!!
peace
Posted by: rachel | January 28, 2003 12:37 PM
I believe we should have 4 day school weeks because students will have more time to spend with family and their loved ones!!!
Plus students will have to go to school longer anyways so i am not against 4 day school weeks!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: A. B. | June 2, 2003 05:24 PM
p.s change the week before i get out of school
Posted by: melissa | September 3, 2003 05:02 AM
p.s change the week before i get out of school
Posted by: melissa | September 3, 2003 05:02 AM
p.s change the week before i get out of school
Posted by: melissa | September 3, 2003 05:02 AM
p.s change the week before i get out of school
Posted by: melissa | September 3, 2003 05:02 AM
p.s change the week before i get out of school
Posted by: melissa | September 3, 2003 05:02 AM
I dont think this is a good idea. We already have enough days off school. The days would be shorter with five days in a week and I wouldn’t want to sit in school all day; I would loose concentration!
Posted by: Jodi | February 7, 2005 05:55 PM
this i a great idea i have recently done reasearch on this and the school district in colarado have proven that they have saved 20% budget.
:
Posted by: terevor | February 11, 2005 01:28 PM