Introduction The definition of a four day work week varies depending who you are talking to. It can refer to four eight hour days; four ten hour days; or even four twelve to fourteen hour days. However all variations of a four day work week fall under the umbrella term “alternative work arrangement.” This term refers to any work schedule that varies from the standard five, eight hour work day that the majority of the United States population is used to (Bird 1063). For the purposes of this paper I will be talking about a compressed four day work week, not a shortened four day work week or extended four day work week, this refers to a four hour work week I will be talking about a schedule that consists of four, ten hour days, which is still a full forty hour work week. I will be taking a close look at the benefits and drawback to both the employer and the employee when it comes to working a four day work week. In addition to looking at the benefits to those directly related, the employer and employee, I will also touch on some benefits to those who are indirectly benefited; which refers to the general population. At first glance it would appear to many people that a four day work week is not different than a standard five day work week; after all the same number of hours are being work at weeks end. So, that begs the question why is it that only roughly 960,000 Americans, which is less than 1% of the labor force work a four day work week (Thank God it’s Thursday? 74)?
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
Before introducing the workplace issues related to the development of four-day workweek, a clear definition of this schedule is needed. According to Department of Labor (n.d.), “A workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours, or seven consecutive 24-hour periods. The workweek does not have to coincide with the calendar week, but instead it may begin on any day of the week and at any hour of the day.” It might be the “four-day, 32-hour workweek – more leisure, less work” (Wernette 1), or the “three-day, 40 hour, compressed work week” that Vega
How would it sound if school weeks were only four days long and, in doing that, it saved your school money at the same time? Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. Four day school weeks are becoming a necessity for some rural school districts that lack funding. It provides a realistic way for schools to remain open and also has added benefits beyond saving money. Four day school weeks may not be a realistic situation for all schools throughout the nation, but for those that it is possible, the four day school week saves money, improves test scores, and further improves the school as a whole.
This paper includes a reference list of literature relating to the pros and cons of changing a five day school week to a four day school week. In general, the literature seems to indicate that most of the reasoning behind this change is to lower energy and fuel costs as well as cut budgets to an affordable rate. Academic progress is evaluated in some cases and discussion of what decisions have been made in the use of the fifth unscheduled day have been researched. Some suggest to use the “off” day for professional development as well as an opportunity to offer additional student extracurricular activities. The difficulty of finding childcare for the unscheduled school day seemed to be an issue that was more prevalent in suburban school districts rather than rural districts. Each individual school district had to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the shortened week and decide what worked best for their students, teachers, community.
Attendance will increase for not only students but teachers as well. With the motivation of having a three day weekend, students and teachers will feel encouraged to come to school. As the attendance increases, students will be able to understand the material taught more, teachers attending more school will help reduce the price for substitute teachers. Teachers will also have the opportunity to finish a lesson, instead of continuing it on to the next day.This helps increase the quality of class discussions. Although the schools districts will not be saving money on utility or wages, they will be able to save money on transportation and in the cafeteria. Busses and other public transportation methods will no longer be needed on the fifth day, which ends up saving money on gas. The cafeteria will be able to save money on the account that they will have one less day to order food for. They also will not t have to use the ovens or lights in the cafeteria, decreasing the utility by an almost unnoticeable amount. Although the increase of attendance for students is excellent for the four day week program, the increase of attendance for teachers may not benefit everyone. As teachers come to school more, the amount of substitute teachers plummets. The four day school weeks will also cut the hours of bus drivers and cafeteria workers. Although these changes may not be drastic, it will still affect the lives of the
Going to school for four days can have many benefits for students, teachers, and parents. Students seem to have the most benefits. (o) One benefit with having a shorter week is having positive results for many activities. From going to a five to a four day week the scores of students did not change. (1) Then there is the most obvious benefit and that is the extra day the students can use to catch up on all their work. (3) Teachers also have some benefits supporting a four day school week. (o) The first would be they are more supportive and do a better job then they would on a five day school week. (1) With the three day weekend teachers have more time planning lesson plans. (3) The school staff works the same hours on four day week as if the would on a five day week. (5) Then there are parents, who yes are still getting benefits from a shorter week.
Others might say that with a four-day school week you have an extra day to sleep in, hang out with friends and do whatever. But that is wrong, with a four-day week you wouldn’t have time for after school activities, you would have financial problems and students would focus less. they are many reasons why you would have the issues, but I am going to tell you the most important one. So I can change your mind as you read my point of view of a four-day school week.
Well the traditional five days a week is making students feel burnout in a way that student don’t want to even go, especially throughout the school year since it can be so stressful, and it’s not only students but the teachers too! Over a course of time we can start to feel exhaustion because you are constantly putting all your energy into school and you are constantly using your brain, but the four-day school week system will allow students and teachers to get more rest and devote more time and energy into the school days efficiently, creating happier students and teachers. Four days a week can teach us students how to properly manage time. For example, we will soon realize their won’t be time for messing around anymore, class time will be taken much more serious. We’ll have to use our extra day to study and work on homework. This will teach us how we need to use the time provided properly, and we will learn how it's a life lesson for the real world. The four day school system will increase a school's financial stability, if schools take one day out of their week they can save a lot of money within a year. For example, electricity bills, bus fees, school lunches, paying teachers, etc. With the money they saved they can pay teachers more, we can innovate the school, we can do more after school activities, and get new gear for sport teams. In my opinion, that sounds
An example of the perks of a four day school week would be the decrease in administration bills. It is estimated that these bills have dropped 18.9% and 17.6% as a result of a change to a four day school week schedule. Also energy bills could drop as much as 10% to 15% lower than with a five day week schedule.
Sheehy, Kelsey. “Educators at Some High Schools Tout Benefits of 4-Day Week.” U.S. News. 15 Oct. 2012, www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2012/10/15/educators-at-some-high-schools-tout-benefits-of-4-day-week. Access 18 Apr. 2017.
Most people believe that students should have a four day school week because students benefit from less homework, the students can also get a better math score, and the student can also be more productive. There is a boost in math scores and other classes, the shorter school schedule resulted in a seven percent increase in math and a three percent boost in reading. This shows that there is more of a dramatic improvement in students math score. According to Education.seattlepi “512 schools have tried this method with the shorter schedule and it became more popular from the great outcomes from other schools. This shows that students do better in school from the four day school week.
Schools should go to a four day week because it will give children more time to spend with their parents. One reason is that some people’s parents schedule appointments. Some children
With the four-day week that gives the school less expenses with food, electrical, and even gas. With the day off that gives schools less expenses by not having to buy meals for that day. Students nor teachers will need to be at the school, therefore the lights will be out along with the air conditioner. There would be no need for buses on that day off, which would help due to the cost of gas. “In 2011, the Education Commission of the States analyzed districts’ actual savings and found they range from 0.4 to 2.5 percent per year” (Cummings). Financially, many school struggle trying repay that debt, but are left short by cutting activities and even staff members. The four-day week can change the way school’s react to
The study first starts by looking at the changes of a Texas college’s academic calendar versus the traditional academic calendar (Riley, B. E., & Clarendon Coll., T., 1979). The next part analyzes the responses of six of the seven Texas colleges utilizing the four-day week to an 18-item survey instrument (Riley, B. E., & Clarendon Coll., T., 1979). Overall the major advantage to the four-day is the energy saved, but the disadvantage is the longer work days (Riley, B. E., & Clarendon Coll., T.,
“Doctors around the country grew so concerned about the impact of a lack of sleep on teens, including the connection with obesity, depression, and traffic accidents, that the American Academy of pediatrics issued a policy statement in 2014 recommending that schools start no earlier than 8:30 am, so that teens could get the recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep a night”. (Kelly Wallace state's, author of article, “Why letting teens sleep in could save lives”) Most schools, when they switch to a four day school week, there doing it to save money. And if they were a more wealthy school district and they were to take a day off they could use the extra money for better educational things. It is appropriate to