First, have a read:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming
My family spends a bunch of money on books when we can't find time to get to a library. For us, this is not luxury spending. It is spending as vital as groceries. Thinking about this...made me want to get something else off my chest. We are so busy rushing to this or that activity, that we don't have time to go to the library.
My kids, like most American kids, are heavily involved in activities that are not academic. They do music/sports etc...
I am blown away at how much time we expect our children in this society to spend on extra-curricular activities. Yes, activities outside of school are important. But, at what point is it too much?
I see in the press so many times/places where American schools are compared to schools in other countries. There always seems to be the question of why do American kids have lower test scores than a kid in this or that other country? I feel the answer is fairly simple: we don't really value education (ie academics) the way we think we do. We don't really put academics first. Really, we don't.
For example, I know that a certain high school band is practicing 9+ hours a week. The kids are also expected to practice different music on their own each day. In order to move this band to and from a local stadium, it took around 5 large buses and 3 trucks. There are fees approaching $700 for each member of the band that the parents must pay each year in addition to the cost of private music lessons.
I love music. I love to see my kids participate in sports. There is tremendous value in extra-curricular activities. But seriously, if kids were studying or reading or practicing math half this much just think about where the state of education in this country would be. If we were spending even 25% of what we pay as parents for extra curricular activities towards things like science lab equipment in our schools, just think of the possibilities.
At the end of the day, what is more likely to pay for your home, your car and your life in general: the way you carried a ball or played an instrument or.... how well you can do math/reading/writing?
Peace.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming
My family spends a bunch of money on books when we can't find time to get to a library. For us, this is not luxury spending. It is spending as vital as groceries. Thinking about this...made me want to get something else off my chest. We are so busy rushing to this or that activity, that we don't have time to go to the library.
My kids, like most American kids, are heavily involved in activities that are not academic. They do music/sports etc...
I am blown away at how much time we expect our children in this society to spend on extra-curricular activities. Yes, activities outside of school are important. But, at what point is it too much?
I see in the press so many times/places where American schools are compared to schools in other countries. There always seems to be the question of why do American kids have lower test scores than a kid in this or that other country? I feel the answer is fairly simple: we don't really value education (ie academics) the way we think we do. We don't really put academics first. Really, we don't.
For example, I know that a certain high school band is practicing 9+ hours a week. The kids are also expected to practice different music on their own each day. In order to move this band to and from a local stadium, it took around 5 large buses and 3 trucks. There are fees approaching $700 for each member of the band that the parents must pay each year in addition to the cost of private music lessons.
I love music. I love to see my kids participate in sports. There is tremendous value in extra-curricular activities. But seriously, if kids were studying or reading or practicing math half this much just think about where the state of education in this country would be. If we were spending even 25% of what we pay as parents for extra curricular activities towards things like science lab equipment in our schools, just think of the possibilities.
At the end of the day, what is more likely to pay for your home, your car and your life in general: the way you carried a ball or played an instrument or.... how well you can do math/reading/writing?
Peace.
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Be peaceful and respectful.