More From The Fischbowl

Professor Barry Bachenheimer of the Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools in New Jersey, posed the question ,"how many of the 180 days of school are used for true instruction." One piece of data that he used was a presentation that showed the frequently missed or wasted classes throughout the school year. He concluded that only 120 days are actually used for teaching and instruction by teachers. This was made up mostly of absences and the first and last days of the year. Test days where also some of the day's that students would miss out on instruction from their teachers, which I never really thought about.

Bachenheimer creates makes a really good point and facilitates really good discussions on the topic. I personally haven't ever really thought about how much time is wasted at school. I remember thinking when I was in high school, "man it seems that we have a lot of down time." I think it would be a good idea to find ways to give teachers more time to actually teach in their classrooms. But I don't think kids would like having a shorter summer and a longer school year. As a teacher, I know I wouldn't.