School Start Time Essay
Rough Draft: Argumentative Essay In theory as time passes just about everything on Earth will change with its surrounding environment. Considering school is a part of almost every individual’s life, one would think that it has continued to evolve as those going through it age and have children of their own. Even though society has evolved with the passing of time, the school system has not reached its potential with the introduction of knowledge and technology around today. Most students are still taught the same way sitting in the same rows. Most students are still getting up at the same time for school as their parents. But it is important to recognize all students are still the future. How is the younger generation supposed to change the
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future if the way kids are taught has not adapted with the times? Despite the fact that the tools used for learning have changed, whether it be a piece of chalk or smart board, many schools do not teach critical thinking and teach to pass a multiple choice test.
School systems limit teenagers ability to learn through the early start time, and the constant systematic teaching style. The majority of school districts across the country start before or close to eight in the morning. With this early start time students are tired and cannot perform to the best of their abilities. In this stage of one’s life, sleep is most important because teenagers bodies are still growing along with their minds. It is argued that changing the start time of school would be senseless because a later start would lead to a later, and the time required would still remain constant. But, when someone goes to sleep should also be accounted for in considering if someone is getting optimal sleep. Lack of sleep can cause “weight gain and eating disorders and increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular problems, and diabetes; reduced immunity; depression; anxiety; substance abuse; mood …show more content…
swings; behavioral problems; suicidal ideation; and potential impacts on brain development” (Why We Must - and Can - Restore Safe & Healthy School Hours). Teens are unable to perform their best in schools when they are struggling each day to make it through each class. According to Dr. John Cline, a study in Minnesota multiple schools changed their start times from 7:15 to 8:40. This small change in time caused an increase in attendance in urban areas, and led to students in suburban areas to get an extra hour of sleep. It has been debated that beginning later would cause athletes to not be able to do the schoolwork required of them and manage to get to bed at a reasonable time. But it must be noted that during the day these student athletes would be more efficient with their work, and would be less prone to injury. Based on a Los Angeles Study, athletes getting less than eight hours of sleep were more susceptible to injury. If the status quo of school start times was changed students would not only increase their performance in school, but also in sports and stimulate more positive outlooks hence a better learning environment. Like the early start times, the methods in which children are taught remain almost identical to that of the past, using technology as a substitute for previous tools.
It is often stated that the schools system has not changed because it is so effective. However, nothing is perfect; there is always room for improvement. For many classes, each student is taught to learn to get an A, not to actually understand the topic or be passionate about what they are learning about. Our society has taught children that only an A is good enough, that only perfection will lead to success. But what our society does not consider is that everyone has different talents, and like Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The multiple-choice test was created by Frederick R. Kelly in the early 1900s when thousands of more immigrants were coming to America shores (Davidson). In comparison to the past, as motivational speaker Prince Ea points out, in the last century phones, cars, and even our constitution has changed, but school has stayed the same. The way students sit in class is still the same. The way students are taught based on how to do well on the test is still the same. The way students are judged by how they performed on a standardized test is still the same. The inventor of the multiple choice even said “these tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned.” Every
individual has his or her own talent and way of learning. To expect teens to think the same is unrealistic. Most people learn by doing and discussing the topic, but many lessons are still taught through memorization. The most effective teachers realize this and strive to make class more than just a repeated daily lecture and include group projects, in class discussions, and connect the work to the real world. Teachers are the most valuable aspect of the learning environment; their job is not just to teach the next generation, but to make sure the next generation is being taught in the most effective way possible. While many teachers do succeed in this, with standardized testing it can be difficult to delegate time on what has the most value because they are expected to cover what will be on the test. Schools around the country also have programs where students can start an internship to explore what their future can be. Admittedly, finding a way to change how students are taught is more challenging than solving the problem of the conditions they are taught under. Just as society has created these norms, it also needs to spark a change in this standstill condition. While the students now may not be the shapers of society, eventually this generation will come to be the deciders of what is considered acceptable. Hopefully by then we will revamp how and when the next generation is taught, along with what is expected of them. The teachers that shape these kids hold such great power in shaping the future, but without malleable clay all the efforts will go to waste. Learning should be about obtaining knowledge to help society. Learning should be an enjoyable process. But with every unique student being exhausted and every unique student being compared to on the same scale, not all of them take advantage of the knowledge they have the ability to gain.
future if the way kids are taught has not adapted with the times? Despite the fact that the tools used for learning have changed, whether it be a piece of chalk or smart board, many schools do not teach critical thinking and teach to pass a multiple choice test.
School systems limit teenagers ability to learn through the early start time, and the constant systematic teaching style. The majority of school districts across the country start before or close to eight in the morning. With this early start time students are tired and cannot perform to the best of their abilities. In this stage of one’s life, sleep is most important because teenagers bodies are still growing along with their minds. It is argued that changing the start time of school would be senseless because a later start would lead to a later, and the time required would still remain constant. But, when someone goes to sleep should also be accounted for in considering if someone is getting optimal sleep. Lack of sleep can cause “weight gain and eating disorders and increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular problems, and diabetes; reduced immunity; depression; anxiety; substance abuse; mood …show more content…
swings; behavioral problems; suicidal ideation; and potential impacts on brain development” (Why We Must - and Can - Restore Safe & Healthy School Hours). Teens are unable to perform their best in schools when they are struggling each day to make it through each class. According to Dr. John Cline, a study in Minnesota multiple schools changed their start times from 7:15 to 8:40. This small change in time caused an increase in attendance in urban areas, and led to students in suburban areas to get an extra hour of sleep. It has been debated that beginning later would cause athletes to not be able to do the schoolwork required of them and manage to get to bed at a reasonable time. But it must be noted that during the day these student athletes would be more efficient with their work, and would be less prone to injury. Based on a Los Angeles Study, athletes getting less than eight hours of sleep were more susceptible to injury. If the status quo of school start times was changed students would not only increase their performance in school, but also in sports and stimulate more positive outlooks hence a better learning environment. Like the early start times, the methods in which children are taught remain almost identical to that of the past, using technology as a substitute for previous tools.
It is often stated that the schools system has not changed because it is so effective. However, nothing is perfect; there is always room for improvement. For many classes, each student is taught to learn to get an A, not to actually understand the topic or be passionate about what they are learning about. Our society has taught children that only an A is good enough, that only perfection will lead to success. But what our society does not consider is that everyone has different talents, and like Einstein said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” The multiple-choice test was created by Frederick R. Kelly in the early 1900s when thousands of more immigrants were coming to America shores (Davidson). In comparison to the past, as motivational speaker Prince Ea points out, in the last century phones, cars, and even our constitution has changed, but school has stayed the same. The way students sit in class is still the same. The way students are taught based on how to do well on the test is still the same. The way students are judged by how they performed on a standardized test is still the same. The inventor of the multiple choice even said “these tests are too crude to be used and should be abandoned.” Every
individual has his or her own talent and way of learning. To expect teens to think the same is unrealistic. Most people learn by doing and discussing the topic, but many lessons are still taught through memorization. The most effective teachers realize this and strive to make class more than just a repeated daily lecture and include group projects, in class discussions, and connect the work to the real world. Teachers are the most valuable aspect of the learning environment; their job is not just to teach the next generation, but to make sure the next generation is being taught in the most effective way possible. While many teachers do succeed in this, with standardized testing it can be difficult to delegate time on what has the most value because they are expected to cover what will be on the test. Schools around the country also have programs where students can start an internship to explore what their future can be. Admittedly, finding a way to change how students are taught is more challenging than solving the problem of the conditions they are taught under. Just as society has created these norms, it also needs to spark a change in this standstill condition. While the students now may not be the shapers of society, eventually this generation will come to be the deciders of what is considered acceptable. Hopefully by then we will revamp how and when the next generation is taught, along with what is expected of them. The teachers that shape these kids hold such great power in shaping the future, but without malleable clay all the efforts will go to waste. Learning should be about obtaining knowledge to help society. Learning should be an enjoyable process. But with every unique student being exhausted and every unique student being compared to on the same scale, not all of them take advantage of the knowledge they have the ability to gain.