[Vision2020] year round school

Thu May 25 04:16:54 PDT 2006

Kai,

 Again, it sounds to me like you are more concerned about  easing the plight of those in the agriculture and farming industry then  what is the most efficient and productive way for children to get an  education.

  You stated that;

  "Farm work doesn't pay a whole lot, most adults won't do it and kids fill a much needed gap."

  Why  would you want children's work experience to be limited to one field  that most adults are not willing to do and pays so little? Why can't  school children concentrate on their school work and a field of work  they want to experience?

 I don't propose to have a solution  to the problems of the agricultural business, but I am not a  businessman or an agricultural person and I am sure there are people in  this field smarter than I that can solve that problem. But I don't  think we should design our school system and instruction around an idea  that wastes taxpayer dollars to suit the needs of one group of  businesses. It should meet the needs of the children first, then the  taxpayer, and then all businesses and industry equally, so far as they  go to help the child's education and work experience.

 I think  limiting kids to one field is denying them a world of opportunities.  But I do agree with you that work experience before graduating is a  crucial and often missing element to obtain a good education.

  Best Regards,

  DJA

Kai Eiselein <fotopro63 at hotmail.com> wrote:  

  Donovan,
  A lot of it depends on weather, there is no set time frame that a year round school would require.
  When  its time time cut, farmers cut like hell. I've seen times when we've  gone through harvest with very little rain and other times when it  seems to rain the day after it dries out enough to cut.
  The  same holds true for haying, its not just a matter of cutting and  baling. If its too wet it can mold or even light a barn on fire  (If its not salted well) Too dry and alfalfa loses its leaves, leaving  the less nutritious stems.
  Then  there is the other work, pulling and spraying weeds, readying  equipment, repairing winter/spring damaged roads so grain trucks can  get to and from fields without breaking an axle. The list of  chores is endless.
  Would  a farmer's money be better spent on having a teenager do the "grunt"  work or have his hired hand/mechanic pull weeds rather than  inspect/repair equipment?
  Farm work doesn't pay a whole lot, most adults won't do it and kids fill a much needed gap.

---------------------------------

From:  Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
To:  Kai Eiselein <fotopro63 at hotmail.com>, vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject:  Re: [Vision2020] year round school
Date:  Wed, 24 May 2006 22:42:11 -0700 (PDT)

"What will farmers do without the summer help. You   know, like driving truck, bucking hay...that sort of thing? Hire   "guest workers"?"-- Kai Eiselein

  Kai,

  I  misunderstood you. I thought when you asked "What will farmers  do  without the summer help" if children were in school  during summer, you  were concerned about the farmers not  having children for labor, not  that children were losing  valuable work experience. If that was your  point, you should  have brought that up, instead mentioning your grief  for the  farmers. 

I am 100% in agreement that all  children  should be taught real life and working experience  in their yearly  education, and it would increase their  chances of survival and success  in life. However, I fail to  understand;

  1) Why this cannot be done  
with year round school?
  2) Why exclude this experience to just what can be learned on a farm during the summer?

  Best Regards,

  Donovan J Arnold 

Kai Eiselein <fotopro63 at hotmail.com> wrote:        Free, Donovan????
    I  think  not, my daughter was helping with harvest when she was in  third  grade and earning money. I guess learning the value of  work and that  cash doesn't magically appear from mom and  dad's wallet isn't a lesson?
    She  understands  how equipment works, engines run, can build a bookshelf  and  can lay down a decent weld, Donovan. And that's not  learning? 
    Oh,  and  lets not bring in the market animals she bought  and raised  with the money she earned. I guess 
learning  about profit and loss (Yes  she lost money on a couple) and  how to keep financial records doesn't  count in the greater  scheme of things.
    She's had the same part-time job for three years, how many high school kids can say the same?

    There are valuable things to learn outside of a classroom, Donovan, something school can't give.... practical experience.

    Maybe student test scores would be higher if they had to use what they learned in  real-life.. before graduating. 

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