BellaOnline Forums Education School Reform Obama's Take: Americans Not in School Long Enough

President Obama has suggested that most Americans don't spend enough time in school (see Libby Quaid's AP Articl, More School: Obama Would Curtail Summer Vacation).

We're a mixed schooling family (blending homeschool and traditional/cooperative schooling) and school all year round, with small breaks of no more than 2 weeks every couple of months. Many families depend on a fixed 9 month year to accommodate travel, etc., however.

How would you feel if your child's school day/year were lengthened?

It would be the best choice! We are falling miserably behind the other top nations in our education. Take a hint from them: Stay in school longer! I have voted for year round school since I myself was in Jr. High. Half the year is spent reviewing from the previous year, then the second actually learning something new. So ridiculous!

More of the same doesn't equal better schooling. Mind you - I think, done well, year round schooling is a good thing, as it could prevent the waste-of-time review that happens every fall. However, I find it annoying, to say the least, when school is viewed by so many parents as free daycare. Children NEED down time, need unstructured play time.

Years ago, I remember hearing about a study in which they took two homogeneous groups of children, tested them, then gave one group an extra hour a day of instruction time. The other group had an extra hour a day of physical activity. Both groups made gains - but the greater gains were in the activity group, NOT the extra instruction time group.

My children are homeschooled - unschooled to be precise - as long as excellent teachers are forced to teach to the tests, it won't matter how many hours or days children stay in school.

My system has year round school already. It is not much different, except their time off is spread around more. They get a fall, winter and spring break of 2 weeks each, and summer break is 5 weeks instead of 8. I like the shorter breaks, and they give the kids plenty of time to make up the subjects where they may not be doing well by having remedial classes during each break.

I guess the question really comes down to the quality of the education which does more than any length of time sitting in a classroom. Anyone who homeschools knows that one year in the public schools in one subject can be taught at home at a fraction of the time. So, does the amount of time in the classroom really matter or should we get smaller classrooms and better organized educational systems so that the child benefits instead of administrators' pockets?

It is almost a knee-jerk reaction to extend school (which could still be a good thing) and not focus on quality.

I'll give you an example that really ticked me off a couple of years ago in my son's school. My son had one of the best teachers I think there is on the planet. She was excellent. But she had many years in the system and had obtained her master's degree. Uh, oh. Now, they have to pay her too much. The next year they forced her to retire. The new teacher was fresh out of school and the kids missed this experienced teacher because of the money. Longer time in school with this new teacher versus standard time with the experienced one? In the end, the $ spent will be the same yet my child's education will be poorer despite more classroom time.

Longer is not better - QUALITY is better. Extending the school days, but not providing a quality education does not make sense.