More Instructional Time

I understand that teachers feel they need more face time with students.  Between testing, music lessons, sports, students tend to leave class almost as much as they are in class.

I also remember the studies in the late 80′s and early 90′s and some even more recent that say that teenagers need more sleep.  That middle and high schools should start later in the day to allow those who biological need more sleep to not get up as early.  Some districts in the are do pay attention to studies like this and have their elementary schools start earlier and middle and high schools start later.  I am not talking late.  I am talking the difference between 8 am and 9 am.

Come fall, I will have two children in high school.  Saturday, the letters came in the mail.  I could write forever on the idiocy of my receiving two letters when the subject matter is generic but that is fodder for another day.  The letter states the school day is starting ten minutes earlier and ending ten minutes later.  The letter states, and I quote, “The need to change came as a result of teh High School and the Middle School looking to increase instruction time with students.”

Unfortunately, there is a huge misconception here.  By starting and ending school ten minutes early, you do not increase instruction time.  What this has done is start lunch – yes, I said lunch, not brunch or breakfast – at 10 am.  I do have a call into the high school principal as I am just extremely confused as to where the additional instuction time is coming from in this scenario.