It’s no secret that high school students abhor Mondays. The weekend is never long enough, and often students don’t feel refreshed by Monday morning. However, some schools across America are giving students an extra day to their weekend – Mondays. Districts are giving students 3 day weekends while giving teachers Monday to plan and attend meetings and workshops to improve their classroom experience. All schools should switch to a 4-day school week because it gives students more time for private studying and refreshing, as well as allowing teachers time to improve their teaching skills and incorporate new things like technology into their lessons. Having Mondays off means students get an extra day at home to study, do homework, and relax. Students …show more content…
Jeanne Burgin, a 5th grade teacher, said of the 4-day schedule, “Give me this time because I need it. I can use an iPad, but my students use it better than me. I have a family and my own kids. I don’t want to be in here at midnight or weekends learning to use this thing” (“Small, Rural Schools” 3). Teachers appreciate this time off because it gives them a chance to grade student’s papers, catch up on lesson plans, and get more rest before working. Many districts are allotting the Monday off as a day for teacher workshops and meetings, so teachers will miss less class time because they won’t have to leave to go to meetings during the school …show more content…
Teachers have more time to prep and get more in touch with their students learning styles, like learning to use technology. Students can use their day off to catch up on schoolwork, work, or relax so they are more refreshed and attentive while at school. While some feel that it isn’t in students’ best interest, the extremely positive reaction from students, parents, and teachers is enough to drown out naysayers. 4-week days allow breathing room and personal time for both students and teachers that simply does not exist on a 5-day schedule, and greatly benefits
There are approximately 300 children enrolled in California Elementary School under the age of eight. These 300 would have to find some alternative to school on Fridays if the Moniteau County R-1 School District’s schedule changed from a five day week to a four day week. Additionally student involvement and safety would suffer. Changing the Moniteau County R-1 School district’s schedule to a four-day week would be detrimental to students’ safety and involvement in activities.
A lot of parents are shaking their heads at the consideration of a four-day school week, and a longer school day. Shorter school weeks or longer school days are reasonable solutions when there is a shortage of funding, or possible budget cuts coming to the school district. This solution has many mixed opinions from parents, teachers and school board members.
Also, there would be an improvement of attendance. Some district representatives that have implemented four-day school weeks report that attendance has improved for teachers and students. The Melstone School District in Melstone, Mont., has reported statistics indicating that their attendance improved as much as 20% over a two-year period after moving to a four-day school week. Chattooga County School District also reported an improvement in attendance since implementing its four-day school week.
Four Day School Act is beneficial for students attending middle school through twelfth grade along with school faculty. This program is important for students who lose focus and began being disengaged in classes towards the weekend giving them enough time to recuperate an extra day. The other option is to cut Monday as well since it is the beginning of the week where students to also be less engaged. The possible outcome effect is less absences, higher test scores, and less yelling from teachers to stay on task. While students are out on Thursday, that leaves Friday for school faculty to prepare for the following week. Teachers can accomplish various things even schedule meetings on a Monday or a Friday.
Students would benefit immensely from this change, as resources and facilities could be upgraded with the extra funds that come from being in school for fewer days. Activities that normally couldn’t be done during class, like time to work on homework, and activities that take longer than an average class time allows, such as science labs, could be worked into the schedule. The added Friday or Monday would give teachers and students an extra day to recover from the intense curriculum and be able to obtain a much needed period of relaxation. Then, young Americans would be less stressed and much more eager to
Can you imagine getting up on a Friday morning and not having to get up and go to school. This is becoming more than just a really good dream in some places across the country. This is happening as close as Hot Springs School District in Hot Springs, South Dakota. Many school officials around the country are switching to the system because they believe it is better financially and better for the kids. A four day school week will be better for the children and financially because it saves the school money, student and teacher morale are better, and better test scores.
This would allow the instructor to better connect with his or her pupils. Also, according to the Columbia Journalism School’s Teacher Project, some of the schools who have switched “ have seen marginal increases in standardized test scores.” This is yet another piece of evidence to suggest that the four-day school week provides more adequate academic performance for our ever evolving world. Additionally, another eyewitness testimony by the Superintendent of the Lathrop school district Miami R-1 from Missouri stated “ Our ACT scores are the best they’ve been in 10 years, and our teachers love it.” Once again, the four-day school week has proven its’ ability to conduct education for young adults in an effective manner. This same Superintendent also announced that a community poll conducted approximately half way through the first year showed that 70% of the parents supported the four-day schedule. This poll helps to show that it appears that the majority of the community in small, rural districts such as Miami R-1 or even perhaps Colby where childcare is not an issue would benefit greatly from the four-day school schedule. As one can see, the four-day schedule is widely accepted with a strong base of support from the community if it is in a rural area such as Missouri or
A low income school in New Haven, Connecticut started the new year telling students they would be attending school until 4:15 P.M. four days a week. New Haven teachers in an unprecedented move allowed their teacher unions to take over the rewriting of their contracts. This provided the teacher with more freedom with curriculum and time management. Although the final outcome was beneficial the origins of the extended day was not welcomed.
Imagine a school year that gave the students one week off after every quarter and every Friday off. Does this sound exciting and rich with possibilities? Then ask the superintendent of the school district to consider year round school with only four days per week.First, students would not forget what they learned over the long summer. Next, parents would not have to get day care except on Fridays instead of the whole summer. Finally, teachers and students would have better relationships as they spend more time together instead of being rushed. Let’s take a look at some proof.
Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. My main concern is that most kids will not be able to focus by the end of the day because the school days will be longer,and so there would be no point in trying to teach at the end of the day. I say this because we would have to start
We all strive for higher scores in school. A four-day week may provide just that. Students have more time on school days, giving them the opportunity to learn more each and every hour they spend in their classrooms. Even teachers have more time to learn from their peers about their lessons and ways of teaching, so they can improve it to fit their students. A four-day school week may provide higher quality resources, as there are only four days to use them. It saves the school financially in times of low budgets, and that unscheduled day saves at least 1.5% more than schools who stick to the regular five-day week. The mediocre quality of supplies gradually decreases as more weeks spent as a four-day week slowly increase. Students with four-day school weeks had proven themselves they deserved that schedule with their academic scores, which have increased throughout the year. They have better attendance, because they have more time for extracurricular activities and appointments outside of school. A four-day school week may be just what we need.
Studies show that the amount of discipline referrals issued go down. The Chattooga county school district saw a 73% drop in discipline referrals(Vittana). This is because the students had an extra day off and don’t have to focus for five straight days on school. In addition to being more rested from the extra day off. Students that are more focused and rested learn better. So it increases the value of class time where a 5 day school week by Friday students can be unfocused and not rested. That leads to unhappy students who aren’t learning and probably gonna distract other students to keep them from learning. So
Studies show that the amount of discipline referrals issued go done. The Chattooga county school district saw a 73% drop in discipline referrals(Vittana). This is because the students had an extra day off and don’t have to focus for five straight days on school. In addition to being more rested from the extra day off. Students that are more focused and rested learn better. So it increases the value of class time where 5 day school weeks by friday students can be unfocused and not rested. That leads to unhappy students who aren’t learning and probably gonna distract other students to keep them from learning. So even though you have less days your class time is more
This eventually leads to better standardized testing scores district wide. Merryville High School in Louisiana, “has seen average ACT scores school wide rise from 18.7 to 20 in just four years of having the four day schedule. Honor roll students in middle and high school have also doubled” (Chmelynski). Also, according to the table on page 82 of Yarbrough’s article, test scores on the CTBS improved after moving to the four day school week in both the 3rd and 9th grade levels that were tested (see last page of paper). These improvements do not just happen over a long period of time, school districts have seen immediate improvement in scores. “Webster County School district ranked 115th in Kentucky’s state test scores. The year after moving to a four day week, they improved to 61st” (Weldon 32). Not only are schools seeing improvement in test scores, but they are also seeing overall improvement in all aspects of their district.
Financial problems have arose in many schools. Many schools believe that “One day less means one day less of heating the school, fueling buses, feeding students and paying certain staff members” (Anderson). Little things like that can save schools a lot more money. More money means more equipment for learning and new schools objects. “An informational poll on edutopia.com indicates that 67% of over 2700 polled favor this as a solution to school districts financial hardship” (Hadfield). A lot of people want the four day week to be a “thing” so that financial problems can no longer be a problem. Teachers and schools would say “Their budgets has been stretched tighter than a drum and has finally reached a breaking point that cannot be ignored” (Occupy Theory). A sign that teacher and student are getting a bit tired of the stress being put on them because of financial problem. There are more benefits along with the resolution of financial problems and it is academics.