180 School Days

Isn't it funny how 180 school days can be shaved down so quickly to 67? Before I even begin to account for pep rallys or fire drills, I already know that I will see my students only 135 out of the 180 days because of our rotating block schedule. Of course, all teachers realize most of the things shared in that brief presentation. At the same time, it does open your eyes to have all of the distractions, delays, and interuptions coupled together at once. I would submit that we should hesitate before becoming too disgusted with the reality of instruction time. Many of the things mentioned in the video DID have some value. I am not so naive or idealistic as to think that my students learn, develop, or mature only through the curriculum that I teach. Rather, I firmly believe that the vast majority of what students learn in high school, both in and out of the classroom, occurs outside of the explicitly stated curriculum. For instance, we do not account for the essential need that students learn to socialize and interact with eachother in an informal setting. Sure, we all create cooperative learning activities. However, young men and women also need to be placed in situations that, while supervised or structured, allow for a more informal interaction with peers. This is why I am such a strong proponent of extracurricular activities as a critical part of any healthy school.