About 20% of the states school districts incorporate a 4-day schedule of some kind. It almost forces some families into taking their vacation time from work during these holidays to accommodate the needs of their children. Some school districts shifted to a 4-day week not because of financial needs, but others did so to make it easier to schedule sporting events or after-school activities. There are approximately 300 children enrolled in California Elementary School under the age of eight.
Would a later school schedule be beneficial? Having well-rested and happy employees can increase their overall work engagement and productivity. 2023 The Black Well Firm. 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. If practicums can be included with small group discussions, the retention rate can top 90% for some students. The four-day school is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. Second, it would allow students to get more sleep, which is important for their health and well-being. During recess, limit the number of games or activities that students can participate in. 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. 1. As you can see, there are a lot of pros and cons to the 4-day school week, but in terms of its long-term effect on academic outcomes, the jury is still out. A change in schedule is an adjustment for school officials, students and families. The benefits of going to a 4-day week for schooling is that it offers teachers and students an additional day for rest every week. For others, perhaps not. Pro: An extended school day provides more flexibility for parents, eliminating the need for after-school care. In some situations, a single teacher may be responsible for over 100 students. Accidents, absences, and absences all fall on the decline, and students academic performance rises. School administration, associates with principal office also went down. At my school, class went from 8:15 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. about an hour or two longer than a typical five-day-week school's day. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? That additional day can also be used for staff development time instead of taking away a school day to do so. The challenges of implementing such a schedule for parents, administrators, and even some teachers have caused some Colorado school districts to return to the traditional schedule instead of the alternative 4-day schedule. While some research has shown that increasing the amount of time spent in class can boost student accomplishment, these findings have been influenced by factors such as the classroom atmosphere, the quality of instruction, and students prior knowledge and abilities. Shortening the school day can give kids and teens more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to improve learning outcomes, among other benefits.. With more room to move and less worry about following the rules in class, kids can be better equipped to focus when needed. There are various school days in the United States. Dr. Meier is is a regular contributor for The Equity Network and has worked in education for more than 30 years. The article Should School Stay Earlier? If something goes wrong . Theyre from moments we remember having fun, whether that was in the classroom, the playground, or the athletics field. 1. The school day could be shortened to give children and teenagers more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to increase learning outcomes. Your typical school week: Monday-Friday with the hours sometime between 7 am- 4 pm. 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. districts think they will save tons of money by cutting operational costs on In Colorado, 31 of the states 176 school districts are currently using a 4-day school week. The very thought of sending kids to school year-round makes some parents cringe. In 1995, 84 school districts were studied that had already implemented a 4-day school week. That is a lot of time taken away, but if the school days were shortened, you would have a lot more time to do your activities. Parents can drop-off their kids in the morning, then pick them up in the afternoon, without worrying about work. 3. The Cons of Longer School Days. This could be especially true for students who are struggling in a particular subject or for students who have a lot of homework. They dont usually run wild on the last day of school, instead working, making phone calls, or spending time with family. 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. Working a couple of hours after school gains experience and disposable income. If so, keep reading. Some are even cutting arts programs or shortening the school week to balance the budget. These school districts are typically in isolated regions, are rural, and have a student body that is fewer than 500 students. Longer school days make no sense when there is so much else we could be doing with our time. Good for working parents: This would lead to less wraparound care for working . They balk at the idea of kids attending schools with no summer break. Children have more time to participate in other activities that help them learn more. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. 4-day school weeks add Webster County, Kentucky moved their school district to a 4-day week in 2003. How does it impact your success? Do students learn better in shorter classes? Others believe that lengthening the school day is an expensive endeavor that wont yield substantial results. The Chattooga County School District reported similar results from their trial with this schedule as well. Pros And Cons Of Five Day School Week Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. All rights reserved.
Data is an important variable if youre considering the longer school days pros and cons list. There are many changes with switching the school days. Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. I believe that if we go to a four day school week that it would help the kids physically, mentally, and financially. Even the cost savings of a total shift to a 4-day schedule may be minimal. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, making the additional class time inefficient.
6 Benefits of Shorter School Days | Should There Be a Change? - ID Tech disabled students may also find it difficult to participate in extracurricular activities and socialise with their peers. Long school days can cause eating problems for students who don't eat at school, or who use up all their energy while learning. In many US school districts, the first class begins 1-2 hours after most parents need to be at work. Shorter school days should be used in the United States education system since they have several advantages. Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. remediating them begin to take a bite out of the budget. Changing school start times will increase attendance and money brought in. It also means that they would have more time to mark the voluminous quantity of homework that they have to complete every night. 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. Better sleep: Delayed start time could help teens sleep during . They were located in 7 western states in the U.S. and all but 13 of them identified themselves as being a rural school district. 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 disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. There are improvements in the school financially. 1. The four-day week, according to the research, is far more cost-effective than the traditional five-day week. Most schools, when Year Round Schooling: Should it Be Implemented? The shorter the school day, the better? Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. There is a variety of emotional and behavioral problems, depression, alcohol use, and impaired cognitive function that can contribute to this. Should schools go to a 4 day school week instead of 5 days? According to The Notebook, longer school days add to low energy and exhaustion. Weekend sporting events make it easier to get students to them, especially when they are an away event, because the school day doesnt interfere on a Friday. The ability to express oneself via electives can make children happier and more cooperative in the classroom. Since many of the families in these areas run farms, it gives families extra time to get work done during the week.
Pros and Cons of Year-Round School - American University The Rochester City Council established the Extended Learning Time initiative as part of Rochesters ongoing commitment to education. The school also doesn't have to pay anyone that is on an hourly schedule. Christmas and Spring holiday weeks may be extended as well. How do longer school days affect students? Students are engaged more fully when their school schedule is expanded, and they learn more efficiently when they are exposed to a more stimulating environment. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. Extending the school day is a hot topic for educational policy making bodies. Approximately 1,800 schools in the U.S. have extended learning hours, but there are many pros and cons of extended school days. She studies hard, does her research and assignments, and goes to class every single day. If the schools made 40 minute periods, the students could learn just as much as they would in a 50 minute period.One of the biggest benefits of this system is the financial savings.
What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? 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. That also makes scheduling problematic for many families. Just 11 of the districts had enrollments of more than 1,000 students. There are potential reductions in the financial costs of running a school district. For non year-round schools the dropout rate is 5%, which is more than all year-round schools. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of Americas P-20 system. 4 Day School Week Pros and Cons. Some students and parents have been advocating for shorter school days, and there is some evidence to suggest that shorter days could be beneficial. Harvest times were set in the old way and still are when most school calendars are set up, when the United States was a farm country.
Increase Engagement and Productivity. Extending the school days even longer would further cut into valuable time to bond with family. A switch to a 4-day schedule gives teachers more time to use teaching styles that are more effective. 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. Students in the third through sixth grades have improved their ACT scores, according to studies. The average time for school that is scheduled in a 4-day week is either 7:30am-5pm or 8am-5:30pm. All of these consequences just because nobody wants to shorten the school day. This would help not only our school but also the parents if they cant afford the gas. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. The districts on the 4-day school week are finding it easier to recruit for the staff they need because they offer the prospect of a 3-day weekend during the school year. 2.
19 Advantages and Disadvantages of 4 Day School Weeks Shorter, intense courses in which a semesters worth of content is delivered at an expedited rate were deemed to be more successful by students in a recent study by academics at the University of Texas at Austin. Easier to recruit employees.
Are shorter school days better? - Global Answers In the Article by Lisa Lewis, it also talks about how delaying school by 1 hour produces the same benefit as shrinking class size by one-third or replacing a teacher in the 50th percentile of effectiveness with one in the 84th percentile.(Lewis). In general, taking away recess as punishment may be seen as unfair or too harsh, especially for young children. It can help teachers and students better manage the process of learning. School Evaluation For Special Education What Parents Need to Know, Effectively Educating Diverse Student Populations: Strategies That Work - Applead Hofu, The Importance Of Sight Words In Early Reading GoGreenva.org, Online Education in Chennai - Birla Brainiacs, Advancing Technology Education in Rural High Schools Across - The Tech Edvocate - VSAY .IN. Some schools even require students to have the belt line exposed at all times for fear of guns concealed under clothing. To see how shorter school days hurt both teachers and students, we need to look at a major structural change in education. Underperforming schools and the lagging performance of U.S. students in comparison to other countries is a concern. There are some drawbacks to shorter school days, as well. A local news reporter says thevve also saved substitute teacher costs because teachers don't have to take a day off for appointments (Chiaramonte 2 ). NEA Today: A 9 to 5 School Day: Are Longer Hours Better for Students and Educators? Elizabeth Perle 1). Then ask the superintendent of the school district to consider year round school with only four days per week.First, students would not forget what they learned over the long summer. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. 5. Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. 6. Recently Michael Gove raised the issue of the length of school holidays and the school day - the former are apparently too long, the latter too short. Getting to school on-time or making it out for the bus is a constant battle. . The school days are spread more evenly over the year, with more frequent short breaks and the absence of a 10-12 week summer break.
Schools may even have to purchase lights for after school activities. 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. Staying at school for the majority of the day isn't allowing me .
10 Main Pros and Cons of 4 Day School Weeks - Green Garage They do have a full day free for a job in some instances, but trying to find work on the weekends only, especially in a rural community, is never a guarantee unless you dont mind working on a farm, that is. Teachers have more time to prepare lessons and collaborate during the day.
19 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of the 4 Day School Week Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? The school districts in New Mexico are one of the best examples of this benefit. After physical activity, children with or without ADHD appear to perform better at attention, memory, and mood. During class time, young kids who are too exhausted to concentrate or perform well may experience tiredness or fall asleep. The 180-day calendar is shorter than that of other industrialized countries, and some schools even find ways to shave days even further. They just dont have time to get everything done. The Pros and Cons of Year-Round Schools. One is that students might not have enough time to receive all the instruction they need in a particular subject. 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. 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.
Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. When teachers operate under time constraints, in high-pressure situations, then they typically default to a lecture-based teaching style. How To Switch School Districts Without Moving? Most parents work a 5-day schedule and struggle to adapt to a 4-day school schedule. Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions.