[Vision2020] year round school

[Jerry Weitz]

When one analyses math and science performance in comparative studies such 
as the TIMSS that is quoted by both sides of the aisle in Congress, the 
most obvious difference and there are exceptions (Sweden) is the number of 
teaching days.  Tom Trail has much detail about the number of teaching 
days.  Basically at the 4th grade the U.S. is close to the top, by the 8th 
grade close to the center and by graduation close to the bottom in scienc 
and math.  Number of days does not mean more hours/day.  Sleep studies show 
that the "sleepist decade" for humans is  biologic age 
10-20.  Another  more practical example is the practice of the piano with 
this question: Will the average piano student do better practicing one hour 
a day seven days a week or one day for 7 hours?  Our  industrialized 
competitors average 211 days of instruction.  The 180 school year was the 
longest school year in 1906 and was started in Mass.  However, the best US 
students (top 10%) are in the top and our college and university system is 
by far the best in the world and that is where we make it up.  Lester 
Thurow of MIT (economics) has much written on this subject. I agree with 
Tom Trail that we should have a 200 day school year and I agree with 
Governor Mark Warner about taking care of the kids who do not go to college 
by offering skills training.  jerry

At 06:54 PM 5/22/06, Shelly wrote:

><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
>
>Ask yourselves, "are our schools being utilized to their fullest potential?"
>
>
>
>All the politicians that claim they are pro education and who also care 
>about the tax payers is going to be the politician that gets my vote 
>because he/she came up with a program that gets all the schools on a 12 
>month, year round system without having to raise taxes. We already have 
>billions invested in the infrastructure (schools) that is not used year 
>round with the present school system. It is time we use said 
>infrastructure year round to gain the full use of our taxed investment. It 
>is not 1859 anymore. It is 2006. Let’s start educating our youth like it 
>is 2006 so that our students can compete in the global economy.
>
>
>
>Phil Roderick
><http://www.incredimail.com/index.asp?id=54475>
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