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Last year, after a March storm closed schools for almost a week, makeup days were hotly debated. In the end, school ended on June 29. With seven snow days this year so far, the issue is being debated again. Many people are commenting on the blogs and elsewhere that its too hot at the end of June for kids to learn and teachers to teach, irrespective of the fact that many schools in the city have air conditioning. I think this is a sad reflection on the level of instruction in our classrooms as well as on the administration of our schools.
For the record: I have taught for 24 years in a large elementary school in northern Manhattan that was built in 1904. It does not have air conditioning, except in our computer labs. The entire student body is poor, going by our lunch statistics, and only a handful of students are dominant in English. Also, our school is not on the federal or state needs improvement lists and was deemed well developed by Cambridge two years ago.
But more importantly, New York City, like other districts around the country, has recognized that school calendars can no longer conform to the old agricultural-based model. I have worked until the end of June for almost 25 years. Moreover, my average school day is almost a full period longer than the average primary school day in Norwalk.
For arguments sake, lets assume air conditioning and fans are not prevalent in our schools. Two points should be made: June, even toward the end, is generally not hot in New England. Also, my colleagues and I realize the real impediment to learning in hot weather is dehydration, which is a problem that is easily addressed.
Teachers often complain that the constant pressure from high-stakes testing makes really imaginative, differentiated instruction difficult. Even though I dont fully agree with this view, I do believe that the month or so after standardized tests are over can be a time for creative and engaging instruction.
The bottom line is, while fifth, eighth and 12th graders are preoccupied with graduation, everyone else should be intellectually engaged right into the final day of school whenever that may be. Parents should expect nothing less, and teachers, plus administrators, need to conform to those expectations.
A few thoughts on our school calendar: I strongly believe that the school day in Norwalk needs to be lengthened and that this should be achieved through negotiations with the educational unions. I also believe we should not use surrounding communities as the basis on which we develop our calendar. Why not take the lead on some of these issues?
I went to elementary school in the 1950s, and the length of my school day and year were about the same as what we have today in Norwalk. Considering everything thats happened in the world of education, something seems to be wrong here.
Bruce Kimmel is a former member of the Norwalk Board of Education and Common Council. He's also a fourth-grade teacher in the New York City Public Schools.
What do you think? Do we need to lengthen the school day/year?
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