We Need a Longer School Year by Jennifer Davis - Essay Example

We Need a Longer School Year by Jennifer Davis We Need a Longer School Year by Jennifer Davis There exist contrasting opinions and debates on the various aspects of the academic calendar in the United States of America. However, these arguments are geared towards the realization of better academic policies and consequently higher levels of performance in terms of grades and competitiveness. Jennifer Daviss article on the Cable News Network (CNN), ‘We need a longer school year depicts some of the debatable topics in the education sector and whose intervention by the relevant authorities and agencies is worthy and justified. To a greater extent, I seem to agree with Davis that the school year should be lengthened in a bid to realize higher levels of performance by the learners. However, I tend to disagree to some of her arguments and opinions on the same issue. Agreement I concur with some of the arguments raised by Jennifer when backing-up her edition. Firstly, I agree with the fact that the subsequent impacts of the long summer holidays in the USA are subject to many factors. For instance, children from families in which both parents are employed do not enjoy their vacation because they spend a little time with them. On the other hand, children from the low-income families are subject to severe academic slumps due to idleness and their subsequent inability to visit libraries. Jennifer refers to the summer holidays as ‘summer slide due to its adverse impacts on the performance of children from low-income households (Davis, 2012). As such, the season is depicted as the avenue that widens the gap between the rich and the poor. In this regard, learners from poor households tend to trial behind their counterparts from the affluent suburbs in terms of educational performance. Therefore, the lengthening of the school year will be essential in facilitating the performance of the learners from the majority low-income earners thereby bridging the gap between the poor and the rich. Additionally, the aspects of summer nightmares and behavioral deterioration by students from families that both parents are employed will be reduced by extending the schooling period. As such, children and learners from these households will not engage in strange behaviors such as substance abuse. Extending the schooling period will enable them to avoid indulging and participating in unworthy practices. This argument can be further backed-up by the fact that children tend to violate their freedom when left alone in homes when their parents go for work. Therefore, an extension of the schooling time will ensure that the learners remain under the supervision of their teachers for a longer period thereby improving their moral values and character. Children from the low-income families will be able to catch-up with their colleagues from the wealthy households leading to social and economic balance in their adulthood (Davis, 2012). The beneficiaries of this kind of balance or equilibrium are individuals and the government. Individuals will be able to meet their day-to-day expenses while the state will boast of its higher revenue base and consequently higher levels of economic growth and development. Secondly, I agree with Davis argument that longer school years will have significant impacts on various aspects of the school such as the rates of failure and proficiency in examinations and tests. For instance, the additional cost that parents and guardians incur for the extra school days is minimal and affordable by many households. Therefore, the respective returns and dividends will be inclined on the performance of the learners leading to higher economic returns in the long-run. Recent research findings affirm that pupils graduating from algebra and reading will gain greater proficiency in their academic life. Additionally, research findings state that the achievement gap between students in schools has reduced drastically due to the extension of learning period. Accordingly, parents should consider and perpetuate the option of extending the schooling period for their kids to realize the best out of their academic endeavors. Disagreement There exist some disadvantages that are associated with the extension of the schooling time. Davis has highlighted some of these shortcomings although she is largely inclined on the option of having a longer school year due to the merits that are associated with the move. I tend to disagree with Davis in some arguments. Firstly, the cost attached to the extension policy varies from one institution to the other. Therefore, some schools may tend to charge higher fees meaning that the learners from the low-income households may not be able to meet it. This will further facilitate the existence of the gap between the rich and the poor leading to substantial gaps in the social and economic status of the citizens (Davis, 2012). Therefore, the anticipated levels of equity in the economy will be comprised and hence higher disparities in income and profound difficulties in access to essential services such as healthcare and education. Secondly, the provision of the longer school year will necessitate precise adjustments to be made by the respective agencies on the policy guidelines in the sector in the bid to ascertain equity, fairness and transparency. This action is subject to numerous discussions and deliberations by the relevant stakeholders before making an agreement on how to adjust the academic calendar to contain the proposed change. Therefore, the move is time bound, and the adherence to the proposal is not guaranteed after the said deliberations take place. I disagree with Davis in this case because she frames her argument in a way that the article readers will think that the move is easy and simple. Thirdly, I feel that learners will be deprived of their rights by extending the schooling period. This time is essential for the children for enhancing their social life my cementing the ties with their family members and peers. Additionally, the summer holidays are meant to allow for mind relieve and reduce the burden of continuous learning processes. Extending the school calendar means that the children will not be able to refresh their minds and hence they may not engage in constructive acts such as the conservation of the environment among other activities. Additionally, the longer school year will reduce the free time that is entitled to the teachers and administrators. This action will have adverse effects on their performance due to the psychological implications associated with the same. In summation, the Daviss article, We Need a Longer School Year is substantive in highlighting the reasons and justification for the move. I greatly concur with the arguments raised by Davis in an attempt to justify the reasons for extending the school year. The arguments are embedded in the fundamental aspects of reducing economic gaps, higher performance levels and limitations on behavioral and moral slumps. Conversely, the longevity aspect of the school year has profound disadvantages to the learners and their teachers. References Davis, J. (2012, August 31). We need a longer school year - CNN.com. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/31/opinion/davis-longer-school-year/index.html Read More