Sometimes, schools are forced to travel during the school week to play some games or attend certain events. In Schools are facing many issues today. recess is not only ineffective but also harmful to students who may feel that the punishment is excessive. Spread the loveThis program assesses 15-year-old students schooling in countries that form part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Opportunity to relax and really immerse yourself in the experience. Does precision really make a program successful? Kids already spend a very long time each week in the school and away from their family. They balk at the idea of kids attending schools with no summer break. 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. Longer school days may have some positive impact on student achievement, but research on their effects is lacking. Disadvantage: Less time for extracurricular activities. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards, 21 Ways to Teach Students to Use Learning Materials Appropriately, Classical Idealism: Everything You Need to Know, Good Research Topics about Womens Movement, Most Interesting Wine Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Walmart Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting W.E.B. Con: School districts across the U.S. are struggling to make ends meet. Some schools do not allow recess to be used as punishment, while others may do so on a case-by-case basis. Student performance may improve with a 4-day school week. 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. By switching to a 4-day school week, the number of transitions can be reduced because more time can be spent on each subject. Some students and parents have been advocating for shorter school days, and there is some evidence to suggest that shorter days could be beneficial. The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days. You wont have to run the electricity or pay for buses. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. In 2022, companies in the U.K., the U.S., and Canada instituted a four-day workweek pilot program to test the concept. Additional learning time as well as improved schedule alignment would make the lives of families noticeably more pleasant. At the same time, the constant back-and-forth for students limits the amount of fun they can have. Students feel less pressure because they have more time to study at their own pace at home, especially in the later grades. As with any innovation, shorter workweeks have advantages and disadvantages. What Are the Pros of a Longer School Day? over 1 million dollars on utilities, busing, and labor costs. The driving force behind the proposal to lengthen the school day is the assertion that more instructional time would yield greater academic gains. If you want to avoid withholding recess as punishment, consider rewarding yourself rather than punishing yourself, such as rewarding yourself with extra recess for good behavior. He goes on to say that in order to realize that level of savings, schools must severely limit transportation for activities or programs not conducted on regular school days. An eight-hour day is pretty undesirable for elementary-aged kids. Students follow the same type of pattern. Some students believe that having a four-day school week allows them to get more rest and to be in a less stressful atmosphere than they would otherwise have. Other schools are worried about academic performance. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. According to the vast majority of states, spanking your child is against the law. 1. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. Dr. Kelly S. Meier - Updated May 03, 2019, Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, NavajoCode: Unbiased Longer School Days Pros and Cons. Alexander Alvarez, Reporter November 16, 2021. The Cons. Why weekends should be longer for students? Savings on school buses and long-term building wear and tear have also been reported. 1. Cutting that by 20% means a savings of $4 billion, if implemented nationwide. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules. This can be due to a lack of accessible facilities and resources, or negative attitudes and misconceptions from teachers and classmates. Teachers are frequently overworked and required to perform tasks that are outside their job description. Should the school day start later pros and cons? The average national cost that schools need to pay for each students bus transportation is $459. Practices for sports are still held on the fifth day, as are teacher conferences, staff development opportunities, and required janitorial work. Those changes happen because students who are active participants in their learning have more fun in school. Other pros and cons exist in the school lunch debate. configuration, but nine districts were actually spending more. Du Bois Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Volvo Essay Topics to Write about, is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. But others are worried about when kids should be in school. Home Pros and Cons 20 Major Pros and Cons of a 4 Day School Week. To compare, a regular semester generally lasts 16-18 weeks. 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. When a school opts to go with an early start time, then students are spending less time sitting in traffic as they head to class. Potential for juvenile crime to increase. 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. Younger people shouldn't have to work as long as some adults do. We can all agree that school feels like it lasts forever. On the plus side, employees love it. 2. They dont usually run wild on the last day of school, instead working, making phone calls, or spending time with family. The Peach County School District in Georgia saw that their graduation rates slowly increased year after year when they switched to a 4-day school week. There were also reduced sick days requested by their teaching staff. Some families find that aligning the school day with typical parent work schedules is a family-friendly approach. 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. What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? One of the biggest concerns of a 4-day school week is the length of seat time that younger students must complete. After-school activities begin at that point, which means some students dont make it back home until 8pm that night. School districts consider shorter school days for several reasons, including saving money and providing students the ability to participate in more extracurricular activities. (Question). Longer school days would provide students with more time to focus on core subjects or classes where they need more instruction, which would be a huge benefit. In return, the number of disciplinary measures can also be reduced. Students can adjust to the new schedule. Spread the loveThis term refers to the grouping of students by mental capability, aptitude, or hobbies. Here are some additional key points to think about when looking at the pros and cons of a 4-day school week. Many schools are, in fact, offering year-round services now to accommodate the changing needs of their communities. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. 1. The schedule forces teachers to spend small blocks of time on specific topics without really being able to dig into in-depth issues. Florida's inflation-adjusted education spending per student has roughly doubled in the last 30 years -- to $7,473 in 2000-01. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. A potential decline in academic performance for vulnerable groups. Pro: An extended school day provides more flexibility for parents, eliminating the need for after-school care. These school districts are typically in isolated regions, are rural, and have a student body that is fewer than 500 students. It provides an extra day for actual rest to occur when it may be needed without compromising the remainder of the family schedule. They need a shorter school day so they can have more time to relax and play. That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning. The. Taking only one class is practically a . . All rights reserved. 1. Every community has their own unique requirements that must be addressed by school scheduling. 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. If school doesnt get out until 4pm, then the student makes it home at 5pm. 1. Very Costly. It is critical to avoid producing a longer school day and instead produce a healthier, more balanced, and more engaging one. It is critical to maintain a consistent schedule and not change it on a weekly basis in order to give students the best chance of success. It creates a long school day for students. In many cases, it is in the best interests of students to reduce costs and have minimal impact on instruction. According to author accounts, teachers and students suffer as a result of recess being taken away as a punishment for behavior. The requirements for total education time do not change just because a school district goes to a 4-day school week. Elizabeth Perle 1). Students in the third through sixth grades have improved their ACT scores, according to studies. There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. The program not only saves districts money, but it also allows students to spend more time with their families. There are some drawbacks to shorter school days, as well. In YRE, the number of days in school equals the number of days in a calendar year (180 days). Children have more time to participate in other activities that help them learn more. A longer school day would involve substantial funding for teacher salaries and facility maintenance. Older students can spend time engaging in resum-building public service or paid work. The very thought of sending kids to school year-round makes some parents cringe. Many schools are adding thirty minutes to both the beginning and end of the school day. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. If so, keep reading. NEA Today: A 9 to 5 School Day: Are Longer Hours Better for Students and Educators? Should schools go to a 4 day school week instead of 5 days? That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. 5. In Peetz Colorado a debate is going on four a four day school week. In 1095or in 1905, depending on your sourcesRoberto Nevelis of Venice, Italy, is often credited with inventing the concept of homework. Overall, there are pros and cons to shorter school days. Does time of day affect student learning? At the same time, teacher attendance rates also rose, which is a trend still seen in these districts, 20+ years later. One is that it would likely mean that teachers would have to teach more classes, which could lead to burnout. Students in a 4-day school week are packing 180 days into a condensed 145-day schedule. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. To avoid this issue, many school districts have considered shifting to a 4-day school week. This extra hour can make the day pretty long especially for younger students, which can often lead to a loss of focus later in the day. 5. If something goes wrong . Shorter work weeks can improve employment productivity and provide families with more meaningful time together. "I get really tired throughout the day and I would love shorter school hours." The current school schedule is a major downgrade from the 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM distance learning schedule. The University of New Mexico Newsroom: Research Study Yields Unexpected Conclusion About Longer School Years. Finally, teachers and students would have better relationships as they spend more time together instead of being rushed. When Friday rolls around each week during the school year, many parents face the same situation. Teachers in Seattle are deciding how to use an additional 20 minutes on top of the usual school day. Required fields are marked *, on Why School Days Should Be Shorter? Small group learning with discussion, for example, increases the information retention rate for students up to 80%. You should approach these strategies with your childs teacher instead of punishing him or her. Many say that the four day school week is good for students. Do students learn better in shorter classes? the traditional 5th day. Pro: An extended school day provides more time for students to learn and the possibility of providing individualized attention for students in need.