School days will get more than two hours longer for 2,000 New York City sixth-graders next fall. The nation's largest city is joining a roster of school systems experimenting with having students spend more time in class.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott announced the plan Monday.
It will involve about 2,000 students in 20 schools, not yet chosen.
Pupils will get 2½ extra hours a day of reading tutoring and other educational activities, run by a nonprofit group.
The City Council and private foundations are paying for the extra instruction. It's part of a $4.6 million effort to improve middle school reading.
Notice what they're going to spend the time on - reading, tutoring, and other educational activities.
In other words, test prep-related activities.
Drills and skills.
How about saving the regular school day for the drills and skills and putting in some fun activities after school?
How about some games or physical activities?
How about art or music?
How about some social-emotional learning?
How about anything other than test prep?
If you want the kids to read, forcing them to read complex text and do other Common Core and test prep-related activities for 10 hours a day isn't going to do it.
But I didn't fall off a turnip truck.
Quinn and Walcott don't care if the kids like reading.
They want the kids to learn how to obey rules and deal with drudgery, so they can be ready to be good Americans when they grow up.
Shut up and do your test!
Shut up and do your work!
Work longer and harder for less and less every year!
That's the agenda here.
Maybe this song could be updated:
ReplyDeleteWe don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Chancellor leave them kids alone
Hey Mayor leave us kids alone
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
Great update to the song. I can hear the Gilmour solo over the beat right now.
DeleteThey did the same thing in Chicago but are using teachers that were previously excessed to do the after school work. I feel so sad for the kids at these schools. They will not have any time for playing, hanging with their friends, working an after school job, or even spending quality time with their families. (They will still have homework after these massively long days) As much as I do not like the Unity Crew, I can not see them forcing this on all teachers as it will have to be voted on as it is an obvious change to our contract. But wait, so was the evaluation change! However, if this was to expand citywide to every grade, I do not think that even the city council and private donations would be able to cover the price for this. The extra money being earned by NYC teachers would be pensionable and we all know that the city does not want to pay teachers one red cent more than they already do. Me thinks they'll keep this project in some select schools and it will continue to be run by non profits.
ReplyDeleteI agree - the price tag would be too much.
DeleteUnless Cuomo/Tisch/King decide that, since they have already superseded local contractual agreements with APPR, they can supersede contractual agreements on time and days and force both through state law.
That wouldn't go over so well in Westchester and L.I., of course, so it's doubtful they'll do that, no matter how much Gov Andy might like to.
This will probably remain one of those programs targeted at a few schools.
But as you say, those poor kids.
Interesting point about this needing contract approval and how Unity squeeked in the evaluation change w/o membership vote of approval.
ReplyDeleteIt was MORE that fought for the right for a membership vote on the test-based VAM evaluations; it was MORE that did a survey on how the Danielson Frameworks were working out for teachers. Never forget that Unity let these contract busters in without a contract vote.
This is the Orwellian Unity that we are dealing with, telling us that Danielson isn't official, while they are turning a blind eye to how it is being used nearly everywhere in NYC DOE schools.
I agree with everything you say. All these contractual changes without a new contract. So much for contractual law being sacrosanct!
DeleteAnd you just know that these kids are going to rebel.
ReplyDelete