I am posting links to two recent articles on issues related to education that I think will be of interest to my blog readers.
First, I'm posting a link to an article in last weekend's New York Times on the growing trend of public high schools adopting International Baccalaureate programs (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/education/03baccalaureate.html). This sounds like potentially a great fit for the overall mission of the Amherst Regional schools, given the focus on both integrated learning and global awareness.
Second, I'm posting a link to an article in today's Gazette on the advantages of delaying the start of the school day to give kids an extra 30 minutes to sleep (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g_9syxAbjOHUcaehGEA7WVQAVqjgD9GP4MT00). I think this is an idea that the Amherst schools should definitely consider -- I know the Northampton schools have considered it for a couple years, though I don't believe they've made such a change.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
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29 comments:
They did a similar school start time study at Deerfield Academy a few years ago. It showed improved grades, fewer Health Center visits and better athletic performance with a half hour later start. They adjusted the schedule accodingly.
Not a fan of the IB.
Briefly, if you consider "multiple intellegences" and the rest, this is more a form of "tracking" than letting the kids take AP courses in the stuff they are good at. Further, I have a very bad feeling about anything that the Gates Foundation advocates.
Not a fan of the IB.
Briefly, if you consider "multiple intellegences" and the rest, this is more a form of "tracking" than letting the kids take AP courses in the stuff they are good at. Further, I have a very bad feeling about anything that the Gates Foundation advocates.
I have long thought the IB curriculum would be perfect for Amherst!! It supports everything we claim to stand for and comes as an already-well-tested and essentially pre-packaged curriculum. We wouldn't have to worry about curricular alignment and our kids would all have a solid chance of entering college with a number of credits already earned. It would truly raise the bar for everyone and go a long way toward bridging the achievement gap.
Catherine, you will have the gratitude of students and parents everywhere if the school start time is moved to a later hour. All of the studies show that a later start time benefits students in every possible way. Please move on this! Thank you.
I definitely think we should begin to look into a later start for the Middle and High Schools. There have been several studies done over the years that clearly show a number of benefits to a later start - even only a 30 minute later start. I hope the SC will begin to study this issue during the 2010/2011 school year for possible implementation in the 2011/2012 school year.
Changing middle and high school start times will make for happier and more alert students -- and improve their academic achievement -- with no additional costs. Sounds great. Let's implement this change as soon as possible.
I think ARHS Parent overstates how the IB program could fit in Amherst. First, it is only for high school juniors and seniors - so it will not solve all the ills of lack of curriculum alignment. Second, this is a program for the "best and the brightest" if you will. The article says that only a very small number of kids take the program and of that small number, some drop back to the regular academic track because of the rigorousness of the program. So, though it is an interesting article and prompts me to want to learn more about the IB curriculum out of curiosity sake, I don't think its a program that will replace anything we currently have in place in the Amherst schools.
Catherine receiving the gratitude of students?
Well, try to picture that.
I'm not sure that the administration would allow that.
Anon 11:54, you are incorrect. The IB program is for all grade levels, including "primary." Those who are interested might want to check out their web site at http://www.ibo.org/
Here is an interesting article from the LA Times
'Closing schools' achievement gap'
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-zavadsky-broad-20100707,0,6034052.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29
I wonder how much our schools follow these five practices.
I think the real question is will the IB program be good for students? Not particularly all but enough to do it. I know of other students that have gone through this program and found it rewarding and valuable.
Abbie -- what 5 practices?
Two pieces of anecdotal information about the IB from my 25 years of college admission experience at two very different colleges: 1) It is not uncommon to hear high school students refer to the busy-work quality of the AP program, though I'm not sure I've ever heard a student in an IB program use that descriptor. Because the IB is an integrated program that stresses interdisciplinary thinking, motivated college-bound students of all ability levels (from my limited experience) benefit from the IB in ways they rarely do from the AP.
The AP program tends to be more exclusive as well. IB more readily serves both the super high-achiever and the above average student who desires an intellectually stimulating--not simply demanding-- intellectual environment.
Secondly, for those who feel that the typical public high school serves those at the bottom and the top academic levels well while the college-bound students in the academic middle receive less attention, the IB has possibilities--if implemented well--that an AP program does not.
IB is a terrific program.
My friend's kid (excellent grades & SATs, fluent in several languages, blah blah) who went through a public IB program in CA did not get into any of the highly selective colleges of his choice (though he did get into two perfectly good schools).
So, in case you were wondering, IB is not the new track to paradise. I do however agree, from what I have heard, that it creates a more well-rounded student than the AP test-driven type of curriculum.
Supposedly an IB school is starting up in South Hadley or thereabouts, but I can't find anything about it on the web. I do remember reading about a private IB school buying RE there maybe in the past eight months.
And Springfield, yes indeedy, has an IB program.
http://www.sps.springfield.ma.us/deptsites/ib/default.asp
Thanks for the link to the LA Times article. Very helpful information for how we should be focusing our attention and efforts.
"the new track to paradise"
A fascinating phrase. America has long been caught up in this chase to paradise through the best college mirage.
To all of you holding pedigree degrees from what you consider to be America's elite colleges and universities: What percentage of your life happiness is a direct result of your time spent in the elite institution?
You want to talk about closing the achievement gap and you are making a case for the IB program as a path to a smaller gap?
Wake up! The achievement gap is caused by a severe lack of school readiness in the under achieving students. Our society is failing the poor. Isn't that obvious? I would think that a town of intellectuals could see that.
You want to close the achievement gap? Pour money into the pre and K - 3 grades. Kids learn to read in those years and if a kid is not a strong reader, s/he will not perform well in school. It is a simple equation and anyone arguing some MS or HS program is going to close the gap is full of it. The gap is well established by then and there is not a miracle cure that will change it in those secondary school years.
If we put big money into teaching poor, under prepared kids to read, we will see results in less than 10 years. If we don't, in a hundred years we will still be talking about the same achievement gap.
Anon 9:53AM, I AM awake!! The IB curriculum has a PRIMARY program as well. I agree with you that we need to start at the youngest ages in order to chose the achievement gap! International Baccalaureate primary curriculum starts at age 3. It just so happens to also have a middle years curriculum (middle school to early high school) as well as the IB diploma program (last two years of high school). At least look at the web site and then make up your mind. http://www.ibo.org/
Oh, I am so excited that the idea of an earlier start time for the upper schools is being looked into! I have been reading for years about the benefits of this concept! Please, let's do it!
I have a folder of studies/articles about it if anyone's interested.
Duh! Obviously, I meant LATER start time!
I believe the current start times relate to the busing schedule as the MS and HS students use the same buses as the elementary students do. If MS and HS students start school at a later time the elementary students will need to as well. Would be great for everyone involved!
Now let's extend the school day on Wednesday -- which would benefit students and working parents alike!!
If the Weds afternoon work time were discontinued, then there would be annoying half days days instead like they have in other districts.
There are other schools in the area which also have Weds early dismissal. Having worked in schools with and without early Weds dismissal (and having had a child in schools with and w/o it), on balance I feel the Weds arrangement actually works quite well.
From my perspective as a parent, it's regular, you can make regular care arrangements, and is less disruptive than the random half days.
From the staff perspective it is a lifesaving scheduling option. We used to get so much done in that 90 minutes of time -- meetings, paperwork, special projects, district requirements, etc.
I've taken the IB and AP courses (they were the same, you just both tests at the end of the year) - 25 years ago.
As an overachiever (valedictorian who went on to top college) - I realized later on that there were no extra benefits to having the IB diploma (or credits, if you just take some of the tests & not the whole program) over AP classes with the exception that the IB diploma allowed you to enter universities in OTHER countries without having to redo some sort of 13th year or repeat year or testing in high school in that country. Having passed all my AP and IB classes, I couldn't get double credit in a US college for those courses - so to me, AP and IB were the same.
To Anon. July 12, 2010 7:07 PM
Lucky you! Your school actually offered all those advanced classes. That is not the case here in Amherst.
Anon 9:01 p.m., what other schools in the area have early dismissal on Wednesdays?? Hadley and Northampton don't, and both of those districts have only a couple of curriculum days a year, not the "random half days" you describe. The fact is that ARPS elementary students spend much less time in the classroom than their peers in the area. And it does not benefit working parents to have a half-day every week.
It's actually not a 1/2 day on Wednesday but a 2/3rd day.
Anon 9:24 am
The state mandates the amount of "time on learning" that students are required to spend. Elem students in Amherst have to attend 180 days just like every other city & town. The # of hours are consistent as well. They are just configured differently. My niece & nephew live in a central ma city and their public elem school is dismissed every day at 2:10.
Anon 9:24, but when do they start their school day??
Anon 9:47, Hadley’s in session from 8:35 to 2:55, with no half-days. I believe Northampton’s schedule is comparable to Hadley's – again, with no half-days. Amherst is in session for 180 days like all of these other districts but when you factor in the Wednesday schedule it seems pretty clear that overall elementary ARPS students log fewer classroom hours.
I think the Northampton elementary schools start close to 9 a.m. though I'd have to check to be certain.
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