FATHERS & SONS

School has begun almost everywhere in the land of Uncle Sam. Prep school, middle school, elementary school, kindergarten and pre-kindergarten is now underway and with the beginning of school, dads and sons will take on a new routine of sharing time together.

Summer’s days of fishing, golfing, baseball or just washing the car together will be give way to football, raking leaves, studying or doing homework together along with numerous other activities fathers and sons do or share together. Things such as getting a haircut together or grabbing a burger together when mom is away or ill might be geared for pre-teens and younger but regardless of the routine, fathers and sons will continue their seasonal bonding routine.

Recent studies reveals fathers and sons become closer in their sharing and bonding routines when school is underway. Fathers who are challenging to their children seem to instill self-esteem and problem solving skills. These challenges repeatedly are goal accomplishment oriented which is a mandatory component in the problem resolution processes. Findings indicate these challenges to try new experiences are the impetus for self confidence development and problem solving abilities.

Studies of four and five year old boys reflected much higher test scores where the father was involved in their homework and studies. Repeatedly, math skills were immensely higher than those who did not have an active father in their pre-school years

and elementary school years. This was found to substantiate the influence of the father’s challenges to try new experiences resulted in higher problem solving skills and self confidence which translated to higher math scores.

Certainly, while the father is attributed with problem solving skills by his active presence, it should be noted the mother is primarily contributive to areas of hygiene, appearances and social skills development which is needed for an all around development of any child.

Ironically, as the child moves from the pre-teen age to the adolescent ages, the majority of studies show the father becoming more reserved and not as active with their sons but tend to have a bigger presence in their daughter’s lives if both sexes of children are present. It is during these rebellious teen age years the mother becomes the focal point of conflict. Primarily because the mother is more involved in clothing and appearance issues which is almost an obsession of the teen years.

Fathers who read the Bible with their sons in the elementary school years proved routinely in later years the son would remain closer to the family unit, especially during the temptation years.

Regardless of the age, spending time with Dad and vice versa creates many fond memories for later years but has proven over and over, certain skills such as problem solving and math, as the key foundations for success as an adult.

While the school year brings the entire family unit closer together because of activities or homework or plays of athletic events, it seems to elevate the father and son sharing time. Whether it is reading the Bible together or attending a ballgame together or Dad teaching how to shave, the experiences of a father-son relationship repeatedly authenticates a more successful approach to all aspects of life in later years.

But when I moved to Florida after years of studying in the special education center, I noted a difference in the start of the school start date: in early August. Being the most southernmost state in the USA, it urges children to drop their remaining summer vacation plans, cut their summer camps short, and get out of Vacation Bible School early – to go to school in 90-plus degrees weather. Thank goodness it did not happen since years ago, schools have to abide by the law that they should not open their doors two weeks before Labor Day.

While Florida was formerly of the states that start school in midsummer, some others are starting it at an uncomfortably hot time. Kids have to take flights (or drives) back to their hometowns and gear up for a series of Math and English classes. Campers have to leave their cabins and woodlands early for the dreaded science classes. Parents have to cancel their remaining vacation plans – all because school will start as early as late July.

When school starts in the first few weeks of August or even the last few days of July, parents and kids feel that their destinations like the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World will close because they have to go to class.

So why are schools starting earlier, cutting the family vacations short? Well, Wilda A. Lahmann states that the school districts in the Northern states have a lot of snowfall, so they have to start early to get students started. Those in the South start school earlier traditionally because children have to help their families pick cotton under the hot, blazing sun. But machines mostly do the cotton picking, yet schoolchildren head to class in the middle of summer.

That brings us to another reason: standardized testing. Unless they went to summer school, credit recovery camp, or other educational activities, educators believe that they lose what they learned over the previous school years. Also, early school start dates mean ample time for teachers to better prepare their pupils for the statewide test and increase their scores.

But there are more disadvantages for earlier school start dates than advantages. One of the industries adversely affected is tourism – the practice of visiting prominent sites of the states. As a tourism capital, Florida gains a lot of revenue during the summer through its major attractions like its beaches and the Walt Disney World Resort.

Should the years-ago bill that dictates a later school start not have been passed, the state would lose money. It would seem as if Walt Disney World had put up a sign that said “Adults and homeschooled children only – see you on Winter Break.” An early school start date means fewer crowds in major sites to visit, but isn’t it unfair to children who have to go to school in the middle of summer who enjoy it too?

I applaud Florida for starting school a little bit later for the sake of the traditional summer ritual of going on vacation (or even on staycation), but some other states need more improvement. If early school dates keep getting earlier, we would might as well be like the Asian countries, which have much longer academic terms (200-plus days of school) than ours.

Let children enjoy their summers – going to theme parks, camping out, and swimming at the beach. School can wait until late August.

Great Sites that Want Later School Start Dates
Save Our Summers (Florida)
Georgians Need Summers
Save Alabama Summers
Save SC Summers
Save Tennessee Summers
Save Indiana Summers

Yes, with shorter school weeks you might be able to get really good at a sport and think you can get in the NBA or NFL. But what if you don’t? What are you going to do then? You think you have your life planned out. But do you? My mom said that you need something to fall back on incase your dreams come tumbling down.

It would be better if school went on all week long all year long. But would anyone like that? Yep, the school lovers and nerds. But how many of us are those? Not very many. You should just be glad the school lets us appreciate enjoy our summers. If any day should be taken away from the school week, it would be Wednesday. Wednesday is a Holy day for Christians and possibly others too. I’m not very familiar with religion. Sunday is not part of the school week because that, too, is a Holy day.

You should be glad for what you have, and instead of fighting for Fridays to be part of the weekend, hope that Saturday won’t become a weekday.

9101 W. 131st Court

Overland Park, KS 66213

December 8, 2009

President Barack Obama                                                     

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington D.C. 20500

                                Dear Sir,

                I feel very strongly about your opinion to change the length of the school year to be an all year around school year.  I strongly disagree with your opinion on an all year school year.  I know I may not be able to fully alter your opinion but I would absolutely be honored if you would take the time to hear what I have to say on the matter.  Hopefully once you hear the opinion of someone that is in school it will help to make you decision.  My hope is that I can change your opinion on this or at least make you reconsider.

                My name is Collin Vossman and I am an eighth grader at Harmony Middle School in Overland Park, Kansas.  I have been going to school most of my life and it has always the same length of days.  I do not fell any need to change the school year now; just about everyone my age would also disagree to the idea of an all year school year.  Other students my age really enjoy their long breaks in the winter and the summer.  Many people use them to go away to camps like scout camps, or sports camps.  A lot of people even use their summers to go to classes and learn more and get ahead of others.  I agree with the idea of an all year school year for the purpose of improving our countries overall intellectual level so that we can open up many more opportunities in the future.  With an all year school we would not forget near as much as we do over the long summer and winter breaks as we would during the shorter breaks balanced throughout the year.  Eventually the U.S. could catch up to the other countries in the intellectual race.  There are many other solutions to increase the intellect of the average American without changing the school year.  Tax dollars could be relocated to school programs.  School could also encourage great grades by paying for college so they do not have to save up all the money to pay for college if they receive great grades.  By doing this we can get students into their studies and hopefully make them determined to get good grades in school as to go to college for free.  While students are getting into their studies tax dollars can be used to enhance school programs so that learning opportunities can be improved and students have a greater chance to become much more educated.

My hope is that you could consider some of my suggestions and ideas, or at least look into other options that do not tamper with the school year and the length of the average school day. Thank you for giving me the time of day and hearing what I have to say.

Sincerely,

Collin Vossman

Seventeen days. Seventeen. It could represent many things, seventeen elephants, seventeen donkeys, seventeen lollipops, or even seventeen chocolate chip cookies (yumm). But, in Hawaii seventeen seems to represent something greater. Something that many people are passionate about. Seventeen furlough days. Seventeen days of no public school education. Seventeen days lost. We’ve gone through two furloughs day so far, and already, there are efforts to put an end to those days. I however, as a student, do not think that it impacts us as much as some claim these days actually do. I have no problem with these furloughs (and that’s not because I just don’t want to go to school). I do believe that it matters whether or not our students are prepared and willing to learn. In fact, they are necessary for our state.

Let’s look at some background first, in order to put all this into context (oh so important context). On October 23, 2009, the first of these furloughs began. No longer is it “Aloha Friday,” it is now “Furlough Friday.” Hawaii’s public school teachers and 170,000 students were forced to take seventeen fridays off throughout the whole year. This has given Hawaii students the shortest school year in the nation. All of this, because of a nearly 1 billion dollar budget deficit in our state. In an attempt to patch up the leaky faucet, a 7.9% pay cut and these furlough days was proposed by the governor. It was ratified by teachers. This has ignited a flurry of protest from concerned parents, teachers, and even students. But, the fact is, that it as necessary. Everyone has been hit hard by the recession. Everyone from regular families such as mine to the big monolithic, overbearing government. Not doing these furloughs would have pulled our state further into the pit.

Along with these protest, there have a been a number of proposed alternatives to these furloughs. There have been ideas to take funds from other areas, to extended school hours, and taking less waiver or planning and collaboration days (which is probably an excellent idea seeing as we have a ton of these). There have even been lawsuits filed against furloughs. Quite hilariously, in a discussion in class about furloughs, our ultra left-wing teacher (pardon me for saying that) suggested to the class that the government should’ve “taken away money from the garbage men.” And being the amazing brain-washer that he is, the whole class agreed. That’s accounted for by our gullibility, I would guess. But, on the more serious side, I do firmly believe if the public outcry is loud enough and a feasible solution was proposed, these furloughs will go away. However, somewhere else is going to have to take the hit eventually.

As for the actual impacts on learning of these furloughs, I myself do not seeing that as being too much of a problem. I myself, as a student find my teachers rather than stagnating and doing nothing about this, increasing the pace at which class goes as well as the work load. I feel as if I still learn a substantial amount in all of my classes and that if there were no furloughs at all we’d still be learning the exact same things. The important thing is preparation. You have to go into your classes with the mindset of learning something and not goofing off. So many of my friends and classmates around me LOVE the furloughs simply for the fact that they don’t have to go to school. And yet, they still go into classes with the intent to learn (myself included). Surprisingly, others HATE the furloughs, as they do believe that they’d get a lower education. Yet, these people are the same people who consistently slack off in class and tend to goof off. Some even attended a protest against the furloughs, but can’t attend an after-school study session. These are the kids that would most likely be affected by the furloughs. One upside of the furloughs is that they make all of our students all that more determined to do better in school and work harder. However, as a collective whole you shouldn’t have to worry about kids learning any less than they would otherwise, whether it be a lot or more.  However, it is true that we as a state, do rank extremely low in the national standings, but where we’re concerned, our students will not be learning any more or any less. Added work and nudging from our teachers as well as the (newly created) open-mindedness of our students to learn, especially now with the furloughs will make sure of that.

In conclusion, while some people may protest the furloughs, nothing will happen until either the lawmakers step in to do anything, spurred on the by the public, or if lawsuits stop the furloughs by declaring them unlawful. In the meantime, we’ve gone through two furloughs so far, and I don’t think much has been affected. Furloughs tomorrow, followed by a slew of holidays, and planning and collaboration days, resulting in a three day weekend and a three day weekday (at the time of this article). How enlightening… In the meantime, I’d like a quarter cup of math supplements mixed with some fresh english boosters, thank you very much. On the serious side however, our education isn’t going anywhere as long as we’re going to fight for and work hard for it. The question is where will the future take us, as the furloughs are slated for two years. One can only hope.