Why shouldn't school week be shorter?

A shorter week sounds like an A+ idea for school districts and teachers. However, critics of the four-day school week find it problematic in its inequity, particularly for lower income families. In many American households, the adults work eight-hour days at least five days a week.

Why should we not have shorter school weeks?

One study found that the four-day week may hurt reading scores more than math scores. A large study released last year found that the shorter schedule held back student achievement in small-town and suburban districts but had little or no effect in rural districts.

Why shouldn't schools have a 4 day week?

The research is mixed on the impact of four-day weeks on student achievement, but most studies find small to medium negative impacts on achievement on average. These negative effects are roughly equivalent to a student being two to seven weeks behind where they would have been if they had stayed on a five-day week.

Are shorter school days bad?

Both students and teachers benefit from a shorter days and we believe it is an important thing to consider. Especially as attention spans get shorter, considering shorter school days is a must to continue improving the education and academic situation for students and teachers!

Why should school days be longer?

Teachers and principals have found that the new school day makes possible a series of fundamental changes. First, students and teachers get more time on task. Students who fall behind get the time to catch up. Instead of experiencing the classroom as a place for failure and boredom, kids have success.

Why School Should Only Be 4 Days A Week

Why a 4 day school week is good?

Pros and Cons of the Four-Day Week

By reducing the number of school days, schools can save money on transportation, food and energy costs. This can be especially important for rural districts where students may need to travel long distances to get to school.

Are shorter school days better?

Shorter school weeks may improve teacher and student morale, reduce burnout, and provide more flexibility for extracurricular activities. Longer days, on the other hand, could allow for more in-depth instruction, additional enrichment activities, and better utilization of resources.

Is a shorter school week less stressful?

A shorter school week means fewer days of intense academics, allowing everyone to recharge over the long weekend. “It helps keep my stress level down because school and classes are very stressful and can take a negative toll on mental health,” one student shared.

Do shorter school days reduce stress?

Lower Stress Levels: Lengthy school days often contribute to stress and burnout among students due to the continuous pressure of studies. Reducing school hours can help alleviate this stress, leading to a healthier and more balanced lifestyle for students.

What are the shortest school days?

Typically, the Finnish school day starts anywhere from 9 to 9:45 a.m., and students typically spend only about five hours a day in the classroom. What's more, Finnish students typically have little to no homework. As for teachers?

Why should school be shorter?

Shorter days give students an opportunity to concentrate better, as human attention span is limited. More hours of sleep and reduced stress. When kids have spare time, they can use it to get more rest, which is crucial for brain development. Lower costs.

Does a 4 day school week improve sleep?

A 2021 study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that 4-day/week elementary kids got more sleep during the school week than 5-day/week kids, but middle and high school sleep remained the same. Call this one a draw.

Why is a 5 day school week good?

Coming to school five days per week provides the best consistency and routine for children, which we believe is fundamental to strong development at this early, formative age.

Should the school week be shorter pros and cons?

Why longer school days are bad?

With such long hours, the students are often left with little to no time to complete their homework and this can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. Moreover, the long hours can take away from the quality of education that students are getting.

What are the cons of a 5 day school week?

What country has the shortest school day?

Italy offers a slightly shorter day at 5 hours and 30 minutes. Finland and Brazil, known for their progressive educational systems, average a 5-hour school day, focusing on efficiency and student well-being. Germany presents the shortest average school day, with students spending only 4 hours and 30 minutes in school.

How do 4 day school weeks affect mental health?

A four day school week will help alleviate some of the rising stress levels in our students, while aiming to enhance student, teacher, and parent mental health. It will help provide better opportunities, allow for time to strengthen families, and shift towards student-centered learning.

Are longer school days better?

No Direct Correlation Between Longer Days and Higher Achievement. While studies have found that longer instruction time can improve achievement, the correlation is not exact and depends on other factors, such as classroom environment, quality of instruction, and student ability.

Does 4 day school week decrease bullying?

Results indicate that four-day school weeks decrease per-pupil bullying incidents by approximately 31% and per-pupil fighting incidents by approximately 27%, but have no detectable effect on other incident types, ACT scores, or attendance.

What countries have 4 day school weeks?

The new policy in Poland is part of an expanding interest in the four-day school week, with similar experiments in the United States, Australia, and France, with some instituting one full day of “non-traditional” learning, or simply an extra day off, as a means of reducing student stress and increasing engagement in ...

Can longer school days cause stress?

More hours in the school day could possibly increase stress and pressure on the students due to increased workload and lack of time outside of class to complete work. These factors combined could affect their mental health in a negative way.

Why should kids not have shorter school days?

Our children could end up losing large amounts of classroom learning - and then they would need even more private lessons to close the education gap. There is no possible way to reduce the day by even one hour without a negative effect on how much and how well our children learn.

Which country has the least school hours?

The lowest for primary school is Russia with a total of 470 hours annually. The lowest for secondary school is Sweden with a total of only 741 hours annually. Compared to Mexico with 1,167 hours, that's barely anything at all.

Should school breaks be longer or shorter?

While many private schools offer a two-week vacation in March and two-week break in December, it is by no means a superior model. Shorter, more frequent breaks are more beneficial to students' success because they lack the downsides of lost learning time, high stress and disruption to extracurricular activities.