[cninja]

The problem not time in school, the discussion should be about motivating students. As long as the student is motivated to learn on their own, then more time in school might result in less learning, in the same way that continual 80 hour work weeks result in a drop in productivity.

My wife taught school in a lower income area. For students that could care less about learning, the parents treat school like free day care, and the students forgot a lot of their newly acquired knowledge over the 2 week winter break.

[grhino]

If they are losing the knowledge over a 2 week break, are they really keeping that knowledge with them over the course of a school year?

[JacksonGariety]

No.

[president]

not to mention that students that dont care about learning negatively affect those that do care.

[genwin]

Having them learn on their own is the opposite goal, I think. For the most part they're being taught by rote, by design.