Four-Day School Week

“Schools that operate on a four-day schedule typically shorten the school week by eliminating either Monday or Friday and add more time to each day to provide the same number of instructional hours as a traditional five-day week” (“Four-Day School Week–Evidence Blast,” 2013, par. 2). My first thought on a four-day school week is that it cannot happen in urban areas as most families are dual income and so parents are unable to take off one day per week to care for their children. For one Minnesota school district, it was estimated that a four-day school week would cost families an extra $600 per year in childcare expenses (“Four-Day School Week–Evidence Blast,” 2013). Having a four-day school week makes me fear for those children who would …show more content…
Many teachers are now utilizing this approach to education primarily in colleges and high schools. “During class sessions, instructors function as coaches or advisors, encouraging students in individual inquiry and collaborative effort” (“7 Things You Should Know about Flipped Classrooms,” 2012, par. 1). This makes class time so much more constructive. In Clintondale High School in Michigan, teachers have been utilizing the flipped classroom with great success (“The Flipped Classroom,” n.d.). They found that working on problems and assignments in class kept students engaged and excited about learning (“The Flipped Classroom,” n.d.). Teachers were better able to answer questions and give students more opportunities for individual attention (“The Flipped Classroom,” n.d.). Since students are able to ask questions as they work, they are less likely to become frustrated. In order for this approach to work, all students must have access to technology outside the classroom so as to view the videos/podcasts, unless it is a book or article. I feel that this teaching model should be implemented in middle and high schools. Although some students find watching the videos to be boring and thus have a difficult time staying focused, I feel that this is a minor concern (“7 Things You Should Know about Flipped Classrooms,” 2012). PowerPoints or short educational videos can be engaging and include student-centered interactivity. Teachers can prepare for their video presentations by pre-planning questions and building them into the presentations to formatively assess understanding (Sangillo, 2014). Having taken classes where I needed to watch various videos online, I have had the pleasure of seeing some very creative ones where material is