http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/travel/03heads.html?_r=1&ref=education&oref=slogin
In short, college prep programs are pushing for students and parents to enroll in summer programs, in order to better prepare the students for what awaits them in college.
I feel this is a great idea and should be, well, mandatory in this day and age. I believe that the school year should be longer, as it's already far too short, and extended programs will only benefit the students. It would certainly allow for less complaints from uneducated parents about the "lack of education" their kids are recieving. With an extra month or so, much more could be fit into an already lacking curriculum.
It's a shame that with all the resources that are available I still sit in 400 level courses with students that can barely read or write.
The worst part is that no one knows who to blame. Is it the student? The parent? the teacher? While blame will never be universally agreed on, i feel a longer school year, or ATLEAST summer prep programs or a great idea. Keep these kids in school, or else we're all going to suffer.
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2 comments:
I agree with you that something needs to be done about students who perhaps are "pushed through" year and year, with nothing being done about the essential skills which they are lacking in. I don't necessarily believe that the school should be longer. For the good students-a teacher should be able to have a positive effect on their education and help them advance to the next level successfully. For the poor student-a teacher should be able to address his shortcomings and do everything possible to help.
Easier said than done, I know.
Sure there are students who need additional attention and therefore ought to be required to take sumer programs... but as a person who needed summer vacation as a time to earn money, a time to relax and focus on other things, the idea of a longer school year would merely be punishment. My high school was able to give us the preparation we needed to succeed in college in the given number of days... quality of the days, not quantity.
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