Synopses & Reviews
This book offers a comprehensive guide to this “New School Day” – a powerful, practical, tested, thoroughly achievable transformation of American public education that can dramatically improve student academic success while narrowing the racial “achievement gap. The core premise is a simple one: we need to provide children with enough time to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and thrive in the 21
stcentury. The current school day -- 6 ½ hours and 180 days per year – is no longer enough to provide students with the full range of educational and social experiences they need. The old school day is also out of step with the reality of working families without a stay-at-home parent to manage their children’s after-school time. With the addition of at least two more hours per day, the new school day reworks the schedule so that children can achieve mastery of core academic subjects, receive individualized instruction and tutoring, and have exposure to a broad array of topics such as the arts, music, drama and sports. From leafy suburbs to inner cities,
A New Day for Schoolstakes us inside the innovative schools that are reaping the benefits of an extended school – giving students more time for in-depth and creative learning experiences. The book shows us what works (and what doesn’t), and what it will take to transform the old school day into the new.
Table of Contents
Part I: A New Day for Schools
- Readingand Writing in the New School Day
- Math in the New School Day
- Science and Technology in the New School Day
- History, Foreign Languages, and Social Studies
- Art, Music, Drama, and Other Enrichment Activities
- Character and Behavior
- Recess, Physical Education, and Sports
- Homework
Part II: Creating the New School Day in Your Community
- Making the Most of Time
- How Can You Create a New School Day?
- Issues for Teachers
- Issues for Parents
- Issues for Communities
- Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion: Dawn of a New Age for Schooling
Review
"Gabrieli explains how school administrators are reorganizing school schedules in Time to Learn, a book he coauthored." (
Education Daily, October 2008)
"Extended feature about the book and arguments for why adding 2 hours to the school day would benefit the nation." (Education.com, 07/02/08)
"Touts the benefits of extending the school day by one to two hours, with strategies for enacting such a change." (Education Week, 05/21/08)
"Gabrieli and Goldstein make a well-considered and compelling argument for changing school schedules." (BookList, 05/01/08)
Synopsis
This book offers a comprehensive guide to this New School Day - a powerful, practical, tested, thoroughly achievable transformation of American public education that can dramatically improve student academic success while narrowing the racial achievement gap. The core premise is a simple one: we need to provide children with enough time to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and thrive in the 21st century. The current school day -- 6 1/2 hours and 180 days per year - is no longer enough to provide students with the full range of educational and social experiences they need. The old school day is also out of step with the reality of working families without a stay-at-home parent to manage their children's after-school time. With the addition of at least two more hours per day, the new school day reworks the schedule so that children can achieve mastery of core academic subjects, receive individualized instruction and tutoring, and have exposure to a broad array of topics such as the arts, music, drama and sports. From leafy suburbs to inner cities, A New Day for Schools takes us inside the innovative schools that are reaping the benefits of an extended school - giving students more time for in-depth and creative learning experiences. The book shows us what works (and what doesn't), and what it will take to transform the old school day into the new.
Synopsis
Praise for Time to Learn
"How can children learn what they need to succeed in the global information age when schools still operate on schedules designed for the industrial age? Gabrieli and Goldstein examine the use of expanded learning time for students and teachers in Massachusetts and across the nation, and they provide compelling evidence that such a strategy can help all students master the skills they need for the future."
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts
"Gabrieli and Goldstein show us how more learning time can improve math and science skills, literacy, and overall achievement, while permitting students the opportunity for sports, arts, and fun. This book should be required reading for practitioners and policymakers who want to plan for the education system we will need to succeed in the twenty-first century."
Kathleen McCartney, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education
"Time to Learn comes at a perfect moment when we need new ideas about how to move ahead. By showing that the new school day already works in hundreds of schools, Gabrieli and Goldstein move beyond theory to practice. Read the book and get to work!"
Roy Romer, chairman of Strong American Schools Campaign and formersuperintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District and governor of Colorado
"While there are no silver bullets to fix public education, Gabrieli and Goldstein show us that giving our children more quality learning time is one solution that conclusively leads to higher student achievement and will help keep them and our country competitive."
Eli Broad, entrepreneur and founder of KB Home, SunAmerica, and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
"The expansion of learning time and the introduction of a new school day is a vital school improvement policy that must spread far and wide. In Time to Learn, Gabrieli and Goldstein demonstrate the benefits of this strategy and what it can look like in action."
John Podesta, president and chief executive officer of the Center for American Progress, and former chief-of-staff to President Clinton
Synopsis
Time to Learn
"Last year we would hurry to get something done, and this year we can take our time anddo it right. We have a lot more time for reading, math, and science, and you get more time at recess and gym."
Andrew Gibson, 6th grader
Across the country, an educational revolution is taking root. Kids are learning more. Teachers are free to teach beyond the test. And parents aren't worried about what their kids are up to after school. What accounts for this change? The simple answer is, "More time to learn."
The current school day6 hours and 180 days per yearis obsolete. It fails to provide students with the academic foundations and well-rounded education they need to succeed and thrive in the twenty-first century.?The old school day is also out of step with the reality of working families without a stay-at-home parent to manage their children's after-school time.?Using an additional one to two hours, the new school day reworks the schedule so that children can master core academic subjects, receive individualized instruction and tutoring, and be exposed to a broad array of topics such as the arts, music, drama, and sports.
Time to Learn offers a compelling look at the expanded schedule of the new school day. This proven, practical, achievable reform is already transforming American public schools for the better. More than a thousand public schools are reaping its benefitsreinvigorating their classrooms and dramatically improving students' academic success while narrowing the achievement gap.
We all want what's best for our kidsand we want their time in school to be enriching, engaging, and productive. Time to Learn offers a blueprint for what works and what it will take to transform the old school day into the new.
Synopsis
Across the country, an educational revolution is taking root. Kids are learning more. Teachers are free to teach beyond the test. And parents aren’t worried about what their kids are up to after school. What accounts for this change? The simple answer is, “More time to learn.”
The current school day—6 hours and 180 days per year—is obsolete. It fails to provide students with the academic foundations and well-rounded education they need to succeed and thrive in the twenty-first century. The old school day is also out of step with the reality of working families without a stay-at-home parent to manage their children’s after-school time. Using an additional one to two hours, the new school day reworks the schedule so that children can master core academic subjects, receive individualized instruction and tutoring, and be exposed to a broad array of topics such as the arts, music, drama, and sports.
About the Author
Christopher Gabrieli, an entrepreneur in the business, nonprofit, and public policy arenas, is cofounder and cochairman of the National Center on Time & Learning, and he is leading the first statewide effort in America to expand learning time for all students at participating schools.
Warren Goldstein teaches U.S. history and chairs the Department of History at the University of Hartford. An award-winning historian and essayist, he is author of William Sloane Coffin, Jr: A Holy Impatience, Playing for Keeps: A History of Early Baseball, and (with Elliott Gorn) A Brief History of American Sports.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Schooling Outside the Box
Part I: A New Day for Schools
* Reading and Writing in the New School Day
* Math in the New School Day
* Science and Technology in the New School Day
* History, Foreign Languages, and Social Studies
* Art, Music, Drama, and Other Enrichment Activities
* Character and Behavior
* Recess, Physical Education, and Sports
* Homework
Part II: Creating the New School Day in Your Community
* Making the Most of Time
* How Can You Create a New School Day?
* Issues for Teachers
* Issues for Parents
* Issues for Communities
* Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion: Dawn of a New Age for Schooling