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Today's Poll: Should children spend more time in school?

By Howard B. Owens
Randy Smart

The problem of education is not as simple as just extending the school day/the school year. Not every child learns in the same way and not all children are at the same level. I was usually bored in school, because I had learned what was being taught before the majority of the rest of the class. If I had to stay in a class longer, without any real benefit or additional learning, then I might have dropped out of school or became a trouble maker in school (one can only take so much boredom). Education needs to be tailored to the student, which means it will end up being more costly, but if the goal is better educated children then it's worth it. Some students might be more apt to learn more if they were given the option of 'shorter' school days/years--ie. you can leave for the day when you've completed your work and earned a grade of B or higher (like an independent study program). Other students might benefit from extended time at school, if they were given additional help, more one on one time with the teachers. An education should be an exciting, life-long process, it's not wise to turn students off to it early on (imagine that this year you're a high schoold junior and you find out that next year you have to go to school for eleven months out of the year and the school day is being extended 3 hours each day--how tempted would you be just to drop out and maybe go for your GED?)

Jan 3, 2013, 9:06am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

I dunno....reasding the articel it seems that the first two things Cuomo's ed policy suggests have everyting to do with increasing money, and occupying children (ie state sponsored daycare for parents) As for the third suggestion for improving the quality of education, hmmm seems we have been saying that for years, and for all the money and teachers thrown at the problem it's still not changed much.

Give generic homogenized "everyone is a winner" education while having a "Lord of the Flies" socialization system in schools (This refers to the I am a teacher not a social worker attitude that alot of teachers have, allowing the kids to sort out their social lives on their own in between classes and such IE bullies and such.) And you get kids that if they are lucky can sort it all out and understand it. Or if they arent you end up with robots who when they get into college and life are ill prepared for realities and such and end up taking a beating by "normal life". Which gives us some of the reasons for the "F"ed up individuals we see today in our nations news and media.

We need something different not just more hours of the same....

Jan 3, 2013, 12:52pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

One size fits all solutions rarely work out. No Child Left behind failed, and so will forcing kids to stay in school. Very nice comment Randy, I couldn't agree more.

Jan 3, 2013, 2:23pm Permalink
Rob Krzewinski

"Commission chair and former Citigroup executive Dick Parsons says school days and the school year should be longer, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds should begin their education with all day pre kindergarten."

So what is Dick Parsons background in education?

Jan 3, 2013, 3:23pm Permalink

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