Obama wants to extend school time — Page 2

"You can continue to write-off the education in other countries all you want, but children in our one-size-fits-all school system will grow up and have to directly compete with the best and brightest of the rest of the world for the same jobs."

OK I am gonna say it, I think we should track kids(like they do in Asia and Europe). When they get to high school they should concentrate on a certain field. I think if a student doesn't want to go to college send them to a trade school. I think our one size fits all school system caters more to the students getting left behind and hurts the brightest students, especially when they are all in one classroom and the teacher has to interrupt their lesson to discipline a child because they can't send them to the office because the state frowns upon that. Seriously if we suspend too many children we get in trouble, so you have to do something close to horrific to get suspended (like make a death threat).

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I'm a senior, and my schedule is from 7:30 to 2:15. This is not an extended day; this is the typical schedule for my area. Every freshman and sophomore is required to take English, history, science, math, gym/health, a foreign language, and an elective class (like a music or art or writing elective, or an extra history or science credit). I think that about covers all the bases. We also have a study hall period.

Juniors and seniors don't have to take gym, and seniors can choose which science they want to take. More students take AP than regular courses. It's not a magnet school, just a regular public school. I think that's a pretty good model, without extended school days to cram more stuff in.

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At my school, if you have a certain amount of exercise outside of school you can get out of gym and have a study hall. I get out of gym for dancing so I have two study halls.

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1. School districts cannot AFFORD to extend the day.
2. My school was just named a National Blue Ribbon school. Not every public school is lacking.
3. Keeping them in school LONGER doesn't mean they will learn anything more. They are kids.....how long are they suppose to be able to focus, sit still and contribute?


MORE is not necessarily better. The bigger problem lies in the attitude that comes from home: backing up their children that are caught cheating, allowing fresh behavior at home and in school, making excuses for their child's every behavior, allowing every "issue" to be more important than responsibility.

But politicians can't fault parents, but feel free to blame schools.

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In NJ PE has to be taught. There is a certain number of hours that are mandated (I forget how many) also we have to have specials in elementary school such as Art, Music,PE, Library, and science (social studies taught in class). We are not a suburban school we are a low income urban school.

I also think that we should have mandated preschool for 3 and 4 year olds. We have it in my district and it is the model for the state of NJ. Our test scores have increased with the students that have been in this program

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