New School Day Proposed

[saturnsarah]

DD13 came home from school today (it's an academy) with a letter saying they want to change the school day.

They want to change it so they start at 08.30 and then do not have a break until 11.30. I think this is far too long for children to go without a drink or a proper rest break. They then will have a break until 11.55 and work until 13.15 when they have lunch until 13.55 and then they work from 13.55 until 15.15.

AIBU to think the three hours is too long or am I being PFB?

Is it nice to be able to have a drink of water whenever you want to? Yes
Do people talking for extended periods of time often get a dry throat? Yes
Is a secondary school child, sitting still and with no health issues going to come to any harm or be in discomfort from not having a drink for three hours? Highly unlikely and over dramatic to think it is an issue.

DD's primary school actively encouraged the children to bring their own water bottle to school. They were usually a cheap supermarket bottle filled with (gasp) tap water.

I don't see where this "modern faddy nonsense instigated by the bottled water industry" came into it.

charis1 Tea is a diuretic. It is not the best hydration. And why do you think adding flavour to water improves its hydration potential? Tap water is, in this country thankfully, free and clean. You can buy a reusable water bottle and refill it for years for no money whatsoever!

At any rate, the point of a break between classes is not that the students will dehydrate. A break will improve their learning in the second class. And improving their learning should be at the heart of all changes made by schools. Why institute a policy that makes learning less effective? If they eat and drink a little something, it will improve their performance even more.

Charis You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about this. Why?

as a scientist, I get a "bee in y bonnet" about any lie , myth, or inaccuracy being used being used to make rules, or excuse behaviour.

As a marathon runner I am particularly aware of the lies and myths peddled about water and dehydration, and the dangerous, sometimes fatal results of vulnerable people listening to them, babies, children, athletes, the elderly, unwell people, or even normal healthy people with actual real dehydration problems.

charis1 Tea is a diuretic.

no it isn't

It is not the best hydration

it is many times better than water

And why do you think adding flavour to water improves its hydration potential?

err, that would be the laws of science!?

This is what primary schools do in Aus...my daughter has a break at 11.30 when she eats her lunch, the plays at lunchtime!
Kids age 5/6 cope, so I guess a 13 year old will manage

You are a marathon runner Charis Have you ever done the London Marathon.

You are a marathon runner Charis Have you ever done the London Marathon

If you have done the London marathon, you will know that water is offered alongside squash, and drinking water alone is strongly warned against.

It is not hydrating, it simply makes you pee more. The reason it is encouraged at school is because it make less of a mess when spilt. it isn't a case of encouraging children to drink, it is a case of if they insist on drinking, water is the least destructive to school property. It isn't because it is good for children.

I couldn't go three hours without a drink. I teach and talk - I sip water all the time and therefore hove no issue with the pupils doing so. Water is fine, it dries and doesn't make a mess. OP are you 100% sure it's not allowed - I would be very surprised

Charis - I thought the sports research showed that water is the best hydration fluid for most athletes (and non athletes) who were exercising at mild - moderate levels. Marathon running isn't mild - moderate though. But a child at school, drinking to thirst, isn't going to become hyponatraemic from drinking water. Adding sugar will just rot their teeth.

There's no legal upper limit for temperatures in schools. Not for people but check out the DSE regulations, they apply to most IT including IWB.

As for being allowed a cuppa at work, not if you work in a factory, a hospital (some exceptions) on a checkout, building/road works, probably anything outside an office.

ivy where is all this research that teenagers learn more if they go to school later? Monkseaton High School changed there start time and designed their new build based on research into how rats learn. The head resigned (mid term with immediate affect) and they now start at the same time as other schools. They obviously thought a later start was not working for them.

mostlyjustalurker

I can't find the post that you are referring to, but you are quite correct, starting later is just another example of silly faddy rubbish, concocted by "educationalists" who commission or interpret scientific research without the faintest understanding what the meaning of "science" or "research" actually is, hen go off half cocked with some nonsensical recommendation.

I have also had the serious misfortune of working for a school that tried to put this "starting later is better for teenagers" idea into practice, an absolute shambles which was abandoned after a year, but the detrimental effects lasted far longer.

Sadly, our schools are dominated by this ignorant idealists leaping from one fantasy band wagon to another.

coffee1234, the research shows water is mostly harmless in most situations, but not necessarily hydrating, and does just need peeing straight out. ( also it can be harmful, to babies, children, old people, athletes and normal healthy adults exerting themselves, particularly in hot conditions)

the advantages of water are that it does not make such a mess if spilt, and it does give children a legitimate reason to stop from a couple of moments break during the lesson.

You could say the same about darning socks! I'm not totally against water in the classroom, just against the demands for it, to the exclusion of all else, when it can be harmful, and isn't actually particularly beneficial

DD's early start of 8.20 means that she is tired all the time. Even a 9 am start would be better IMO.

bunbaker, she just needs to go to sleep earlier, that is all!

I know, but she is 14 and won't/can't.

It's easier said than done. Do you have teenagers that do exactly as they are told?

I have teenagers that have to be up every morning by 5.30, because we live in London, and the last bus they can guarantee getting onto in the morning means leaving home before 6.30, otherwise the rush hour buses are just too full to stop in our area.

it is a normal way of life for them, they have done it for years, and will do it for their whole school career.

I work in schools, and have to leave before 6am, so they are well aware that benig used to an early start is good preparation for working life.

That was essentially my timetable when I was at school. In both primary and secondary. In Australia, where it's a tiny bit warmer on average than here. Somehow, we were absolutely fine.

Charis, I'm interested in what you're saying about water - can you share links to some studies?

OP, with respect, I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

I must be a very negligent mum. My kids only take water bottles to school in very hot weather and even then they usually don't bother with them.

Too much water will mean constant interruptions to lessons from overly hydrated kids needing the toilet too often.

I have never got the current fad for sipping water at all times. It is total bollocks cooked up by the advertising world for the bottled water industry, but it has been so effective that many people and even governments have swallowed it hook, line and sinker.

Your daughter will be fine with that school day, and probably better if you stop fussing over nothing. She can drink at break and won't suddenly dry up into a pile of dist.

*dust, even.

Chairs - i agree water is a hypotonic solution but it doesn't appreciably alter body chemistry unless it's drunk to excess. And how does it get peed straight out with a functioning renin - angiotensin system?

I agree it's not ideal for endurance sport.

Do you have teenagers that do exactly as they are told?

No, but I have teenagers who have learnt that they need to go to bed at a decent time as they are getting up at 6:45 am on a school day no matter what.