The 2 hours delays are the right time to start school!!!

[Anonymous]

You should homeschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you believe how our college age kids only went to kindergarten half day?!

My college junior went to kindergarten all day in MD. It was mandated in MD public schools in 2007-2008.

FCPS went to all-day kindergarten in all of its elementary schools in the fall 2011. Many schools already had it. That means that some current juniors and seniors who started in FCPS might have had half-day K.

Wouldn’t that class have graduated two years ago?

They’re talking about college juniors and seniors. Keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now add 2 hours on to the end of the day and tell me how they feel. Would they be happy getting home from school at 4:30 or 5:30?

Or we keep the shorter day but add on weeks to make up for the 2 hours that we are cutting from the day, so shorter summer.

Which is it?

1) Current schedule
2) Later release time
3) Longer school year but shorter days

You are thinking too narrowly. Public schools have a huge amount of wasted, non-learning time during the day. Breaks, transitions, for elementary students there are too many "specials", for older kids free periods. You could easily accomplish the same amount of actual learning in a shorter school day if you tried, with no need to extend the school day or school year.

But people get attached to the idea of "instructional hours" as an essential metric for school quality without thinking critically about how many of those instructional hours actually include instruction. It's so many fewer than you think. Your kids are dragging themselves to school at 7 or 8 am in order to spend half of their school day waiting, walking between classes, or engaged in an independent activity they could easily do at home.

How are you proposing to do away from walking between classes?

Have the teachers move. That’s what they used to do in Germany. Kids stay put in one room and teachers move. The kids got a 15 minute break at some point and were home by lunchtime. They also had no specials.

So how do you handle differentiation in high school? Are all kids supposed to take the same classes every year? Do you really think you will save more time having teachers move from class to class when students already only get 4 minutes between classes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now add 2 hours on to the end of the day and tell me how they feel. Would they be happy getting home from school at 4:30 or 5:30?

Or we keep the shorter day but add on weeks to make up for the 2 hours that we are cutting from the day, so shorter summer.

Which is it?

1) Current schedule
2) Later release time
3) Longer school year but shorter days

You are thinking too narrowly. Public schools have a huge amount of wasted, non-learning time during the day. Breaks, transitions, for elementary students there are too many "specials", for older kids free periods. You could easily accomplish the same amount of actual learning in a shorter school day if you tried, with no need to extend the school day or school year.

But people get attached to the idea of "instructional hours" as an essential metric for school quality without thinking critically about how many of those instructional hours actually include instruction. It's so many fewer than you think. Your kids are dragging themselves to school at 7 or 8 am in order to spend half of their school day waiting, walking between classes, or engaged in an independent activity they could easily do at home.

I'm not sure how you would get rid of transitions. I do feel strongly that "specials" are important. For some kids there may just be one part of the school week where they feel successful. That might not be math or reading. It could be art, music or PE. I didn't always appreciate this

I used to think this way. But, year after year, with a few exceptions, ES specials and teachers have been the most soul crushing, time-wasting part of the day. Poor classroom control, projects that students don’t care about, minute amount of “learning” anything new. Aside from PE, I would vote for eliminating every one of the specials classes in ES. Actually, my ES kids have been thrilled about 2 hour delay so they don’t have to sit through music and art. Not because they don’t like music and art, but because of the type of instruction and environment. That time alone, specials plus transition to and from, is over one hour every single day.

For HS, get rid of advisory.

YES! Please. No one likes it. - HS teacher and parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now add 2 hours on to the end of the day and tell me how they feel. Would they be happy getting home from school at 4:30 or 5:30?

Or we keep the shorter day but add on weeks to make up for the 2 hours that we are cutting from the day, so shorter summer.

Which is it?

1) Current schedule
2) Later release time
3) Longer school year but shorter days

You are thinking too narrowly. Public schools have a huge amount of wasted, non-learning time during the day. Breaks, transitions, for elementary students there are too many "specials", for older kids free periods. You could easily accomplish the same amount of actual learning in a shorter school day if you tried, with no need to extend the school day or school year.

But people get attached to the idea of "instructional hours" as an essential metric for school quality without thinking critically about how many of those instructional hours actually include instruction. It's so many fewer than you think. Your kids are dragging themselves to school at 7 or 8 am in order to spend half of their school day waiting, walking between classes, or engaged in an independent activity they could easily do at home.

How are you proposing to do away from walking between classes?

Have the teachers move. That’s what they used to do in Germany. Kids stay put in one room and teachers move. The kids got a 15 minute break at some point and were home by lunchtime. They also had no specials.

So how do you handle differentiation in high school? Are all kids supposed to take the same classes every year? Do you really think you will save more time having teachers move from class to class when students already only get 4 minutes between classes?

Yes, the same kids stayed together as a class all the way through the final year. They were tracked already from 5th grade on (some kids weeded out to go to vocational school) and were on track to get their Abitur and be college ready. They were all required to take the same classes (2-3 Languages included) and pass exams at the end of their 13th year to get their Abitur. And then they may go to any university in Germany.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

It is terrible. But I agree starting elementary at 11:20 am is insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now add 2 hours on to the end of the day and tell me how they feel. Would they be happy getting home from school at 4:30 or 5:30?

Or we keep the shorter day but add on weeks to make up for the 2 hours that we are cutting from the day, so shorter summer.

Which is it?

1) Current schedule
2) Later release time
3) Longer school year but shorter days

You are thinking too narrowly. Public schools have a huge amount of wasted, non-learning time during the day. Breaks, transitions, for elementary students there are too many "specials", for older kids free periods. You could easily accomplish the same amount of actual learning in a shorter school day if you tried, with no need to extend the school day or school year.

But people get attached to the idea of "instructional hours" as an essential metric for school quality without thinking critically about how many of those instructional hours actually include instruction. It's so many fewer than you think. Your kids are dragging themselves to school at 7 or 8 am in order to spend half of their school day waiting, walking between classes, or engaged in an independent activity they could easily do at home.

How are you proposing to do away from walking between classes?

Have the teachers move. That’s what they used to do in Germany. Kids stay put in one room and teachers move. The kids got a 15 minute break at some point and were home by lunchtime. They also had no specials.

So how do you handle differentiation in high school? Are all kids supposed to take the same classes every year? Do you really think you will save more time having teachers move from class to class when students already only get 4 minutes between classes?

Yes, the same kids stayed together as a class all the way through the final year. They were tracked already from 5th grade on (some kids weeded out to go to vocational school) and were on track to get their Abitur and be college ready. They were all required to take the same classes (2-3 Languages included) and pass exams at the end of their 13th year to get their Abitur. And then they may go to any university in Germany.

Yes. They were weeded out by a test they took at 10 years old.
And, don't forget the ones that were weeded out for the commercial course.

No thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now add 2 hours on to the end of the day and tell me how they feel. Would they be happy getting home from school at 4:30 or 5:30?

Or we keep the shorter day but add on weeks to make up for the 2 hours that we are cutting from the day, so shorter summer.

Which is it?

1) Current schedule
2) Later release time
3) Longer school year but shorter days

You are thinking too narrowly. Public schools have a huge amount of wasted, non-learning time during the day. Breaks, transitions, for elementary students there are too many "specials", for older kids free periods. You could easily accomplish the same amount of actual learning in a shorter school day if you tried, with no need to extend the school day or school year.

But people get attached to the idea of "instructional hours" as an essential metric for school quality without thinking critically about how many of those instructional hours actually include instruction. It's so many fewer than you think. Your kids are dragging themselves to school at 7 or 8 am in order to spend half of their school day waiting, walking between classes, or engaged in an independent activity they could easily do at home.

How are you proposing to do away from walking between classes?

Have the teachers move. That’s what they used to do in Germany. Kids stay put in one room and teachers move. The kids got a 15 minute break at some point and were home by lunchtime. They also had no specials.

So how do you handle differentiation in high school? Are all kids supposed to take the same classes every year? Do you really think you will save more time having teachers move from class to class when students already only get 4 minutes between classes?

Yes, the same kids stayed together as a class all the way through the final year. They were tracked already from 5th grade on (some kids weeded out to go to vocational school) and were on track to get their Abitur and be college ready. They were all required to take the same classes (2-3 Languages included) and pass exams at the end of their 13th year to get their Abitur. And then they may go to any university in Germany.

Yes. They were weeded out by a test they took at 10 years old.
And, don't forget the ones that were weeded out for the commercial course.

No thanks!

Ten is definitely too young of an age for kids to be tracked permanently for the rest of their schooling, However, I think are many high school kids who are on the traditional educational path who would benefit more from (and enjoy more) practical/ vocational learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:former K teacher here:
Early is better. 8 a.m. Afternoons get long. Kids are ready to go out and play. If they go out and play in the a.m. before school, they are worn out when they get to school.

Yes. We have the worst schedule. Specials and lunch before the afternoon. Then sitting for long stretches of benchmark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

Not when you've got 4 kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

Not when you've got 4 kids

i have the same amount of kids. i was saying it’s 2 years for the kids to be up early. but they appreciate being done earlier and not having to run right to sports like their elementary school siblings. our family is all early risers naturally so maybe that plays into it? 2 weeks of my elementary kids being home/not going to school until 11:20 is draining on everyone. especially when they get up at 5:30

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

Not when you've got 4 kids

i have the same amount of kids. i was saying it’s 2 years for the kids to be up early. but they appreciate being done earlier and not having to run right to sports like their elementary school siblings. our family is all early risers naturally so maybe that plays into it? 2 weeks of my elementary kids being home/not going to school until 11:20 is draining on everyone. especially when they get up at 5:30

Why on earth would you have or allow your kids to get up at 5:30 am ever?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

Not when you've got 4 kids

i have the same amount of kids. i was saying it’s 2 years for the kids to be up early. but they appreciate being done earlier and not having to run right to sports like their elementary school siblings. our family is all early risers naturally so maybe that plays into it? 2 weeks of my elementary kids being home/not going to school until 11:20 is draining on everyone. especially when they get up at 5:30

Why on earth would you have or allow your kids to get up at 5:30 am ever?

DP. Have you never heard of early birds? Lots of people are early risers. Even children. You would tell your kids to go back to sleep?

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:20 is not a good time for my elementary schooler to start.

My kids 630am bus everyday is AWESOME!

it’s 2 years and everyone does it. it’s not that terrible. starting elementary at 11:20 and kids getting out at 6pm for 7 years is insane

Not when you've got 4 kids

i have the same amount of kids. i was saying it’s 2 years for the kids to be up early. but they appreciate being done earlier and not having to run right to sports like their elementary school siblings. our family is all early risers naturally so maybe that plays into it? 2 weeks of my elementary kids being home/not going to school until 11:20 is draining on everyone. especially when they get up at 5:30

Why on earth would you have or allow your kids to get up at 5:30 am ever?

DP. Have you never heard of early birds? Lots of people are early risers. Even children. You would tell your kids to go back to sleep?

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

that's great. they can do their homework at 530 am then. once they are done with the school day, it should be about family and relaxing.