We're studying the engineering design process in my middle school math class, doing neat physics projects. Or we were, at least, until one student threatened another and almost got stabbed with another's scissors, one glued another's hair to the wall, and one smashed the $30 of materials I had bought for the day's project.

Back to movies. I tried. They are DONE.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Class parties. Movie day(s). Field day. Teacher student basketball games. Butterfly release (okay, that one is educational fun)...

Yep, the best days of the school year for kids are those last 2-3 weeks before summer break. Everyone has worked hard all year, why not let them blow off a little steam so their last experience of the school year isn't a grueling exam?

Absolutely agree. We pushed them hard all year. "Honors classes! must bring honor to family!" Many of their classmates they won't see all summer, and quite a few probably for the last time as people move around. They spent a whole school year together, these last two weeks might be the ones where they get to know each other better. School is not just about hitting the books, but developing inter-personal relationships. Life ebbs and flows, school should be the same.

The last two weeks of school are some of my favorite days. They do creative projects. Finish up areas of learning that they didn't get to before testing. Field Day. Class Party. I think it's very important for kids to remember school in a happy way before taking off for the summer.

Anonymous wrote:Making 3-D cities on grid paper in math (area, perimeter), creating pop-up books containing a page for each unit learned in social studies, researching and recreating flags from the Civil War, more time for teacher read alouds, cursive practice, health lessons, band concert, strings concert, choral concert...

...letters to next year's teacher, letters to next year's rising students to the grade level. I forgot the Medieval festival in fifth grade.

Anonymous wrote:Class parties. Movie day(s). Field day. Teacher student basketball games. Butterfly release (okay, that one is educational fun)...

Yep, the best days of the school year for kids are those last 2-3 weeks before summer break. Everyone has worked hard all year, why not let them blow off a little steam so their last experience of the school year isn't a grueling exam?

because if they took those days away, they'd test even earlier and the following two weeks would still be a waste.

Making 3-D cities on grid paper in math (area, perimeter), creating pop-up books containing a page for each unit learned in social studies, researching and recreating flags from the Civil War, more time for teacher read alouds, cursive practice, health lessons, band concert, strings concert, choral concert...

Anonymous wrote:Class parties. Movie day(s). Field day. Teacher student basketball games. Butterfly release (okay, that one is educational fun)...

Doesn't FCPS continually whine about not having enough money? Seems like one cost savings would be end school earlier. Taxpayer funded parties and movie days aren't part of FCPS core mission.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Testing is done. Kids are not learning anything. Why are kids still in school? It seems like a waste of time.

Another reason starting before Labor Day makes sense. Fewer scheduled days after testing.

No. They would still be doing very little in the last couple weeks.

Yeah, how does starting earlier solve anything when the school year is the same number of days?

The real problem is all the BS teacher workdays, holidays, and snow days in our bloated school calendar.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Testing is done. Kids are not learning anything. Why are kids still in school? It seems like a waste of time.

Another reason starting before Labor Day makes sense. Fewer scheduled days after testing.

No. They would still be doing very little in the last couple weeks.

Anonymous wrote:Testing is done. Kids are not learning anything. Why are kids still in school? It seems like a waste of time.

My high school student just started finals yesterday. Last full day of school is tomorrow, with half-days this Friday and Monday through Wednesday next week.

Anonymous wrote:Testing is done. Kids are not learning anything. Why are kids still in school? It seems like a waste of time.

Another reason starting before Labor Day makes sense. Fewer scheduled days after testing.

Class parties. Movie day(s). Field day. Teacher student basketball games. Butterfly release (okay, that one is educational fun)...

If they weren't, parents would be complaining about child care.

Testing is done. Kids are not learning anything. Why are kids still in school? It seems like a waste of time.