Do You Think the Total Time Students Spend in School Annually Should Be Extended?

by ABC News U.S. Posted 2012/12/08 14:16:27

Related Topics: School, Student, Time, Extended, students

Read More

5,069 votes
Read all 41 opinions
Lightning Report View Results and Demographics + View Demographics

Loading Demographics... Click an icon to see demographic results Display unknown and private
	Yes	3,358 votes	66%
	No	1,711 votes	34%

Add a comment above

MichaelJ 2012/12/08 14:32:08

No

+5
The US education system hasn't been designed for actual education since the 1970's. More time spent isn't going to result in better education.
Our education system is now basically used for two purposes, government provided child care and conditioning the young to accept a society dominated by the federal government.
>> See Replies

More polls by ABC News U.S.

Mike 2012/12/10 19:23:05

Yes

or in other productive activity.

reply
Avi Rosen 2012/12/10 15:29:44

Yes

Learn more, it never hurts anyone...

reply
BlackwinterG36C 2012/12/09 02:28:50

No

I think the curriculum should be altered more than the time spent in school.

reply
Torchy 2012/12/09 02:28:00

No

There needs to be some major revamping done to our education system and this is so far from the answer it's pathetic. The BEST educational systems in the world have several things going for them that we don't: shorter days, better educated teachers that are treated with respect and not just a worker-bee, and more consistent classes. Many of them do have longer years annually -- but it's about the same amount of time since they have shorter days. We need to stop just throwing money and ideas and the wall and hope something sticks. As a country, we need to really need to look at how other systems are effective and start mirroring them

http://www.smithsonianmag.com...

reply
PostmasterOfDystopia 2012/12/08 23:10:04

No

It doesn't matter how long they put an outdated book in front of me. I still will not have competitive knowledge for 2012, if the 2000's have not happened in my text book.

reply
davidgoessplat 2012/12/08 22:36:57

No

+2
As a senior in high school who really appreciates education, I can tell you that adding more hours to school will not help a vast majority of students. I believe it is a fallacy to believe that more time in school equals more learning.

The students that proponents of more school are trying to help are the ones that are low achieving. They want to see better grades and test scores; they want to see the students do better and learn more. Adding more time in class will not help this. The vast majority of students who have the abysmal scores that need to be helped DO NOT CARE. Trust me, the kids that are doing really poorly do not care about their grades. Sure there are exceptions to this, but putting them in a classroom for 90 minutes instead of 60 every day wont help them.

Adding more time in class or days in school will simply waste the time of high achieving students, while doing nothing to help the students who dont care about grades or doing well in school.

reply
davidgo... to davidgo... 2012/12/08 22:39:22

+1
Plus more time in class will be useless unless there is a way to eliminate crappy teachers. Seriously, there are some HORRIBLE teachers and no matter how long you put a student in their class they wont learn.

reply
MichaelJ to davidgo... 2012/12/09 06:54:10

+1
David, it is encouraging to see a high school senior who has an opinion and is willing to express it! As an older person I sometimes wonder about our country's future. My own children are all degreed perfessional and doing very well but they weren't politically aware or have opinions they would clearly state until they were in their mid 20's.
I won't try to influence you in my opinions as you will certainly educate yourself and become a rarity in our country an informed citizen who doesn't follow the herd mentality!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

reply
Cn2012 2012/12/08 22:12:17

No

Nope.

reply
De verdad 2012/12/08 20:17:17 (edited)

No

parents need to make sure their child is getting the proper education starting at a young age.Drop in unexpectedly at school to make sure the child is following directions and check on the teachers skills.If your child needs tutoring get it for them.Take the time to help them at home with school work if they need the help.Teach them the importance of a good education and organizational skills at home and why that is important.Explain to them why it is important to take college prep in high school and make sure they prepare well for the S.A.T and explain why.Explain to your child why a good education is important for a better tomorrow.Guide your child and have patience.Take time out to help them.You don't want your child winding up saying they wished they would have gotten better guidance.Make sure they have a good school guidance counselor and that they check in with them and explain to them what a guidance counselor is for and that they are professionals paid to guide them in school and preparedness for college or tech school.Make sure the school offers tech classes that your child is interested in such as cosmotology ,mechanic etc.That way they can actually fall back on that when they get out of school if they don't want to go to college right away or at all.That way they ...

parents need to make sure their child is getting the proper education starting at a young age.Drop in unexpectedly at school to make sure the child is following directions and check on the teachers skills.If your child needs tutoring get it for them.Take the time to help them at home with school work if they need the help.Teach them the importance of a good education and organizational skills at home and why that is important.Explain to them why it is important to take college prep in high school and make sure they prepare well for the S.A.T and explain why.Explain to your child why a good education is important for a better tomorrow.Guide your child and have patience.Take time out to help them.You don't want your child winding up saying they wished they would have gotten better guidance.Make sure they have a good school guidance counselor and that they check in with them and explain to them what a guidance counselor is for and that they are professionals paid to guide them in school and preparedness for college or tech school.Make sure the school offers tech classes that your child is interested in such as cosmotology ,mechanic etc.That way they can actually fall back on that when they get out of school if they don't want to go to college right away or at all.That way they have already gotten a tech course in high school and don't need to worry about it after they graduate and can do that career instead of a cashier at Mcdonalds.That pays more and they will be doing something they like.If you know your child is not going to go to college maybe you should think about placing them in a vocational high school.
(more)

reply
Anonymouse BN-0 ~bibbityboo~ 2012/12/08 20:12:28

No

+1
The best school systems have much lower school hours. Encourage children to learn in their own time as well instead.

reply
Illjwamh 2012/12/08 19:23:18

Yes

Our education system is kind of a joke. We may have some of the best universities in the world, but everything below that is pathetic, and gets more so every year.

reply
Horace 2012/12/08 18:58:22 (edited)

No

+1
I think its just about requisite to get them to know all they need to. Schools are about preparing students for a lifetime in the the working work. Most jobs have you in them for about 8 hours a day so schools should do them same. As for summers I doubt you are going to get much meaningful education done in them anyway, I don't see a particular crisis in education at the moment so give them the time off, lids need to feel that they are working towards some goal in life and summer can be just the break they need.

reply
marcuss LIBERALS ARE IDIOTS 2012/12/08 18:25:54

No

+1
Keeping them in school longer will not make them smarter. Besides the whining teachers will demand even more money.

reply
Lonzo 2012/12/08 17:20:47 (edited)

No

+2
It's not the TIME that matters; it's the SKILLS learned. These two factors are not without connections, but neither is the only answer. Too many chefs spoil the dish.

reply
Helmholtz 2012/12/08 17:20:46

Yes

I think that there should be a push for parents to raise respectful kids -- not the type of kids who will just do whatever they're told no matter what -- but I think that most problems would go away if schools could focus on education instead of behavior management.

reply
I NEED A HORSE 2012/12/08 17:20:27
RogerCoppock 2012/12/08 16:40:33 (edited)

Yes

+2
Extend the number of days at public K-12 schools? Maybe, yes, but only if the school has something to teach students. If extended school is nothing more than more football and other fantasies, then it is not worth the student's time or the taxpayer's money.

reply
Doc Freeman 2012/12/08 16:05:32

Yes

+1
The big question is do they have a qualified teacher to teach them the truth and not a progressive/socialist teaching them the re-write of history per progressives views.

reply
Rob Clary 2012/12/08 15:56:27

No

Hell no!
The QUALITY of education needs to be extended, and if some dummy can't handle that, toss his butt out with a string a F's.
The world needs ditch diggers too.

reply
Cal 2012/12/08 15:48:51

Yes

Our education levels are lacking compared to other nations. I do think they should be extended.

reply
Anonymo... to Cal 2012/12/08 20:14:35

+1
But nations that do better, like Sweden and Finland, have lower school hours.

reply
ServantOfAllah 2012/12/08 15:45:16

Yes

Send them home on the weekends.

reply
Just me ∞ijm♥G☮F♀U∞ 2012/12/08 15:23:36

No

No, I think 8 hours is long enough.

reply
moriarty 2012/12/08 15:21:10

No

+2
work smarter not harder. maximize the use of time and seriously teach. They should also implement an apprenticeship program so that kids can learn a skill or trade.

reply
MichaelJ to moriarty 2012/12/08 16:17:03

+1
moriaty, I congratulate you! The idea that every student's talents are academic is ridiculous.
Starting in the 10th grade our students, based on their academic abilities should either continue in an academic school and preparation for college work or they should be directed into high schools totally based on producing graduates with a trade.

The idea that somehow you are a failure if you don't have a college degree is proved wrong everytime we have to hire an electrician, carpenter or plumber. In reality I obtained an eighth grade education but I learned a trade. I became an industrial instrumentation technician, work around the world and counting benefits made around 180,000 last year.

Most people have talent but it may not be in academics. If we did the above many students who are warehoused now and then kicked out in the street with no real education or training of any kind face a bleak future.

reply
moriarty to MichaelJ 2012/12/08 17:00:27

+1
thanks for the kind words. and I agree with you about academics. here is the funny thing. I clipped an article from a Penthouse magazine dating back to 1981 The article was about the racket of getting a college degree. The article foresaw what was coming in the marketing of getting a University degree. It was and is all PR. Who says guys don't read Playboy and Penthouse for the articles? hahahahaha!
In all seriousness, kids leave high school with no marketable skills. mandatory apprenticeship programs would benefit students in the long run. They can make the decision to go to college after high school, but at least they would have a marketable skill under their belt.

reply
rustyshackelford 2012/12/08 15:18:27
DoxieDad 2012/12/08 15:07:06

Yes

+3
I do not see where the length of time would hurt. Whether it is 9 months or 12 months time really has no bearing on it. It is the educational value of what students learn that is more important.

reply
sockpuppet 2012/12/08 14:56:06

No

+2
But they could use a greater portion of the session teaching critical thinking and honing reading skills.

reply
666_Maggots~PassionForGlory... 2012/12/08 14:45:40 (edited)

No

+3
It's already unnecessarily long. After Exams we have about 3 weeks of doing nothing, first and second semester. So that adds to about 6 weeks longer than necessary. But that's for my Private School, though. I'm not sure how Public Schools are.

reply
MichaelJ 2012/12/08 14:32:08

No

+5
The US education system hasn't been designed for actual education since the 1970's. More time spent isn't going to result in better education.
Our education system is now basically used for two purposes, government provided child care and conditioning the young to accept a society dominated by the federal government.

reply
macbeth to MichaelJ 2012/12/08 15:19:29

+3
Education's primary purpose nowadays is to produce good little worker ants.

reply
MichaelJ to macbeth 2012/12/08 16:05:31

+2
The decline in US education can be closely aligned with the creation of the US Department of Education in 1979. As federal control of education in our country increased through the use of federal mandates to get federal funds, the quality of education has declined. The reason for this are many but are related to indocrination of our young people to accept more and more federal control of our lives.

While there are many ways to quickly improve education the most important is the closure of the Department of Education and it's former funding being sent directly to each state's Department of Education and local school board control of ciriculum.
Our country had the best education system in the world until state and local school board control was subverted by the federal government to push it's agenda instead of education.

reply
Doc Fre... to MichaelJ 2012/12/08 16:08:57

+1
You are one of the few that really understands what happened to our nations education. Thank You for your view.

reply
MichaelJ to Doc Fre... 2012/12/08 16:21:33

Doc, I appreciate that. The unfortunate thing is that, though it may be painfully obvious to us most Americans have become victims of this system and no longer have reasoning ability to understand it.

reply
macbeth to MichaelJ 2012/12/08 16:13:25

+1
According to the Pearson educational league table, Finland has the best education system in the world. The US ranks a miserable 19th. The UK manages 6th place, so I dread to think what sort of job your system is doing.

reply
Doc Fre... to macbeth 2012/12/08 16:07:42

+1
Or you could say good little progressive/socialist.

reply
macbeth to Doc Fre... 2012/12/08 16:18:29

That really would surprise me!

reply
Philo-Publius 2012/12/08 14:21:29

No

+2
Shortened. Three to four months per year is plenty.

reply