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AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
President Obama has noted that American student’s achievements tend to lag behind other countries, and his solution is to extend the school year and shorten or cancel summer vacation.
Obama has also discussed opening schools on weekends and keeping them open later into the evening. The President is addressing concerns of parents, who may be working long hours or multiple jobs, and want their children to have a safe place to go.
Home educating households are a step ahead of the President on this issue. It is not unusual for a homeschooler to continue their lessons throughout the summer, whether working in a work book or doing more “fun schooling” with field trips and pursuit of personal interests. Homeschoolers also have a flexible schedule that allows for real life problem solving and mastery of hands on projects, such as art, building, or hand crafts.
Homeschoolers have long known that a good, well rounded education doesn't always include long stretches of time spent sitting at a desk. The New York Times recently ran an article advocating a return to classes such as shop to encourage complex thinking skills and self esteem.
In fact, many parents are part time homeschoolers, enrolling their children in public or private schools during the day but continuing lessons and enrichment at home. Parents who pay for music and art lessons, who make a point to visit museums with their children, and read classic books aloud as a family are all part time homeschoolers.
Homeschoolers also take the alternate view home is the safest and best place for a child to learn, and that passing knowledge to children is a fundamental duty of parents. Learning together also creates stronger families, which in turn help stabilize society.
However, many home educating parents remain frustrated that government programs do not support or encourage homeschooling. For example, home educators are denied tax credits available to other educators and the non-working homeschool parent is sometimes penalized with a reduction of Social Security benefits.
What’s your opinion? Should the President extend school hours or encourage parents to continue lessons at home?
Comments
NO! Im a kid and I REFUSE to go to school on weekends and have summer vacation to be canceled! Kids have lives to! I hate what Obama is doing! McCain rules! School is ALREADY stressful!
I wrote on my personal blog about this and also asked the question:
Schools are cutting any and all extras, including music, art, practical life skills, and PE. When are kids supposed to take piano lessons, dance, or karate? When are they going to the things that truly make a child well rounded? When will they simply just play and daydream?
Im a kid obama is annoying mckain rules i need weekends and summer vaction
if weekends r gone i cant see my mom :( i love her so much
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