pros and cons of shorter school days pros and cons of shorter school days

Sometimes, schools are forced to travel during the school week to play some games or attend certain events. The benefits are many. You still have to go to practice, and dont forget the piles of homework that need done. A new educational model could be implemented: 9-to-5 schools. Some schools do not allow recess to be used as punishment, while others may do so on a case-by-case basis. Shorter class durations allow students to enroll in a variety of courses. Despite these difficulties, many disabled students go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. It also means that students face more daily seat time, in exchange for a 3-day weekend which may not materialize with their after-school commitments. Many recommend that teens get at least eight hours of sleep to feel well rested and . Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. In many US school districts, the first class begins 1-2 hours after most parents need to be at work. Changing the Moniteau County R-1 School districts schedule to a four-day week would be detrimental to students safety and involvement in activities. Cons of a Longer School Day Does Not Ensure Higher Achievement Some studies have been done that show that longer instruction time can improve achievement, but those results depend on things like classroom environment, quality of instruction, student prior knowledge and ability. The average length of the K-12 school day is 8:30 to 3:00, engaging U.S. students in school for 6.64 hours a day over the span of 180 school days. If so, keep reading. If schools only had one day off per week, millions of dollars would be saved. That additional day can also be used for staff development time instead of taking away a school day to do so. Easier to recruit employees. The driving force behind the proposal to lengthen the school day is the assertion that more instructional time would yield greater academic gains. However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with shortening the school day that should be considered before sweeping action is taken to alter the traditional school day. List of the Major Cons of a 4-Day School Week 1. Advantages of a Shorter Work Week People who work a four-day week say they're healthier, happier, and less time-pressured, according to a report in The Atlantic - and their employers say their employees are much more focused and efficient. Although families benefit from the 3-day weekend and those scheduling benefits, the non-traditional time off given to students can offset some of that savings. It is critical to avoid producing a longer school day and instead produce a healthier, more balanced, and more engaging one. According to The Notebook, longer school days add to low energy and exhaustion. 4-day school weeks add All rights reserved. Who Sang For Troy In High School Musical? It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. The Pros and Cons of a Shortened School Schedule Every issue has its good and bad bits, and the same is true for districts making the switch to a shortened school week. The pros and cons of a 4-day school week offer many challenges. Other Debates. After analyzing Colorado schools operating on four-day school weeks, (Dam) reports that transportation costs can be reduced by 20%. "I get really tired throughout the day and I would love shorter school hours." Extending the school day is a hot topic for educational policy making bodies. Longer school days may have some positive impact on student achievement, but research on their effects is lacking. It has been so problematic that in Colorado, some urban districts which switched to a 4-day school week have gone back to the traditional scheduling instead. Year-Round Schedules Many people think of the school year as starting in August or at the beginning of September and continuing for 10 months. Should schools go to a 4 day school week instead of 5 days? A change in schedule is an adjustment for school officials, students and families. A three-day weekend allows for extra leisure time, as well as a reduction in commute and energy usage. 2. Obesity, anxiety and stress, as well as lower grades, can all be attributed to a lack of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. They argue that playing with classmates helps children develop social skills. It is possible to have a negative impact on some laboratory classes by reducing the number of minutes in class each day. The list just gets longer. The four-day school is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. Since an entire day is cut off the week, that extra time needs to be made up during the remaining four days. In 2009, there were 3,000 schools in the United States operating on a year-round basis. When teachers are more effective and efficient, student performance follows a similar pattern. Defining Moments Are What Make Good School Leaders Great, Year-Round Schooling: How it Affects Students, Why you need a multi-tiered behavioral support approach, Understanding Strategy and Strategic Leadership, Teaching & Learning Strategies, Concepts, and Terms That Every Teacher Must Know: Letters DIA-DIG, First-Year Teachers: 4 Reasons You Need a Mentor Right Now, 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing, The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education. The decision to implement such a schedule must therefore be handled at the local level. Year-round education (YRE) is being considered or adopted by some districts. Some school districts, particularly those that are in regions of the U.S. where snowfall creates a handful of cancellations each year, find that they are forced to reduce, if not eliminate, certain holidays or vacations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students are less active when they are not allowed to recess during the school day due to bad classroom behavior. A small portion of the districts cash is saved, but not as much as intangibles. Opportunity to relax and really immerse yourself in the experience. 1. You have a lifespan that is nine years less than people who graduate: Statistically, you may have a shorter lifespan than people who have gone to school and have been empowered. Certain activities or games should be prohibited (for an indefinite period of time). Public school everything for schoolchildren and students. Colorado, juvenile crime increased by 73% whenever a school changed their Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. Older students can spend time engaging in resum-building public service or paid work. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. Students follow the same type of pattern. As a result, kids will be less worried about time management and will be less likely to fall behind on such rewarding activities. Recent survey findings show that four-day school weeks have been adopted as a way to alleviate budgetary issues, attract teachers, and reduce student absencesissues that the pandemic . One issue that schools face today is what kind of school schedule there should be throughout the year. This got me thinking about the pros and cons of longer vs. shorter trips. Children need the opportunity to rest and re-energize, and theyre often overextended with activities, homework and part-time jobs. For the parents of younger students, an additional full day of daycare may need to be scheduled every week instead of a partial day. The Cons. Schools across the country offer extended learning hours. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. That reduces the effective time they would have for homework once they actually make it home. Many break times have been incorporated in the calendar, such as morning recess, afternoon recess, snack time, and so on. 1. Sports schedules are easier to manage. However, these basics vary, depending on a company's policy. One of the primary motivations for adopting the four-day week is financial savings for the school district. Having well-rested and happy employees can increase their overall work engagement and productivity. In Lexington, Oregon, Morrow County was able to save about $250,000 their first year, but out of a budget of $14 million. Longer school days make no sense when there is so much else we could be doing with our time. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Pro: An extended school day provides more flexibility for parents, eliminating the need for after-school care. It lists the advantages of the four-day model as: Improved morale and fewer absences: A shorter working week leads to less burnout, making staff happier and more focused in . What Grades Is Elementary School? This leads to added costs that some families, living paycheck to paycheck, may not be able to afford. Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Savings on school buses and long-term building wear and tear have also been reported. An eight-hour day is pretty undesirable for elementary-aged kids. The Cons of Longer School Days. school schedules from 5 to 4 days. What they discovered was unexpected. However, disabled students often face additional challenges in accessing education and achieving academic success. First and foremost, an extended school day would provide students with extra learning time. Childrens schooldays should be around 8 hours long, and they should be school-aged all year. Changing school start times will increase attendance and money brought in. In-depth consultation between all constituents reveals the pros and cons of extended school days. It almost forces some families into taking their vacation time from work during these holidays to accommodate the needs of their children. Other popular year-round schedules are the 60-20 and 90-30 calendars, where students are in class for 60 or 90 days with vacations of 20 or 30 days respectively. These are the key points that must be addressed first. It matches the class schedule to a parent's work schedule. time attracting qualified applicants. Out of a budget of $5.5 million, they saved $206,000. It is a program for mostly rural and small school districts. Teacher time will be increased when the school day is extended, allowing them to spend more time with pupils and to concentrate on problem areas and more challenging content. It provides an extra day for actual rest to occur when it may be needed without compromising the remainder of the family schedule. In Alabama, the school year lasts 180 days and the school day lasts 7.03 hours. Budgetary requirements are an important part of a longer school days pros and cons list. When teachers operate under time constraints, in high-pressure situations, then they typically default to a lecture-based teaching style. About 20% of the states school districts incorporate a 4-day schedule of some kind. Shorter days can only be seen as a positive thing and would benefit students, teacher, and administrators. Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. The major pros and cons of a 4-day school week suggest that it can save money for districts, which means taxpayers benefit. In return, the number of disciplinary measures can also be reduced. This would help not only our school but also the parents if they cant afford the gas. It may reduce the number of discipline referrals for students. Most school districts are sticking to the 5-day schedule. Kids that go to schools with the 4-day week are often happier, stay happy throughout the school year, and look forward to going to school each day. The. Administrative staff are required to be on-site, sports Also, since special populations fare poorly in this configuration, the costs of 6-7. More than 80% of people in the UK would prefer a four day working week, according to a survey in 2021 by recruitment company Reed. In general, ELT has received positive feedback; however, some schools have had more difficult transitions than others. During recess, limit the number of games or activities that students can participate in. Many schools are adding thirty minutes to both the beginning and end of the school day. Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. recess has numerous benefits, including assisting students in reducing aggression and improving learning. Sara Blackwell teaches Employment Law at University of South Florida in Tampa and she is a published author. When it comes to school, we most likely understand what its like to go to school all year. The According to the findings, relocating some math classes to the morning and other subjects, such as English, to the afternoon might result in an increase in students GPAs and test outcomes. In this article, we will examine this question in depth. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. As a result, students dont have to miss school to help out. Their child is at home while they are at work, which is problematic for parents of younger children. The idea has been to cut hours while keeping pay the same. By 2013, a dramatic improvement in scores was credited to the extended learning time. The school day had to accommodate available daylight and the requirements of helping with the family farm. There are several advantages and disadvantages of 4-day school weeks to examine based on the results that districts are reporting from their efforts to implement this schedule. Shorter work weeks can improve employment productivity and provide families with more meaningful time together. Schools would also have to change their bus transportation systems which are designed to run as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. That means the average cost, per student, is about $700. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. Having students to fit 5 days' worth of classroom time into 4 days would make for a tiring schedule, where many of the younger school children would find it very difficult to focus on their study for such long periods. The school districts may operate classes Monday-Thursday on a 4-day week (or Tuesday-Friday in some instances), but they are still operational from an administrative standpoint on the off-day. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. Shorter Classes: Depending on your school's summer schedule, you can complete a semester's worth of work in eight, five, or even three weeks. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. An understandable concern for parents, teachers, and students about the 4-day school week is the extended time required to be at school during the day. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? Does precision really make a program successful? It is also good for teachers and the whole school. My main concern is that most kids will not be able to focus by the end of the day because the school days will be longer,and so there would be no point in trying to teach at the end of the day. Students in the third through sixth grades have improved their ACT scores, according to studies. (Solution). Parents can drop-off their kids in the morning, then pick them up in the afternoon, without worrying about work. Increase Engagement and Productivity. There are several major pros and cons of a 4-day school week which must be considered by school districts looking to make this kind of change. flexibility is why they are such staunch proponents of the 4-day school schedule. Theyre from moments we remember having fun, whether that was in the classroom, the playground, or the athletics field. Long school days, on the other hand, can present some challenges and, at the very least, unsatisfactory outcomes. 2. What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation. It was suggested that a combination of four-week summer holidays and a school day finishing at 4:30pm would lead to improvements in pupil attainment. The standard requirement for schools is 180 days or an average range of 990-1080 hours. Christmas and Spring holiday weeks may be extended as well. Teachers are attracted by the prospect of having a shorter work week. The districts which offer the 4-day work week receive more applications and more qualified applicants than the other school districts. Younger people shouldn't have to work as long as some adults do. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. Arlene Ackerman says she and her students don't have the strength to teach or learn near the end of the school day. But the extra money hasn't gone into teachers' salaries, which have dropped on average from . A story on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's website said: The class periods would probably be over an hour long but longer school days is a must if you for sure have four day weeks. But you see with shorter school days youd have more spare time to complete school work. This added As a result, learning is less effective due to budget constraints. Many school districts keep their administrative staff on school grounds all week long, though some allow half to take a Monday off, while the other half takes Friday off. Saving on utilities school buses, and long term building wear and tear. In 2006, a study by Yarbrough and Gilman found that teachers working in a 5-day school schedule reported that they have a lot of wasted time. The longer school days of a 4-day week make it almost impossible for teens to find a job after school. Wildbit, a company based in the US, a portion of whose workforce works remotely, tested the 4-day week to see whether the shorter working hours will affect employee productivity. If a longer lunch allows high school students to leave campus, they might opt for unhealthy fast-food options; on the other hand, this extended time might allow them to seek out healthier dishes than those available in the cafeteria. Kuss Middle School in Fall River, Mass., has risen from a Level 5 to a Level 1 after implementing extended learning time. So what are the pros and cons of 4-day school weeks? Students are still getting the same amount of instruction in terms of minutes, just in a shorter number of days. The Oakridge School District in Oregon reported that their test scores improved when they shifted to this alternative schedule as well. Pros and Cons of the Four-Day Week Proponents of four-day school weeks say that even though cost savings are minimal, they are achieved. Good for working parents: This would lead to less wraparound care for working . When properly implemented, extended learning time programs have the potential to increase students academic progress as well as their social and emotional development. More time to focus on mental health In the typical K-12 schooling model, mental health education is too often shunted aside. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. The Trump Administrations Vindictive Attack On Federal Workers: The Shutdown Of The Office Of Special Counsel, Michigan State University College Of Law: A Top Law School, Why Union Safe Company Is The Best Choice For Protecting Your Home Or Business, The Life Of John Laurens: A Patriot Lawyer And Army Officer. Most parents work a 5-day schedule and struggle to adapt to a 4-day school schedule. Over the last century, humans have acquired a staggering amount of knowledge and understanding. Children would get up early and help with chores, go to school and then help out on the farm until sundown. Getting to school on-time or making it out for the bus is a constant battle. That means the students in those districts have better opportunities to learn. Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. Examining the pros and cons of year-round school gives insight into why some education leaders push for its adoption while others argue for sticking to the traditional 10-month schedule. Many of these schools are already operating on an alternative schedule because that is what works best for their community. Over the next three years, the school district was able to save 2% on their overall costs each year, for a total of $200,000. The University of New Mexico Newsroom: Research Study Yields Unexpected Conclusion About Longer School Years. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, making the additional class time inefficient. If you ask the average kid what they think about school, youll get a very honest answer: Its boring. From K-12, it can be difficult for students to stay engaged in the classroom during a 5-day school week. Some educators believe that extending the school day until 5:00 p.m. is the answer. How To Switch School Districts Without Moving? The current school schedule is a major downgrade from the 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM distance learning schedule. 3. The schedule change also shifted how teachers assigned homework, making it more efficient and focused. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. By shifting to a 4-day schedule, it becomes easier to transport students to all after-school events and activities because there is an extra day available to plan activities without running into mandatory school times. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures.