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Full day kindergarten in Livonia?
Topic Started: Mar 3 2012, 04:49 PM (2,972 Views)
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Livnlivonia
Mar 24 2012, 02:46 PM
Actually, most research would call for fewer hours in the day and longer school years. For example, Finnish schools spend almost 10 hours fewer in the classroom per week than students in the U.S.; however, with a long summer break, American students tend to forget information. As a result, American teachers are forced to spend a lot of time reviewing.

Note: I am aware that comparing Finland to the United States is certainly not apples to apples, but many other countries follow this model as well.
You make a good point. When the successes of the education system in other countries are compared to the US, very often the fact that a shorter summer break is pointed out. I do know in many European countries students attend school until 12:30 and return home for their main meal, which is at lunch time, when pretty much everything shuts down. I wonder if it was really studied, if we would find that students spend a similar amount of time in school, just spread out over more days in school?

That being said, a huge culture shift in US would need to happen to accommodate shorter school days. I think the real push and trend toward all day Kindergarten stems from more parents working and the need for child care. If it was suggested that we go to school well into the summer and have shorter days at school I think most parents would flip out over the fact that they'd need to figure out child care in the afternoon. It probably works in Europe because that is the way the entire country operates.

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DADDYOH10
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By the time you add up all the professional work days, winter break, mid-winter break, Christmas break, early spring break, mid-spring break, spring break and the fact that little or nothing gets done after Memorial Day, and the teacher conference days, it's a wonder our children learn anything at all!
And what happened to those precious minutes between between classes? It seems "back in the day", we had (LPS) more than 5 minutes between classes, time to prepare and get to class unhurried and dignified manner. Who stole that time? I once observed the former principal at Garfield making out the yearly schedule, seems the MEA (LEA) have got it down to the minute of the time they actually have do their thing. It's all geared toward the contracts and is not really about the children. It is a self perpetuating machine that will eat you up every time you as a citizen, parent, taxpayer, and concerned person, either ask a question or try to get information that should be readily available. That is is, if you don't really get them mad, at which point you will be villified, humiliated, ridiculed and generally "whitewashed".
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Queen of Hearts
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DaddyOh, I think you have things confused.

The state dictates how how many minutes per year students attend school. They dictate that the teachers have a certain amount of professional development hours each year as well. The teacher contracts are based on the state laws.

Please remember too, that if the amount of passing time were increased, it would also increase the amount of time that the hourly workers such as the kitchen staff, parapros, secretaries etc. would get paid.
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Purple Haze
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Queen of Hearts
Mar 28 2012, 08:59 PM
Please remember too, that if the amount of passing time were increased, it would also increase the amount of time that the hourly workers such as the kitchen staff, parapros, secretaries etc. would get paid.
heaven forbid, Queenie, that the individuals who took the greatest salary hits would get a bit more $...
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DADDYOH10
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Well!! Which is it about the chidren, or the money?
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Queen of Hearts
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Purple Haze
Mar 29 2012, 08:04 AM
Queen of Hearts
Mar 28 2012, 08:59 PM
Please remember too, that if the amount of passing time were increased, it would also increase the amount of time that the hourly workers such as the kitchen staff, parapros, secretaries etc. would get paid.
heaven forbid, Queenie, that the individuals who took the greatest salary hits would get a bit more $...
I'm in total agreement, PH, I was just stating the fact that they would never increase student "passing time" if it would mean extending the workdays of hourly workers.
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LPS Reformer
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
Mrs.M
Mar 20 2012, 01:44 PM
I couldn't imagine the district ever switching the starting times. Too many parents depend on their middle or high schoolers to be home or avaialble to pick up the youngsters from elementary or premiddle school.
When has the convenience of parents ever been a consideration for Randy and company?
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
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