Community Chat

[songbird]

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@febe1 wrote:

I think immigration has put an extra hardship on successful teaching. Many non-English speaking children have to slow the class down. This must really be a hardship on teacher and students. 

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I certainly did.  I walked in to the 3rd grade knowing not a word of English.  I was nervous and scared. I sat there by myself.  The only thing that reassured me was seeing the alphabet on display. I looked at table and chairs with the name of them on signs. Most of the letters looked familiar. A student teacher sat with me saying what they were. I did Arithmetic while the other students were taught. The only crises that arose was at lunch time.  I lost my lunch money.  I thought I would not be allowed to eat lunch.  In a panic I told everyone I lost my money. No one of course could understand me.  At one point the school secretary called my mother.  Finally the teacher figure it out and lent me money. I was calmer after that. During recess, I sort of interacted with the other students.  I recognized kick ball and played it.  I gradually learned English.  I was put back a year except for Math classes.

[ninjawife]

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@sunshine 919 wrote:

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@Goodie2shoes wrote:

@Mersha  wrote:

I retired to look after all 4 of my grandchildren for many years.

My oldest just graduated and I am so happy I was able to spend that wonderful time with him.

Enjoy every minute of being with your grandchild.  They remember so many of those special moments with you later down the road.

It is all worth it!

@Mersha  being a grandma is a special and wonderful job! My 7 yo grandson spent kindergarten and 1st grade in virtual learning due to covid and I sat with him every day while his mom and dad worked and throughly enjoyed it.  He is a very smart little boy and he has his own room at grandmas complete with his toy car collection. I'm sure he will remember the special moments and time spent with grandma and yes it's all worth it ! 

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Being a grandma is a treasure.  I have several friends and myself included help with our grandkids all the time, especially when they were in pre school.  We were able to pick them up etc...working parents need a lot of support and grand parents are there to help

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@sunshine 919 I was fortunate that I could work part time when my oldest was born.  I worked two 10 hour days a week and my parents watched my daughter while I worked.  When my second daughter was born I was able to be a stay at home mom for a year then I work periodically per diem and my parents watched my second daughter - older daughter was in kindergarten by then.  I was very fortunate to have their help. 

[Jacie]

I'm not certain how much teaching is going on in school anymore.

Just saw a news article about "kids" who make it to the workplace not knowing basic communication skills in a professional environment, they cannot make change, they cannot understand some written words and don't make eye contact. Some cannot tell time. The article said these were basic skills that should have been learned by the time they reach High School.

[Snoopp]

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@Jacie wrote:

I'm not certain how much teaching is going on in school anymore.

Just saw a news article about "kids" who make it to the workplace not knowing basic communication skills in a professional environment, they cannot make change, they cannot understand some written words and don't make eye contact. Some cannot tell time. The article said these were basic skills that should have been learned by the time they reach High School.

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Some of these parents must be lazy.  It's not hard to teach a child how to tell time or how to make change.  Or work on interpersonal skills.  

[Dinocoop]

So many parents rely on teachers for babysitting their kids, just like they rely on taxpayers to feed them.  Take some responsibility.  If teachers didn't have to spend so much time dealing with bad behavior school could go to a 4 hour school day.

[CalminHeart]

I would have loved a 4 day workweek. There are a lot of kids, especially older ones, who can easily handle 4 longer days.

I feel bad for parents who can't afford more child care. This would add a whole day to the cost instead of just after school.

Good child care can be hard to find. Will there be enough options if kids go to 4 days?

Some schools offer after-school child care. Will they offer a full day?

How will this affect sports and other extracurricular activities? How late will these run? Will kids be up too late catching up on homework too? 

Younger kids get tired. Can they handle longer days on those 4? The extra time on 4 days won't be productive if kids are tired? And you know how kids can get when tired.....

[Love to Run]

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@ROMARY wrote:

This is just a question because I really don't know the answer.

How can schools/children 'fail' if everything is right there, on their phones and/or computers?

All they have to do is 'look up' answers, etc.

Years ago, we spent hours and hours at our public library 'copying' by hand all of the information/research we needed for the next day's quiz. (We weren't able to remove/check-out books from a certain

section of the library.

(And our teachers knew exactly which subjects/research projects to give to us so we had to spend hours copying by hand.)

Well, enough about THAT!

Anyway, seems to me that kids have it 'easier' because of all of their gadgets and available and speedy information.  

We were up to two, three am in the morning, studying for two or three tests all on the same next day.

Gee.....brings back not so good memories........

Have a nice day!  (In an attempt to end on a better, more cheerful note.......)

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@ROMARY  Today's education isn't about memorization, it's about conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and analysis. You cannot develop those skills by simply using a device to access information.

[Love to Run]

Well, so many uninformed opinions...

Education is a complex issue, and in the US we like to keep things nice and simple, rather than rely on multi-tiered, researched-based solutions. The reality is that many students will excel under a 4 day school week, but the most vulnerable will fall further behind; just as we saw it play out during the pandemic. Many districts already have schools that offer extended school hours, days, and/or weeks that will better serve students who are at-risk, those districts might also consider schools with a shortened instructional week. 

[ROMARY]

Love to Run:

Yes, good point.

I'm now wondering if students are being tested re: what you mentioned (critical thinking, etc., etc.)

They might score higher than all of the required 'memorized' data questions and answers.

No need to memorize almost anything now-a-days.  Underline almost.

[ROMARY]

'Still', I do believe that there should/could be a Fifth Day 'Afterschool' type of program.

Kids could be dropped off on the fifth day morning, and picked up later, at around 6pm, as they do around my area.  Only adding this program onto the fifth no-school day.

Plenty of qualified part-time folks who would love to supervise the students on that fifth day.

We see the children playing in the school yard, extremely well-supervised.  Structured physical activity games, etc.,  or sitting on the side, reading, studying.  Whatever they

want to do, in a peaceful, calm way.

They all seem rather happy, content.  (Nobody 'moping around', etc.)