DCPS Survey - Increase Instructional Time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Increase seems to be popular. Many parents who are in favor just want free and hassle-free daycare.

So even if it will have little or no academic advantages, and provide incentives for good teachers to flee DC and move just across the border, it would be popular and good for politics.

I bet Kaya will approve it just months before re-election.

So popular with parents, unpopular with teachers. I wonder how many complaining are really teachers.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Not a teacher and I think its a terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Not a teacher and I think its a terrible idea.

+1 Terrible idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in favor of a longer year and a longer day. We both work FT OTH and I think the kids would be be better served by the school in an academic & PE/recess/art/extras setting than they are in rec or DC aftercare most days. I feel this way more now because one of my kids is NOT several grades ahead like my first born was. And based on test scores and graduation rates, evidently the majority of DC public school kids could use more schooling.

You think DCPS is going to provide quality schooling with this time of just longer, it's a hot mess already!!!!

[Anonymous]

My kids are in a JKLMM school and I have no interest in a longer day (unless they start earlier - 8:35 is ridiculous) or a longer year. I often question what my kids are even learning in school - they're at or slightly above grade level and are "reading in the corner" much of the time while teachers focus on other students (who arguably need the help). I echo the sentiment that we need BETTER instruction rather than more instruction. How about some differentiation across skill levels to help kids of all levels learn better? And PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of all of the 4 day weeks - DCPS with the teachers union is the only school that does this. Privates do not have this crazy schedule. They have a shorter school year and better results. And pp's are right - the last couple of weeks are a write off w/videos, etc. so that teachers can dismantle their classrooms during the school year rather than having to use up a couple of days of their 2 month summer break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't need a longer school year. DCPS needs to stop having 4 day weeks. 1/2 day for records keeping? An entire day off for parent-teacher conferences that are 15 minutes long and don't start before 8am or occur after 5pm? I think there was only one full week of instruction in the month of October.

DCPS teacher here. I'm sorry the half day for record-keeping is inconvenient for you. However, it is also inconvenient for me to spend upwards of 20 hours over the nights and weekends before grades are due making thoughtful observations and written comments for each student. That half day doesn't come close to being enough time to prepare grades. And the full day of 15 minute conferences that is so inconvenient is no barrel of laughs for me either. Smiling, talking, and being "on" for a total of 7 hours (that's 15 minutes for each of 28 students) is highly exhausting, especially given the wide window of conference hours available for the convenience of parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are in a JKLMM school and I have no interest in a longer day (unless they start earlier - 8:35 is ridiculous) or a longer year. I often question what my kids are even learning in school - they're at or slightly above grade level and are "reading in the corner" much of the time while teachers focus on other students (who arguably need the help). I echo the sentiment that we need BETTER instruction rather than more instruction. How about some differentiation across skill levels to help kids of all levels learn better? And PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of all of the 4 day weeks - DCPS with the teachers union is the only school that does this. Privates do not have this crazy schedule. They have a shorter school year and better results. And pp's are right - the last couple of weeks are a write off w/videos, etc. so that teachers can dismantle their classrooms during the school year rather than having to use up a couple of days of their 2 month summer break.

Start EARLIER? When research shows that early school days are actually counterproductive? Everyone doesn't get their kid to bed at 6:30 PM so they are not sleep deprived for the early mornings required by their parents. Every child's internal clock is not set for your work schedule either. School is NOT a day care. Hire an outside service if you need to but stop expecting the school to be your free child care service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't need a longer school year. DCPS needs to stop having 4 day weeks. 1/2 day for records keeping? An entire day off for parent-teacher conferences that are 15 minutes long and don't start before 8am or occur after 5pm? I think there was only one full week of instruction in the month of October.

DCPS teacher here. I'm sorry the half day for record-keeping is inconvenient for you. However, it is also inconvenient for me to spend upwards of 20 hours over the nights and weekends before grades are due making thoughtful observations and written comments for each student. That half day doesn't come close to being enough time to prepare grades. And the full day of 15 minute conferences that is so inconvenient is no barrel of laughs for me either. Smiling, talking, and being "on" for a total of 7 hours (that's 15 minutes for each of 28 students) is highly exhausting, especially given the wide window of conference hours available for the convenience of parents.

+1 And the PT conferences can easily be a 9-10 hour day with no lunch if you have a large class or want to accommodate all of your parents. Not to mention the parents who just don't show up and then want to use your planning time or after school time to make up for the day that was dedicated to meet with them. Talk about inconvenience. What, well I have an IEP meeting, a meeting with the principal to go over data, and still need to use the restroom and set up for the next lesson... in 50 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hilarious that DCPS hasn't even asked teachers or sent out a survey to us asking if we would consider this. Classic.

You must be new. This was something that was proposed last year and notice that only ONE school agreed to it. Raymond. The rest of the schools voted it down. There were contractual issues with all of the unions. There are a lot of what if that were not answered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Increase seems to be popular. Many parents who are in favor just want free and hassle-free daycare.

So even if it will have little or no academic advantages, and provide incentives for good teachers to flee DC and move just across the border, it would be popular and good for politics.

I bet Kaya will approve it just months before re-election.

+1 Except teachers voted against it last year and only one school is on board this year. She forced it on the middle schools and the bottom 40 schools. Schools that had an option all voted against it. Especially the JKLM schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent to two Elementary schools kids. Yes to longer year. Research shows long summer break not good for academics. Use extra time to for more arts, language and outdoor Ed.

Yet you know it won't happen so there's that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent to two Elementary schools kids. Yes to longer year. Research shows long summer break not good for academics. Use extra time to for more arts, language and outdoor Ed.

DCPS has not provided any information regarding how that extra time will be spent. Your child could very well be sitting in a classroom even longer, doing worksheets and prepping for more standardized testing. If DCPS isn't going to offer a curriculum with more arts and outdoor activities, then I'd rather pay for summer camps that offer those activities.

+1 You got it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids in DCPS currently have 1,176.5 hours of school a year. (181 days @ 6.5 hours a day)

Page three of this document shows the average weeks and hours per year in OECD countries.

http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/EDIF%202014--N22%20(eng).pdf

Most do have a longer year but they all have fewer hours in school per year. Children in Finland for example have just 650 hours of school over 38 weeks. That sounds about right to me.

Here's another schedule showing hours by country and age:

http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Time-in-school-How-does-the-US-compare/Hours-of-Instruction-by-Country.pdf[/quote.

So how does Finland do in the testing? I mean they spend about half the time our kids do in school. Are they half as bright?

Do your research. Finland is one of the top countries in education. They have more play based education in the early grades and don't start formally learning to read until 7. They play freely at recess and a host of other things that would result in a lawsuit in American schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a no vote. My kids need time to pursue all of the things they will never teach and never be able to do well in a school. I value after school hours, family dinners, peaceful evenings, and think summer is too short right now. I am quite certain that I'm a minority opinion though.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can increase instructional time by eliminating testing.

+1