#caedchat is for California educators, by California educators. All are welcome as moderators and participants discuss issues that emerge in California education, which are generally applicable to other regions of the United States.
Welcome to #caedchat, where educators gather to share and collaborate! Tonight’s topic is Modern Learning Environments. Tonight's Chat is moderated by @ArcherEdTech
Q1: Experts recommend secondary schools should not start before 8:30am. Let us all know a few things about your school site - what level (Elem, MS, HS) and what time do you start and end school? #caedchat
Rick Stevens from San Francisco area. Spent 25 years in K-12 as teacher and admin, Now consultant. Intrigued by tonight's topic on school start times, #caedchat
A1 that last site I worked at had first bell at 7:50. My business partner and I are working on starting a small MS program with a 9am start time #caedchat
We are a preK- 8 District our start times vary but most go from 8ish -2:30ish with an early release day on Thursday’s but LOTS of our kids arrive to our before school care by 6:30 and many many more by 7:30 which is when we serve breakfast #caedchat
A1; I teach at a hight school. Start/end times 7:30-2:15. I'd always been told we started early to accommodate athletic practices in the afternoon. Also district bus schedules. #caedchat
Q2: A Hanover Research survey found that 32% of staff report the see students falling asleep in class. Have you seen/found students falling asleep in your classroom? #caedchat
Q1: Experts recommend secondary schools should not start before 8:30am. Let us all know a few things about your school site - what level (Elem, MS, HS) and what time do you start and end school? #caedchat
A1: We are a preK- 8 District our start times vary but most go from 8ish -2:30ish with an early release day on Thursdays but LOTS of our kids arrive to our before school care by 6:30 and many many more by 7:30 which is when we serve breakfast #caedchat
A1 I wonder how much has to do with time vs what the Ss experience is going to be. Ss never seem to gripe about early camping trips or river floats or scuba dives. All are rich learning experiences. What can we learn from/through them? #caedchat#WhatSchoolCouldBe
Q1: Experts recommend secondary schools should not start before 8:30am. Let us all know a few things about your school site - what level (Elem, MS, HS) and what time do you start and end school? #caedchat
Q2: A Hanover Research survey found that 32% of staff report the see students falling asleep in class. Have you seen/found students falling asleep in your classroom? #caedchat
I’ll be curious if they do. So many students want to work part time and attend sports practice which would definitely get impacted with the late start time #caedchat
A2 yep, I teach a combo 6/7/8 group, if a kid doesn’t normally sleep in class then we let them sleep 20min before waking them so they will hopefully awaken somewhat refreshed. If they do it a lot I call home to talk to parents about sleep schedules at home. #caedchat
A2: Yes and I don’t believe that would change by making later start times. It doesn’t change our parents work time. I maintain the kids would come early anyway #caedchat
@LSpencerEdD I totally agree my 2nd graders started at 8:50 but would fall asleep, when they did, due to many different factors causing lack of sleep. #caedchat
Q3: A Hanover Research survey found that 57% of parents/staff/students are open to change school start times. What do you think about this idea...and what time should school start? #caedchat
That’s what I think, too. The more we depend on a commuting, 2 parent working household to survive, the more kids we will see hanging at schools from 6-6. #caedchat
Q2: A Hanover Research survey found that 32% of staff report the see students falling asleep in class. Have you seen/found students falling asleep in your classroom? #caedchat
Q3: A Hanover Research survey found that 57% of parents/staff/students are open to change school start times. What do you think about this idea...and what time should school start? #caedchat
A3: I love my sleep so I would appreciate a 9am start time, but I know Ts love early start times so they still have time for their life after hours #caedchat
Q3: A Hanover Research survey found that 57% of parents/staff/students are open to change school start times. What do you think about this idea...and what time should school start? #caedchat
I remember one practice a week and a game on Saturday when I was growing up. Now, kids seem to have multiple practices a week and a series of games. #caedchat
In reply to
@Mrs_Worley_, @ArcherEdTech, @TrPatel20
Q3) I suppose it also depends on how you can stagger start times for families with kids at different schools. I know someone who takes 3 kids to 3 different school in the morning. Crazy! But true...#caedchat
A3: I’m open to the discussion of it, but I think there are a lot of factors to consider. I’d love to see a swing schedule: 5 a.m. - noon and 1 - 7 pm with teachers sharing rooms. I am more efficient in the early am and would love to teach an early class. #caedchat
A2 Leads to a great convo about the need for Ss to PRODUCE more than they CONSUME. Sitting and being talked at (I make the mistake too often) is brutal on tired and otherwise disengaged Ss. #caedchat#WhatSchoolCouldBe
Q2: A Hanover Research survey found that 32% of staff report the see students falling asleep in class. Have you seen/found students falling asleep in your classroom? #caedchat
My kid is only 8 and she has practice 5 days a week, soccer game on Sat and 2 softball games on Sun. More my fault for all of that than hers I think! #caedchat
In reply to
@Filibuster3, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
I have colleagues who have long commutes and I know they are worried about longer commute times going home, even if they still drive in early. Still I think later starts are better for students and families. #caedchat
Q4: Studies have shown that at least a 25 min later start time leads to increased grades, a decrease in tardy/absence rate and Ss pay better attention in class. What are the reasons we have not changed the start times? #caedchat
I had one student who would show up late to 1st period in high school because his parents had to drop off siblings at the elementary school and middle school. Staggering start times affects busing, too. #caedchat
Yes I'm not one to talk... I'm just beginning to experience that with both my kids doing two sports each after school! I'm just grateful that HW for my children is mostly just reading and family activities done at our own pace (5 &7) #caedchat
In reply to
@LSpencerEdD, @Filibuster3, @Mrs_Worley_, @ArcherEdTech
Q4: Studies have shown that at least a 25 min later start time leads to increased grades, a decrease in tardy/absence rate and Ss pay better attention in class. What are the reasons we have not changed the start times? #caedchat
A4: Bus schedules, parent work times, need for before/afterschool care, union contracts, etc I’m sure we have a ton of reasons... adult-centered viewpoints #caedchat
Q4: Studies have shown that at least a 25 min later start time leads to increased grades, a decrease in tardy/absence rate and Ss pay better attention in class. What are the reasons we have not changed the start times? #caedchat
I’d love to map it out - there’s a lot of factors to consider, but it’s an alternative and would prepare secondary students for college schedules. It’s also student choice, which would be interesting. #caedchat
I love the idea and would work for both the early risers and the kids who sleep in. Would need some way to balance out the numbers for each site I suppose. #caedchat
All of this! Including lunches - out food services personnel work at multiple schools, so start times matter to them so that they are able to be at the different schools. #caedchat
A4: It is very difficult to change "systems" that have strong cultural and social roots. Everyone is impacted - often in different, competing ways - by a change as seemingly simple as school start time. #caedchat
So much to consider. Shorten the school day and help students but increase childcare expenses and hurt family. Need to fix all the moving parts... #caedchat
Our district does still provide general ed busing and the staggering of it is a concern in our district especially since each site has different late start days right now. #caedchat
a4) Is there a chance that school districts consider what is a nor
typical time for parents to start their own work day? the typical 8-5...just a thought... #caedchat
A4: Schools were set up to cater to parents’ work scheduled. Unfortunately, that system is still in place even when a later start helps children. What’s the focus - parents’ convenience or the welfare of our students? #caedchat
Q5: Extracurricular activities keep students out late on weeknights and HW adds more awake time for students. What can we do to help our very active students get more sleep? #caedchat
Q5: Extracurricular activities keep students out late on weeknights and HW adds more awake time for students. What can we do to help our very active students get more sleep? #caedchat
A5: so complicated. Part of it is learning to say no, enough. Kids, families, communities. As a teacher, I've adjusted my practices to quite a bit over the years, but don't see the adjustment elsewhere #caedchat
Q5: Extracurricular activities keep students out late on weeknights and HW adds more awake time for students. What can we do to help our very active students get more sleep? #caedchat
I suspect many of these are from club teams, not school teams. I don't have kids, but friends have talked more about club team practices and travel, especially during holiday weekends. #caedchat
In reply to
@ArcherEdTech, @LSpencerEdD, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
A5: Listen to the children. 1) Parents, do the children even want to do all the extracurricular activities? It’s sad when parents overschedule their children! 2) Teachers, adjust the amount of HW. The students are telling us - we need to listen #caedchat
A5) Educate sports organizations about detrimental effects of too many practices, advocate to our school boards about changing school start times *for MS and HS), educate Ts and admin about research around HW, Educate parents about children's sleep habits ... #caedchat
A5: LIMITS!!! I know we can’t, but our active Ss shouldn’t be taking 3 AP classes, participating in HS sports, and also playing on 1-2 club teams. It’s too much, but if parents aren’t willing to practice & teach that responsiblity, then I don’t know what we can do. #caedchat
A5: Many Ss are on their phones late into the night staying socially connected. It is a fear of missing out; being left out of the group. That is a problem that families need to address with some support from school #caedchat
yep - I've been asked time and time again to shift teaching expectations to accommodate sports, especially club teams that travel. And I do, because I'll accommodate students when I can to support their passions, but... priorities? #caedchat
In reply to
@Filibuster3, @ArcherEdTech, @LSpencerEdD, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
A5: Families need to decide for themselves when enough is enough. I don’t believe it should be the role of public ed to tell parents what to feed their kids when they should go to bed or how they should spend family time. #caedchat
I definitely revised my homework amounts after my niece lived with me during kindergarten! Crazy projects to do at home. We did them together and they looked like a kinder did them, but others looked like Michaels' projects. #caedchat
Absolutely. Completely unfair when HW is assigned when teachers haven’t looked at the work themselves. Even worse when the HW is returned and teachers don’t even look at it #caedchat
A5: We as educators can realize that the effect size of homework is not what we think, and stop assigning it for the sake of "preparing them for _____."
Instead, encourage conversations.
#caedchat
Q6: What strategies can schools/district use in order to limit the impact of teachers/students/family schedules - giving students more time at home? #caedchat
You mean like the proposed bill to regulate sugary drinks? #caedchat Yes, we have an obesity problem so get more P.E. and sugary drinks aren't the only problem. When still in the classroom, kids would bring FULL SIZED bags of potato chips for SNACK! #caedchat
Q6: What strategies can schools/district use in order to limit the impact of teachers/students/family schedules - giving students more time at home? #caedchat
Agreed. We can still encourage parents to estimate, wonder, and explore mathematics with their kids, but in a much different way. I'm trying to push, but it's a slow process!
#caedchat
A5: continued. Providing parents information on how to navigate those choices, info on health, safety, impact of those choices is our role. benefits #caedchat
the college admissions stress is real - we need colleges to help, need parents/community to think about happiness and success in more varied terms #caedchat
In reply to
@LSpencerEdD, @Filibuster3, @ArcherEdTech, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
Many of these extracurricular activities may actually be the student's true passion. The question is, how to you balance academic against other priorities like sports, clubs, etc? #caedchat
In reply to
@LSpencerEdD, @CohenD, @Filibuster3, @ArcherEdTech, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
Agreed. Yale now has a class on happiness. How sad is it that we have to teach students how to be happy after spending years stripping it away from them? #caedchat
In reply to
@CohenD, @Filibuster3, @ArcherEdTech, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
Good evening, #caedchat. If you want FREE ways to help parents encourage their kids to develop mathematical reasoning, dive into these:
https://t.co/fY6lL8l4BT
Honest. Not selling you anything there. It's free. And useful.
A6: Education and support for the factors that each can control and how the different factors & people most responsible for them (teachers & HW, parents & bedtimes, coaches & practice, students & self-regulation, community & values) all intersect. #caedchat
oh absolutely - I know they're passionate, and I want them to have that experience. But when do we get to the point where we admit it's a zero sum game, that time, energy, and focus are not endlessly... elastic? #caedchat
In reply to
@rickeducation, @LSpencerEdD, @Filibuster3, @ArcherEdTech, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
You just caused me to reflect big time! My eldest begged me to let her do 2 sports this fall and after last wk and realizing they couldn't cope with it.. NEVER again. I will take it upon myself to let the coach know i'll be there once a wk only for practice! #caedchat
I should back up, qualify statements. It's not everyone. I do have students who make it clear that English is not a high priority, and they are content with grades below their potential b/c they know they don't give English 100% effort #caedchat
Yes...I am guilty. My 8 yr old is in gymnastics, fall softball and competitive soccer. Too much, but she loves it all and so do I. Right now, we can balance it...carefully :) #caedchat
If practices were only 1x a week, students could try out a variety of sports without overwhelming themselves and their parents/guardians shuttling them around. #caedchat Your current soccer star could be a future curling star and you'd never know it. ;) #caedchat
In reply to
@TrPatel20, @Jyoung1219, @ArcherEdTech
increased use of mental health services could also reflect success in de-stigmatizing mental illness. We do *want* people to feel comfortable seeking and accessing these services #caedchat
In reply to
@LSpencerEdD, @K8Applebee, @rickeducation, @Filibuster3, @ArcherEdTech, @Mrs_Worley_, @TrPatel20
The key thing is daily balance. In a OneWord convo a year ago, someone on my team was very negative about the word balance for OneWord. As I spoke to her, I realized she saw it as a noun-something she felt can never be achieved. See it as a verb-daily practice. #caedchat
Quick side note: When I do internet safety/digital citizenship assemblies, I mention to older Ss about Snapchat's terms stating they have the right to use users' pics. Ss are NOT happy with that. #caedchathttps://t.co/k1aOJwQhwN See pt. 3
In reply to
@TrPatel20, @ArcherEdTech, @LSpencerEdD, @CohenD, @Mrs_Worley_
A7: I think small shifts can be made. But deep rooted culture is difficult to change in any sort of radical way. Although the four day school week is pretty radical and it is now a reality in some places #caedchat
A7: It feels like a school/district may choose to do a pilot of the schedule change. Since the system has been established for decades, I’m afraid a district-wide change is unlikely without an initial pilot at one school. #caedchat
A7: My hope is that someday we get more schools running more like colleges, in the sense that campus might be "open" from early a.m. to early evening, but no one is there for all of those hours. Flexibility for students and staff, less focus on seat time. #caedchat
Be sure to follow some new educators from tonight’s chat AND use the #caedchat hashtag all week long to share resources, ideas, and questions! Continue the discussion!
Sleep well my #caedchat friends. Sweet dreams, a blessed week, and renewed energy is my hope for all of you. Thanks @ArcherEdTech for giving of your precious time to lead us tonight #caedchat
You said it right there - she loves it! My daughter craves sports every day and I admit..part of me loves that she is athletic as well as academic.She thinks she can handle it all and like her mother, not good at balancing!i I think it depends on the individual! #caedchat
A7: I think we need base it in our communities (maybe not even district-wide) and keep the changes fluid - as the community changes, so should we. Definitely need a protocol so it’s not just on a whim. Also, be open to considering the radical. #caedchat
