Get Schooled

By happy2teach

June 17, 2008 8:32 AM | Link to this

WORST IDEA EVER!!!!

By Jeff

June 17, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

I personally don’t see the problems with a 10hr/day, 4 day work week. You still get 40 hours in, AND you save gas. (Not to mention the 3 day weekends EVERY weekend!)

Furthermore, I don’t see how this would be a problem if schools did it. Yes, you would have to rework the overall schedule, but that should be fairly easy.

By Gwinnett Educator

June 17, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this

Funny, I was thinking along these lines the other day while driving my father to dialysis. I was taking note of all the school buses I saw on the roads (summer school in Dekalb) and was thinking of all the gas that is being used to drive children to and from summer school.

I then thought about the 4 day..10 hr week. Im not sure if it is a good idea or not. On the top, it appears to be a good idea.

By T-soon to be ex-wife of Jeff

June 17, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Jeff, You got removed from the classroom, are about to get fired from your job, and quite frankly haven’t been doing anything for our marriage (our sex life is gone). Don’t bother coming home after work. Im moving back to Randolph County where the real men are!

By PJ

June 17, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this

As an adult, the idea has its appeal. But teaching children at the end of a 10 hour day? It’s difficult enough as it is. A later dismissal would also probably put middle school buses right in the middle of the evening commute.

By Marta

June 17, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

The problem with lengthening the school day to create a 4 day week is that children are not little adults. The ability to pay attention, sit still, absorb material declines as the day goes on. No doubt lots of “educational” movies would be shown in those last extra hours of the day.

By WFC

June 17, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

This would only work if teens were banned from driving to the mall, Starbucks or burger joints, etc., on Friday. Otherwise, it’s a useless scam.

By Jeff

June 17, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

WFC:

The goal here is to lighten the burden on the SCHOOL SYSTEMS, re: taxpayers in general.

What private individuals do with their own money (or their parents’) is up to them (or their parents).

By luvs2teach

June 17, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this

I’ve done the 4-day, 10 hour workweek as an adult, and I do like it, however, our middle schoolers are antsy after 6 hours - they’ll never make ten hours, and still learn effectively.

I suppose you could put in some “gas days” - maybe two a month, or something like that - but then you still have the mandatory 180 day school year law to contend with. Another question - would those “gas days” be teacher workdays? Maybe eliminating teacher workdays (especially the ones where we have to travel some longer distances than normal for “training”) would help some?

Too bad we couldn’t have “work from home days” - I’d love to set up a lesson online, complete with online quizzes and blogging for the kids to complete - unfortunately not all my students have access to the internet.

It was proposed in my county to increase the distances from schools for the bus routes (example: high schoolers currently walk if they live within 3/4 of a mile - make that a mile) - I guess then you’d have more parents driving, especially on rainy days, but maybe they could carpool?

By lyncoln

June 17, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this

It’ll definitely save gas if they implemented the system of longer school days.

But, I agree with those who wonder if the students will be up to the challenge of an extended school day. Elementary and Middle schoolers would probably have a very difficult time focusing for that long.

Also, the cost of child care every Friday for those families with no one who can be at home to look after a younger student would be huge.

For HS students, what about sports practices, band rehearsals, and all the various clubs and groups? I just don’t think it’s very feasible to expect a HS student to do a 10 hour class day and then put in the hours of practice/rehearsal/meetings after school, and then go do homework. And afterschool jobs would be completely out.

I wonder what the breakeven point of gas prices is between the cost of lots of long bus rides and small community schools in walking/biking distances of all the student’s homes?

Too bad Atlanta doesn’t have really great public bus/train systems. I don’t think MARTA could handle by taking up the contracts for transporting students to schools.

By Stacey

June 17, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

My son is going to 2nd grade this year and while I think he would be able to handle 10 hour school days (with a couple of fun breaks each day), I don’t think the average elementary or middle schooler could. As others have pointed out, a lot of these kids already zone out half way through the school day.

Sorta O.T., but I would LOVE to do the 10 hour/4 day work week but it doesn’t work for my current job. My SIL now works from home four days a week and only has to go to the office one day and she LOVES it. I’m not sure that I have the discipline to work from home fulltime but I wish I were in a position to do it once a week or so.

By Tony

June 17, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this

Kids could not handle 10 hour days. There is some brain research to back this up. It turns out that fatigue sets in after a few hours, so there would actually be losses in learning if we move to four day weeks.

Yes there would be fuel savings, but since our primary business is educating children that must remain our priority.

To make significant impacts on the use of fuels, our society must examine the use of vehicles. We do not effectively utilize mass transit because we like the freedom of moving about in our own cars. This is one of the biggest factors in oil consumption in our nation. Let’s talk about parking our gas guzzling cars.

This idea as it relates to schools: parents do not need to drive their children to and from school. Let them ride the buses. This would save fuel more than parking the buses one day a week.

By Jeff

June 17, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this

Tony:

BUT it still forces the taxpayers in general to pony up MORE money.

A better solution, if you don’t want to move to 10 hour days - and I am a FIRM believer that kids will perform as expected when NOTHING else is allowed, no matter WHAT the expectation is - is to have each and every PARENT drive their kid to school. At least then, the gas burden is on the particular parent and not on the general taxpayer within the system.

By catlady

June 17, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this

Our kids (3rd -5th) are in class and actively being instructed for a full 7 hours a day (less 15 min recess and 20 min lunch). When I say actively, I mean teacher at the board, drill, drill, drill. Many teachers also quiz (via flashcards) their kids lined up for the 3 bathroom breaks allotted per day! I can tell you few could take any more active instructional time. I suspect we do more than the law requires as it is, to diminishing returns. It still wouldn’t do anything for the 180 day a year law, anyway. Many of our kids have over an hour to ride morning and again in the evening, in addition. I can tell you I could not do it, physically.

I love the idea, however.

See today’s blog on Kathy Cox’s ideas to postpone the start of school, and parent reaction to losing the babysitting.

By em

June 17, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this

On the surface this sounds like a good idea but no one really knows how it will work until we take it out for a spin. As for fatigue, instead of a three day weekend, how about a break in the middle of the week. At the high school level, let’s face it, between schedule disruptions for EOCT and GHSGT testing (twice a year for EOCT if a school is on the block), pep rallies, assemblies, class meetings, etc. maybe there would be enough time to get something accomplished. At my school, we barely make the state mandated seat hours as it is and the chronic interruptions don’t help but that argument is for another blog.

By Tony

June 17, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

At least then, the gas burden is on the particular parent and not on the general taxpayer within the system.

The problems with this idea: gasoline is a limited resource so more people driving uses it up faster. The law of supply and demand would say that a reduction in consumption (fewer cars driving) would lower prices (positive effect for schools/taxpayers).

And, you can be a firm believer in the geocentric universe but that does not make it so.

By happy2teach

June 17, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

That we are even discussing this is a little sad.

How far has education slipped down our list of priorities as a country? We need kids to be in school as much as possible so that they can help innovate us out of this mess, but 10 hours a day is a ridiculous expectation for student and teachers.

Why don’t we look at getting together parent/teacher led walking groups? So many kids live within a mile of our school, yet hop on a bus every day. If more kids walked, with volunteer supervisors, we could address a few problems.

By Tony

June 17, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this

chronic interruptions Most people don’t realize this, but this one single factor distinguishes US schools from all other schools in the world. Why do we put up with so many interruptions?

By catlady

June 17, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this

Well, by gawd, WE don’t have any interruptions because we are a Reading First school! We have 2-3 assemblies per grade per year. We get to sneak out to watch the Veteran’s Day parade walk by the school (10 minutes). God help us if the school catches on fire or a tornado roars through! (We DO have very quick drills, as per state law). 2 years ago our kids got to go to an assembly of opera-style singing, but we had to find a way to GPS it.

By HS Teacher Too

June 17, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

“I am a FIRM believer that kids will perform as expected when NOTHING else is allowed”

Jeff, don’t be ridiculous. It won’t matter what you expect if the kids are not physically, physiologically, emotionally, or cognitively able. Sheesh, why do you think I am not the kicker for the New England Patriots? Nothing less than Vinatieri-esque ability is expected, and no matter WHAT I do, I just can’t get there!

By Jeff

June 17, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this

HST2:

Work hard enough and you could do it. Same thing with anyone else, including kids. Force them to work hard enough, and ANYTHING can be accomplished.

Want to move a mountain? You’ve got two basic ways: A large enough explosion - but with this option the mountain can’t be rebuilt - or a million handfuls of dirt.

In this example, raw talent is the explosion. Individuals are either capable or not of this, and this is where your ‘New England Patriots’ example comes in.

HOWEVER, my point always has been the million handfuls. It moves the mountain just as certainly as the explosion, and ANYONE can do it.

By HS Teacher Too

June 17, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this

Jeff, we shall have to agree to disagree. When you and T have children of your own, perhaps you will see more clearly that biology dictates more than you realize. and I don’t mean that in a condescending way, by any means, but I believe that your views will soften when you see that it is not, can not be, and never shall be, 100% about expectations without some acknowledgement of what is possible to begin with.

By Jeff

June 17, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this

HST2:

Biology dictates NOTHING. If the mind/will is strong enough, the body will do as it is commanded.

By HS Teacher Too

June 17, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

Yikes! Sorry for the horrific run-on sentence!

By Shogun

June 17, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this

I wish the state can make up its mind on what they want schools to be. Do they want schools to educate children? Do they want schools to be solutions to all kinds of social problems? Once they make up their mind, maybe they can start making decisions best suited for the goal(s) they have for schools.

As for what happens during a school day, I can tell you that Japanese children spend 6 (or fewer in lower grades) class periods a day for instruction. Each period in HS is 50 minutes and 40 in ES. They get plenty of recesses (10/20 minutes in between periods and about 25 minutes after lunch break). Somehow they manage to do better academically than GA schools. Yes, they go to school about 220 days, but some days will be only for more social activities, like field days.

By HS Teacher Too

June 17, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

Jeff, so if you want to get pregnant, you can?

By Vicki

June 17, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

HS Teacher Too,

Thank you so much for a good laugh!

By Jeff

June 17, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this

HST2:

If I wanted to bad enough, yes. Of course, I never doubt the things a truly devoted scientist can create (both good and bad).

As comedic and far-fetched as Ahnold’s Junior may seem at first glance, knowing the advances made in the last few years as far as tissue generation goes, I wouldn’t doubt that modern medical science will one day be able to create an entire reproductive system - minus the sperm and eggs, and those can be donated - that could be put in any healthy adult.

And if I wanted to be at the forefront of that research so that I could be the first male in human history to birth a baby from my own body, I could take the ‘million handfuls’ approach right now and begin the necessary class work, then find the appropriate job, etc.

By happy2teach

June 17, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this

Jeff-

Stop. Please.

Everyone believes in the virtue of hard work, but…get a grip.

By Tony

June 17, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this

Biology dictates NOTHING. If the mind/will is strong enough, the body will do as it is commanded. Horse feathers! There are 10 classrooms in my school with more than enough evidence regarding the effect biology has on limiting human outcomes.

Catlady, I commend your school for limiting interruptions. Although it sounds as if they have also excluded excellent learning opportunities, too. Not everything in life that is important is included in the GPS. This is a fine example of how our TESTING FRENZY is limiting our kids opportunities. Also another example of cart before the horse.

By jim d

June 17, 2008 5:44 PM | Link to this

Well obviously I think it would be a great idea to cut back to 3 days a week, assigning a couple of days of home study with teachers available online those two days to assist any student requiring a bit of help.

Taxpayers save and so would teachers not having to drive to school. Sounds like a win win to me.

By HB

June 17, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

There are school districts in Minnesota already doing this and it does save a lot of money, both on diesel for buses with long routes in rural areas and on other utilities by powering down buildings an extra day each week. It’s cut down on sub expenses too as many teachers/staff schedule doctor and other appointments on the Mondays they now have off instead of using sick/personal days.

That said, trying to extend each school day by more than an hour doesn’t sound like a great idea. Why not a 4-day week every other week? That’s 2 days off each month and you make up the day over 9 days instead of 4, still saving on some energy/utility and sub costs.

By EducatorX3

June 17, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this

Biology dictates NOTHING. If the mind/will is strong enough, the body will do as it is commanded.

Jeff, you make me laugh! I have been working all day at commanding my body to be six-feet tall and nothing has happened! What do you suppose I am doing wrong???

I hate to be the one to say it, but you didn’t last long enough in a middle school classroom to be an expert on what students can do. With as much time as you seem to spend on the blogs, it would seem that perhaps you have a difficult time staying on task yourself.

Like Tony said, the great majority of our students could not physically, mentally, or emotionally handle having a ten-hour day. Research, common sense, and anyone with elementary experience would support this!

By Lee

June 17, 2008 10:02 PM | Link to this

“Jeff, so if you want to get pregnant, you can?”

ROFLLMAO.

Give it up Jeff. You brought a water pistol in a gunfight of wits.

I’ve attended many a training seminar over the years, usually running from 8am to 5pm with an hour for lunch. Even with breaks every hour, most of us were zoned out by mid-afternoon…

…and you want to put kids through that everyday.

Yeah, right.

By Competitive

June 17, 2008 10:13 PM | Link to this

Jim D’s idea is pretty good, if the work students do at home is truly required with consequences for not completing it. That’s unlikely. I’ve been a student in extended day classes to make up missed days from the blizzard of ‘93, and it was awful. We only went one extra hour, but those extra minutes were very difficult. This would also impact extracurricular activities, homework, jobs, etc.

I like luvs2teach’s idea of taking away bus service to students who live within a mile of school. Walking would decrease gas consumption and increase fitness. Also, decrease the number of bus stops. Instead of stopping every 20 feet to let them off at their door, make a few centrally located stops and have the students walk a little further to get home. It would only save a little at a time, but it would add up quickly.

By V for Vendetta

June 17, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this

Just checking in …

JimD, great idea! Which is precisely why it will never happen. Still, I love it and will dream about it tonight.

Jeff, Good lord.

L2T, I like the walking idea, too. On my way to work I constantly see buses stopping every other driveway to pick up kids. I don’t want to get into a “back in my day” rant, but I find that to be ridiculous. When I went to school we had to walk a LONG A$$ way to the bus stop EVERY morning. What’s the excuse now? Is little Johnny too fat to walk that far? Tough beans, Lardo!

Normally I shy away from alarmist thinking, but I think in this case we need to consider ways to conserve gas—not because we’re going to run out tomorrow, mind you, but rather because the enormous financial burden is going to pass to the taxpayers and I don’t fully agree with that, especially when we can do things to reduce consumption.

By Jeff

June 18, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this

Do any of you remember the Christmas-time story about the Make-A-Wish kid who wanted to recieve 10K Christmas cards that year? This kid was SEVERELY physically handicapped and not expected to live another 6 months. (His name was Nick Waters and he lived in Cherokee County. If I remember correctly, it was one of the more popular ‘fluff’ pieces for the TV news to run and even had a write up in the AJC.)

Nick is my cousin, and I’ve known him all his life. (He is roughly my middle bro’s age.) The guy has been told he had 6 months to live so many times I’ve lost count. Heck, he wasn’t supposed to last the first WEEK of his life, and he had something like two or three open heart surgeries before his first birthday.

He’s in his late teens/ early 20s now, and last I heard as healthy as he’s ever been.

Don’t TELL me biology matters. If it did, Nick would have been dead LONG ago.

Ladies and gentlemen, like it or not, I stick to what I see and know to be true. And I’ve personally known FAR too many people who have gone up against odds - circumstantial, environmental, and biological - that most deemed COMPLETELY insurmountable and overcame them.

And I hold that if one man (with the exception of Christ, as he was God) can do it, ANYONE can.

BTW: For those saying ‘With your limited classroom experience…’:

I had one of my own students prove this. This particular student was at Newton, and she was on dialysis and had SEVERAL other things going on as well. Yet when you looked at her academics, you would have never known. She did all her work - and generally did pretty good on it, even with MY standards - and RARELY said anything about her biological problems. She was one of the overall best students I had, IN SPITE of her issues.

And she was also the first student I’ve had that died. (While I was at Randolph.)

Biology dictates nothing, if the mind/will is strong enough. And until you so-called education ‘leaders’ come to realize that, American education will continue to fail.

By Jeff

June 18, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this

Another thing:

One of the greatest lessons I ever learned from my parents and my mentor back at the alternative school was this:

“Never give up on ANYONE. ANYTHING can be overcome.”

You who make excuses for kids in ANY area - because they’re poor, they’re sick, they have a ‘disability’, whatever -, I KNOW (well, I trust, as I don’t like to think bad about anyone until they PROVE otherwise) that you have good intentions.

But you are STILL writing those kids off. You’re STILL giving up on them because you are holding them to less of a standard. If you expect a kid with EVERYTHING to hit a certain mark, you HAVE to expect a kid with NOTHING to hit that same mark.

You call me ‘too tough’, ‘crazy’, whatever. But I will NEVER give up on ANYONE. I know what it feels like to be written off, and I know how hard it is to not give up on something in the heat of battle when they insist on continuing to do the wrong thing. But I garauntee you that if one of my students came back to me right now and asked for my help, they would have it until they proved to me that they didn’t really want to improve. And even then, if they came back to me again years later and asked for my help, they would STILL have it.

And yet YOU stay in the classroom in your ivory tower and DARE say that YOU belong there and I don’t?

Who cares more about these kids?

By EducatorX3

June 18, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this

Biology dictates nothing, if the mind/will is strong enough. And until you so-called education ‘leaders’ come to realize that, American education will continue to fail.

I am so glad you have cleared this up for me. You mean to tell me that the genetics of my family have nothing to do with it? I am thinking that the genetics testing that I endured under the watchful eye of experts was a waste of time. All I had to do was want it badly enough, to have the will to make it better, and I would have been able to correct that gene before my daughter was born with a physical (i.e.,biological) - birth defect?

Bottom line…I would bet that your two examples, if asked, would tell you that biology dictates quite a bit. Look at the facts, your student died. Do you think she willed that or did biology dictate it?

Now, if you want to make the argument that students can work to overcome the hand that life has dealt them, that there are hurdles that can be overcome, I will agree. But to say that “biology has nothing to do with it,” indicates your lack of understanding of biological science.

One still must consider age and maturity when looking at the structure of a school day. I would love to add a bit of time to our day, and I would love to see an additional 20 or so days (with increased teacher pay, of course!), however, I cannot imagine trying to teach anything to a 7 year old at the end of a 10 hour day! Shoot…I teach graduate courses and can’t keep teachers on task after a 8 hour day!

By EducatorX3

June 18, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

But you are STILL writing those kids off. You’re STILL giving up on them because you are holding them to less of a standard.

mmm…not sure who YOU is supposed to be, but I don’t find anything in any post about holding students to lesser standards. Folks with experience and knowledge were simply saying that many students would not be able to pay attention, engage, and learn after a certain amount of time and that 10 hour days could be counter-productive.

And yet YOU stay in the classroom in your ivory tower and DARE say that YOU belong there and I don’t?

Again, not sure who YOU is supposed to be, but I don’t work in an ivory tower. I work in a red-brick building filled with little ones who expect me to look out for them and big-ones who expect me to take care of the other stuff so they can do the work of teaching. Yes, I belong there.

Don’t recall saying or reading anything about where you belong, or don’t.

By Jeff

June 18, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

EX3:

The 10 hour day is the standard in question at the moment, but my comment holds for ANY standard.

People will rise - or fall - to the level expected of them. That goes for a 1 yr old just as surredly as it goes for a 21 yr old just as certainly as it goes for an 81 yr old.

My point all along has been that if you set a standard and allow NOTHING else, that standard WILL be hit.

By Stacey

June 18, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

Jeff…From some of your past posts here and on the Momania blog, I know that you realize that God is still in the miracle-making business. While I am sincerely happy to hear that you cousin (and the others mentioned) are alive & well and/or overcame their obstacles, that is not everyone’s’ reality. For every post you have to guarantee your views are correct, I (and everyone else here) can counter to prove you are wrong. It’s a neverending game of “t**-for-tat”. I know my post will mean no more to you that anyone else’s (perhaps less), but please consider that there are scenarios & circumstance on which you are not an expert.

By EducatorX3

June 18, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this

Stacy…if you can get Jeff to consider that he is not an expert on everything, you will accomplish something many have attempted!

Jeff, for expectations to be met, they must be reasonable, age-appropriate, attainable, etc. Many folks with far more experience, much more research, and probabaly more wisdom have been trying to tell you that. Few educators will argue with you that expectations/standards need to be high, but that was not your argument. Go back and look at what you said. You started the strand that the mind/will can overcome biology….very different discussion. Of course, you drop that strand when you don’t see a way out of the hole you’ve dug for yourself.

If you don’t learn anything else, please learn that there are many with more knowledge, wisdom, and experience. Learn from them. Listen to what folks say and consider it without taking it as a personal attack. Learn from others instead of thinking you have the answers to everything.

In the meantime…

When you can get a 7 year-old to stay on task for 10 hours simply because you expect him to, let me know.

When you can teach a one-year old to read simply because you set a standard and allow NOTHING else, that standard WILL be hit. let me know.

When you can get my 81 year-old mother to run a mile simply because you expect her to, I’ll stand on the road and cheer.

Until then, I will guarantee that my expectations of the students in my building are high enough to be challenging, and reasonable enough to be attainable.

By Jeff

June 18, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

EX3:

I dropped nothing. Biology means NOTHING when the mind/will is strong enough, and therefore if you allow NO other option than for someone to meet your expectation, biology is irrelevant.

That 7 yo goes off task within 10 hours BECAUSE HIS TEACHER ALLOWED HIM TO.

But hey, don’t believe me… the Jaapanese do this every day…

By EducatorX3

June 18, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

Be careful, Jeff. If you truly believe what you have said, then explain how my will/mind can overcome my genetics. You think that I can fix the gene that carries the traits for a birth defect?

Tell me how expecting my mother to run a mile…giving her no choice…will make it happen.

And just so you know…my sister-in-law is Japanese. Be careful. Once again, you talk about things you do not know.

As my dear grandmother would say…”bless your heart.”

By Tony

June 18, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

The Japanese do not send their children to school for 10 hours a day. Nor do the Chinese, Germans, Russians, or any other country on Earth.

By jim d

June 18, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

C’mon jeff,

Are you saying that simply by expecting a new born not to mess and be able to care for themselves it will happen? Maybe in time (say 18 years if we are lucky) but just willing it don’t make it so.

You and T need to get busy son! You need a few rug rats of your own to enlighten you. :-)

By Jeff

June 18, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

EX3:

You may not be able to correct the gene specifically, but you CAN overcome its effects.

Otherwise, explain David Ring.. This is a man born with cerebral palsy yet is a moderately famous preacher in Southern Baptist circles.

Heck, if you want to hear the man in person he’s going to be in Atlanta a couple of times before the end of the year - at Prospect UMC on Sept 21 and North Metro First Baptist (where Frank Cox - a former Georgia Baptist Convention President- is the pastor) in Lawrencville on Oct 18.

I can keep going with this. Person after person after person who PROVE that biology means NOTHING if the mind/will is strong enough.

These people are not special, if they can do it, ANYONE can.

By EducatorX3

June 18, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

Jeff, David Ring is a very successful example of overcoming the EFFECTS of biology. I would wager that he would tell you that biology means a lot.

My brother was a courageous fighter against the birth defect that took his life, but he still died. My daughter lived well beyond what was expected, she fought a valiant fight, but she still died.

You think they weren’t special? You think they just didn’t try hard enough? You don’t have a clue. Not everyone can overcome the effects of the genes they inherit just by putting their minds to it.

Be careful. There are ways of learning lessons that are not pleasant. I hope and pray that you never have a child that cannot live up to your standards.

Bless your heart.

By V for Vendetta

June 18, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this

Maybe with enough combined willpower we can enlighten Jeff enough to overcome his indomitable hubris!

Come one everyone … keep … trying … don’t… give … up …

If we put our minds to it, we can accomplish anything!

By jim d

June 19, 2008 5:44 AM | Link to this

Sorry V,

But some things truly are impossible.

By 3rd grade teacher

June 19, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

I feel going to the 4 days would not be a good idea. The kids are not little adults. They would not be able to stay focused that long. It may cause them to hate school and drop out and we do not need that.

By 3rd grade teacher

June 19, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

I feel going to the 4 days would not be a good idea. The kids are not little adults. They would not be able to stay focused that long. It may cause them to hate school and drop out and we do not need that.