Lady Gaga, what kind of 12 or 13-year-old kid is actually going to get anything out of this? I honestly can't picture it working. Even if they have five siblings at home, it’s still probably quieter than being stuck in a classroom with 25 other kids.
@Susan James, they used to be more organized about high school admissions back when a 4.5 GPA was the standard 😁 A friend of mine managed to get into her preferred prep school with a 4.4 😁
Honestly, it’s just one big, unsolvable mess. How on earth are kids supposed to spend just two hours a day learning and finishing homework for thirteen or fourteen different subjects while still finding time for their actual hobbies?
Jose Wells3 said:You can literally do all of that right now. For ping-pong, you just check if there's space available. We already provide those opportunities for kids who don't have a good environment at home, and there are more and more after-school programs popping up that function as study groups.
Well, you actually can't—not in the way I was describing. In our public schools, there’s nowhere to actually go and study. You can't just decide on a Tuesday afternoon that you want to head to campus to work on a project or find a quiet desk to sit at. There aren't even common areas, let alone a lounge where kids could hang out to play billiards or ping-pong, play chess, or just sit and talk. I wasn't talking about formal tutoring sessions where you show up for exactly 45 minutes; I meant having the school building open so that while classes happen in the morning, the library or the community center is open in the afternoon.
I actually think it’s a pretty decent idea for schools to act more like community hubs—somewhere you can just swing by in the afternoon to play some ping pong or chess, or find a quiet corner to get some schoolwork done if things are too chaotic at home or you just don't have your own space... But keeping kids stuck in a classroom all day long? That's just overkill. I honestly don't get how people miss the simple math here. If they're in class until 2 PM with short breaks, then add lunch and longer recesses, they might be there until 5 PM if they have an after-school club, but they aren't staying until 4 AM.
It’s not really the concept of full-day schooling that's the issue, but rather how they're actually pulling it off. If they had prioritized fixing up the public schools first, implemented one-way shifts, and made the afternoon sessions optional for those who actually want to be there, I don't think people would be complaining so much. The real headache remains with the local school districts and certain sports clubs that are already overcapacity and running on shifts, though I'm sure there are ways to work around that.
What we have right now is just a mess. Expecting teenagers to stay stuck in a classroom until 4:00 PM if they want extra help is a disaster. There’s absolutely no balance left for studying, hanging out, or playing sports.
Susan James said:It’s probably because someone fed them the idea that our students spend less time in class than kids in the European Union. And since they’re basing everything on what first and second graders are doing, they’re using the wrong yardstick entirely.
I mean, if they want that for elementary school, fine, but I really don't get how anyone thinks it's a good idea to keep a 12-year-old in class until 4 PM. 🤷
I honestly don't get how people miss the point here. If we implement this reform where kids are in school "all day" by adding more breaks and extending class hours—plus making those extra credit sessions mandatory—they’re actually going to be stuck at school even LONGER.
hiddendriver34 said:Is it just you, or do some people literally just plug their ears and sing "la la la" whenever someone tries to make a point? Honestly, no biggie, but I’d rather know now so we don't waste our breath typing away at nothing. 👍
I wonder if they’re actually making any effort to address questions about child development, arts programs, or all those other lingering uncertainties?
I honestly don't even know where to start. My mom was totally on board with the idea until I sat her down and asked her about five or six practical questions. 😁 At first glance, it sounds great, especially to parents who aren't dealing with tweens or teens right now. The concept of having a dedicated space for kids to study, finish homework, and just hang out together isn't bad at all. It levels the playing field for kids coming from crowded homes with tons of siblings or those struggling with basic things like reliable heating... In theory, turning schools into community hubs—kind of like an after-school program at the YMCA or a local Boys & Girls Club—is a solid idea. 😁 But making it mandatory? Even under perfect circumstances, that approach is just a disaster.
Anthony Stewart5 said:Fifth graders usually wrap up their school day by 1:00 PM at the latest. For instance, back when I was working, I wouldn't finish until 5:00 PM and wouldn't walk through my own front door until 5:30 PM.
That specific window of time... what are your children actually doing during those hours? Most music lessons and organized sports tend to be scheduled for the late afternoon. In my case, my child would simply stay home, though I cannot speak to the routines of others.
They usually stick around after school to play or chat, head over to a friend's house to hang out or work on projects, eat lunch, do homework, relax, read, walk the dog, or feed the cats and fish....
Anthony Stewart5 said:That isn't quite right, because in a standard after-school program, you have the flexibility to pick up your child after lunch whenever you choose. Here, you can't simply show up before 4:00 PM when the official school day concludes. It isn't as if they finish their work early in the morning and spend the rest of the day fooling around; instead, the entire instructional day is stretched out, punctuated by breaks for rest, play, meals, and study sessions.
I think you're right—it’s definitely different. I actually feel like our local daycare program in Chicago was much better for the kids because they could head home as soon as they finished their homework. Otherwise, we couldn't pick them up on our own schedule, and they couldn't just hang out at home whenever they wanted, only when the bell rang. We used to email the teacher all the time to let them know the kids could come home early if they were heading over to a friend's house to finish homework and play.
Anthony Stewart5 said:I don't know anything about your background, whether you have children, or what your own relationship with the education system looks like.
I am speaking strictly from my perspective as a parent. In our experience, when my child was in after-school care, they were exceptionally well looked after; they received three nutritious meals, had their homework completed, and returned home feeling genuinely content. Is it not true that many parents would find a sense of relief if they didn't have to spend every evening hovering over their children to ensure they study? Furthermore, wouldn't this provide children with a vital opportunity to socialize and cultivate a sense of self-discipline? To be perfectly honest, I struggle to see any significant advantage in an eleven-year-old coming home at 12:30 or 1:00 PM only to sit around waiting for their parents to finish the workday. 🤷
Wait, what do you mean by "waiting for their parents"?
Anthony Stewart5 said:In Seattle, they only offer that for the lower grades.
Typically, one teacher handles half the subjects while another covers the rest. The school day pauses around noon for lunch and a quick break before resuming; one instructor takes the morning block, and the other manages the afternoon.
To make a day look, it follows this flow: Morning assembly and a brief meeting to start the day Breakfast Classes, studying, or playtime Lunch, combined with play and learning sessions More lessons and tackling any necessary homework Afternoon snack
The textbooks stay at the school from Monday through Friday, and students only take them home for the weekends. It is worth noting that the fixed schedule was primarily for the specialized instructors teaching specific subjects; everything else was left to the discretion of the main teachers, allowing them to decide the best balance between instruction, playtime, and study sessions.
They have dedicated foreign language instructors as well; my child had a specialist for that in fourth grade, along with a music teacher, and I believe there were others as well, though I cannot recall specifically.
By the time the children entered fifth grade, they were completely prepared for specialized subject instruction thanks to that immersive full-day environment, and in my opinion, this model should be extended through eighth grade.
So it’s basically just like an after-school program in Chicago. 🤔The concept is slightly different, but it ends up being the same: school in the morning, a snack, more school, lunch, playtime, homework, and then another snack and some play.
That said, I don't really see the point in keeping kids aged 10 and up at school for that long. At that age, they don't need constant supervision anymore; what they actually need is peace and quiet to study and the freedom to be responsible.
Wait, does that apply to subjects in Seattle too? Could you give me some more info? When kids are learning, do they go to music school for all this stuff we've been talking about?