Why Schools Are Considering Year Round Classes

Why Schools Are Considering Year Round Classes As summer is winding down, ponder the possibility that some schools are considering no summer breaks at all. The idea of year-round schooling, meaning no break is longer than eight weeks, has been tossed around for years, and an article in the District Administration just revisited the debate. Proponents of year-round schooling argue that students dont do anything over the summer. They dont read, they dont look at math problems or history facts. They do nothing and essentially forget all the information they learned the previous year. They argue that the last month or so of school is a waste because students cannot focus on anything but summer, and that the first month is worthless because students have to get back in the learning mindset. Proponents say students lose about two months of math skills achievement over the summer. Its worse for low-income students because they dont have access or the resources for summer learning programs. They lose more than two months in reading achievement. But, middle-class students make slight reading gains, according to the National Summer Learning Association. Others have even tied obesity to summers off, claiming students eat a lot of junk food over the summer, instead of healthier school lunches. Opponents argue that it can increase education costs as more faculty and administrators will be needed. Also, some schools will have to install air conditioning units for summer temperatures. Other schools may even need to build new facilities. In 2006-2007, more than 2 million students were in year-round programs, representing 3,000 schools and 46 states. Since then, the number has remained fairly steady, but the idea is gaining steam again with education reform debate. President Barack Obama has called for longer school years to help American students compete with foreign students and regain some ground. In other countries, some students have 25-30 percent longer school years than American students. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is also a big proponent of year-round and extended schooling. He was the CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 2001-2008 when it adopted year-round schooling. Some believe the Obama/Duncan combination has enough motivation and desire to change the traditional 9-month, summers-off calendar. There are three separate systems for year round education. The single track system is the most popular and accounts for 90 percent of all year-round programs. The single track has shorter breaks scattered periodically throughout the school year instead of one long summer break. But cost is a major issue with this system. Many schools will need air conditioning for this program. However, some argue that the additional costs of running air conditioning are offset by reduced heating costs in the winter when students are on a short vacation. They argue there is no additional cost. It still has the typical 180-day school calendar. The second system is the multitrack, which divides the student body into groups. One group will be on vacation while the other is in school. This can save school districts money by not building more schools while still increasing enrollment. Like the single track, the multitrack still has the 180-day calendar. The third system is the extended year. It adds 15-20 days onto the calendar. Obama and Duncan are heavily endorsing this system, but it is the most costly to implement because schools will have more costs with staying open longer and hiring more staff members.

15+ Fun (and Free) French Activities for Kids

15+ Fun (and Free) French Activities for Kids Sign up successful To make it easy to browse, the activities are broken down into various categories, such as French cultural activities, French grammar activities, French vocabulary activities, and more. French Cultural Activities 1. Take your child to a museum France has produced some of the most talented artists, such as Monet and Renoir. Check your local museum’s schedule to see when it is featuring a French-inspired exhibition and bring your child along. The admission for children is typically free. 2. Celebrate French holidays Celebrating important French holidays, such as Bastille Day, will teach your child about French history. Celebrate by making some fun crafts or taking part in holiday traditions. Similar to the Fourth of July, the French display fireworks.   3. Cook a French meal Familiarize your child with French cuisine by having him or her help you whip up a traditional French meal. Your child can channel their inner Julia Child with traditional French dishes, such as quiche and crème brûlée. 4. Watch a French movie Fire up Netflix and host a French movie night with your family. Here are some kid-friendly French movies you and your child can enjoy: “A Monster in Paris,” “The Red Ballon,” and “Tintin and the Lake of Sharks.” 5. Listen to French music Do you have a Pandora or Spotify account? Download some French tunes to listen to while at home or on the road. Listening to French music will help familiarize your child with French accents and pronunciations. French Grammar Activities 6. Play Simon Says Put a French spin on the game Simon Says. Take on the role of Simon and issue commands. For example, Simon says…le pied!  or Simon says…le nez. This French activity  does a great job teaching kids the different body parts in French. 7. Twenty Questions Give this guessing game a French twist. First, think of a place or person and keep it to yourself. Your child will ask you 20 yes or no questions in French to determine what place or person you’re thinking of. 8. Put on a scavenger hunt Set up a fun scavenger hunt around the yard or house. At each destination, your child will have to read a clue (in French) to move onto the next destination. At the end, reward your child with a fun toy or treat. 9. Act it out together Gather the family and play a game of charades. First, divide everyone into two teams. Then, write out a selection of French verbs, nouns, or phrases to act out. The first team will act out a verb, noun, and phrase, while the other team guesses. 10. French nursery rhymes A great way to learn French is through song. “Alouette” and “Frere Jacques” are two of the most popular French nursery songs that kids learn. Print out the song and sing along with your child. French Vocabulary Activities 11. Puzzles You can download and print dozens of free French crosswords and word searches for your child. He or she will have fun playing, while simultaneously learning French vocabulary and simple sentences. Keep a stack in the car for long road trips. 12. Memory game Create some French flashcards and place them face down on a table. Your child will flip over two cards. If the pictures match, your child will flip over two more cards. The point of the game is to match all of the cards from memory. 13. Coloring books Purchase a French coloring book for as little as $5 on Amazon. These coloring books will spark your child’s creativity, while helping him or her  learn various vocabulary words and themes. 14. Read French books There are a ton of beginner French books. Le Petit Prince is one of the most well-known French children’s books. You can find the book in almost any brick and mortar or online book store. 15. Hangman This French activity  is played exactly like the original Hangman version, except you are using French vocabulary words and phrases instead of English. French Number Activities 16. Throw a bingo night Create your own bingo cards from materials around the house or print some boards from the web. Your child will have to listen and identify what number you’re saying out loud. 17. Toss it Standing in a circle, throw a tennis ball to another person within the circle. Once the person catches the ball, he or she must say the next number in French. If the person doesnt know the correct number or mispronounces it, he or she will step outside the circle. 18. Uno This classic card game is great for teaching your child French numbers. To make the game educational, have your child say the number of each card he or she  plays in French. Go Play! Getting your child to practice French outside of the classroom doesnt have to be difficult. Plan to do one or more of these French activities every  week and you will see vast improvements in your childs language abilities. Do you have any French activities that you play with your child? 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