Jude 2

I've a question for those in touch with respective current day school systems.

Is it normal for school's to remove the fun and become all business?

The school I remember was fun and kid friendly. I remember two playground recesses per day, being allowed to purchase soda, candy, or chips, and actually being allowed to be a kid.

Today, my wife and I attended school to eat lunch with our child and were allowed to attend P.E. time also. Wow. I was in for shock. The kids (first graders) are put through rigid calisthenics first, then they do drills dribbling the basketball to half court and back, then they jump rope to half court and back, then they hula hoop for more exercise. My son says this is basically a daily routine and that they rarely get to go to recess or playground. Of course, they are not allowed sodas, candy, or chips either. I once heard my son in the back car seat chanting "up and down like charlie brown". I didn't understand until today. It's a chant that the kids do during their exercises.

What happened to allowing a kid to be a kid? These children looked almost like robots at times, and were scolded for the least touching or horseplay.

Is this normal for today's education system? or Does each local school or board enforce their own policies?

pa

This is why my wife and I started touring schools early before our son went to k5. We toured all the viable public and private schools and gauged all these issues you express here.

Then we purchased another second home in nearby town to access those public schools for a year only to tour more places and finally settle on a private school.

So it all comes down to the lessor of the evils and how you can offer the most simple, yet strongest education.. while protecting them as much as possible.

We even entertain the home schooling often. Nothing.. repeat absolutely nothing... is off the table when it concerns our kids.

pastorables wrote:What happened to allowing a kid to be a kid? These children looked almost like robots at times, and were scolded for the least touching or horseplay.

We homeschool for more reasons than I could even list, but that is one of them. I'll not get on my soapbox, but children need to be children. In our opinion, a home is a much better place for them to grow up and be educated than a government institution.

Have you considered homeschool?

pastorables wrote:

I remember two playground recesses per day, being allowed to purchase soda, candy, or chips

WOW I wish I had gone to your school as a kid! I'm not sure why recess has gone by the wayside...I personally thought/think it was a great way for kids to burn off steam and just be kids.

pastorables wrote:I remember two playground recesses per day, being allowed to purchase soda, candy, or chips, and actually being allowed to be a kid.

There are still schools out there that have a regular recess...unstructured time on the playground. But, part of the problem is the obesity issue with kids today. Their eating habits, video games, tv, etc. have contributed to a rise in the obesity levels. Kids do not come home from school and go out to play. They come home to play video games. So, the schools have had to adapt to that and force kids to do physical activities during school instead of letting them run around and entertain themselves.

Many public schools have been overly influenced by testing pressures. That is why, for now, I'm still moving toward Early Childhood (preschool). I think the primary grades should still look a lot like preschool, kids that age can still greatly benefit by having free play and activity centers to choose from, and some schools do see it that way. It depends on the school. I like that at my preschool we go outside for a half hour am and pm and there are things for them to do outside that are part of learning and discovery.

We only get recess two times a week. The other days they ride a tricycle on this track, walk or march to music, and have organized exercise in the gym. I was told it was part of some new MS law or something to promote good health. They are trying to get rid of the fat kids. I think it just makes 'em eat more when they get home after school. Brayden comes home talking about all the sugar monsters he's not supposed to eat or drink. And then goes to the fridge for some kool-aid. Well, we make it with splenda SOME of the time. I've been told by one of the teachers that they are trying to promote exercise. And MAKE the kids participate. I asked is playing on the playground not exercise? And she said Not all of them play so with this program they are forced to walk, trike, and do other things. While I can see what they are trying to do, I also would love for my kid to be on the playground everyday!!!

They are not all that bad, our kids have recess everyday, we've talked about it, my son generally is over with a couple others playing ball of some type, one friend of his generally spends recess over somewhere else with some other friends (I had asked him about how the other boy was doing because of some bullying issues his mother and I had talked about).

the pop/chips/candy thing, we never got to, that stuff wasn't provided or available in K5.

I think it really depends on the school, I'm also in rural KY at a small school with people with good values (I know many of the teachers, we have a few from our church that work there, and I know where most of the others attend church as well. The principal is new this year, but has really impressed me already, he has asked teachers NOT to give homework on Wednesday nights (he says this is church/family night), he made a comment at the open house just before school started that he wanted to focus on respect and pride, and that he was more OK if a student left that school with all Cs plus a sense of pride and respect than he was if they missed those things and got all As.

Is it perfect, no, but there are some good ones out there, the most important thing is GET INVOLVED, know what's going on, and if you don't like it, get it fixed, if you can't fix it, then find another schooling option. We are responsible for our kids, if you're lucky enough to have a good school, then between them and you, your kids will have what they need, if your not, then find another solution and get that, your kids are worth it.

pastorables wrote:I remember two playground recesses per day, being allowed to purchase soda, candy, or chips

Our kids still have recess and play hard. They get extra recess time for class rewards. I am very happy with the public school system here.

I too would have liked to gone to your school. The only thing we could purchase in school was lunch & milk.

I graduated HS in 1985. They didn't serve cokes in school, didn't have any machines. If you brought your own lunch, you could, of course. But, then, again, I went to school with guys who duck-hunted before school and kept their shotgun in their locker and nothing was ever said about it.

Go figure.

dolfan wrote:I graduated HS in 1985. They didn't serve cokes in school, didn't have any machines. If you brought your own lunch, you could, of course. But, then, again, I went to school with guys who duck-hunted before school and kept their shotgun in their locker and nothing was ever said about it.

Go figure.

I took 3 of my rifles to school for shop class to refinish them as a project. As long as I left the bolt at home it was not biggie. But, that was back in 1984.

See? Those were the good old days.

dolfan wrote:I graduated HS in 1985. They didn't serve cokes in school, didn't have any machines. If you brought your own lunch, you could, of course. But, then, again, I went to school with guys who duck-hunted before school and kept their shotgun in their locker and nothing was ever said about it.

I graduated in 1986. As for the recess and break time, we had that option all the way through school. You could go to the gym concession stand to buy fountain drinks, candy or chips at any recess. I also remember trading knives (Case XX and German Eye's) with my history teacher. I even carried a boot knife with a 6 inch blade to school regularly back then.

I have to agree with the testing statement above. When I taught second and third grade in Ga, we were allowed to have recess. However, testing, was first priority. The No Left Behind Act put much of a strain on teachers to make sure their kids were test ready. If not, that could mean their job in some cases.

Recess is wonderful. P. E. is wonderful.

KB