+293 The school day should begin at a different time for each grade level, depending on their current developmental needs. That way teenagers could get the sleep they need, younger kids would have plenty of daylight left to play, and the age groups would have less chance of encountering each other, which some think reduces bullying, amirite?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

My school used to start at 8:55am, which was great, at first. But after awhile it became a drag because school let out at 4:10pm. Thanks to that system I lost time to hang out or do homework after school. Yeah the extra time to sleep is great, if you're not up until midnight doing homework. I much prefer starting at 7:30am and ending at 2:40pm.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I think the whole 'not getting enough sleep' is bullshit. If school started an hour or two later, teenagers would sleep an hour or two later. They just like having someone or something to blame.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I think what you are trying to say is they would go to sleep an hour or two later as well and still get the same amount of sleep anyway.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Why is this getting downvoted? It's 100% true. If school started later kids would just sleep later.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That is the point of the post, to let kids sleep later. But they would just go to sleep later as well so they would still get the same amount of sleep.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

You're not understanding my comment, I'm agreeing with dan94.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Yes, and I am responding to the thread.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

lolwut

by Anonymous 11 years ago

We both responded to one person. I am now responding to you to explain why it got downvoted. Do you not understand the process of a conversation?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Okay, let me try to understand. @UmmmmUmUmUmUmmmmmmm are you saying that even if they get the same amount of sleep, it would be better if teenagers got to sleep later? Because that barely makes any sense.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

No. I disagree with the post. I am saying that it would not matter if teenagers were allowed to go to school at a later time in order to get enough sleep because although they could sleep later in the day, they would also be going to bed later. Thus, they would be getting the same amount of sleep.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

So you agree with both me and LonelyIsland and we are arguing for absolutely no reason?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

When were we arguing? Also, you said nothing about them getting the same amount of sleep. You said they would be sleeping an hour or two later, which is exactly what the post says.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

No, this post says they would sleep at the same time they do now, which means "That way teenagers could get the sleep they need".

by Anonymous 11 years ago

How is it saying that? It's saying school would start later, allowing teenagers to sleep later.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Never mind, the only way to be sure is for the OP to say something.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I think we are just interpreting the post in different ways.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

You do realise that starting at different times could just lead to discontent between the different year groups, right? So more arguing and bullying probably. Besides which teenagers need less sleep than children do. The amount of sleep you need decreases, not increases. Teenagers just like to complain about not having enough sleep, and wanting to have a lie in. If they want more sleep, then they can go to bed earlier and deal with going to school at the same time as everyone else. On top of this, it would be difficult for teachers to make sure people were coming in at the right times, and if you had some people coming in later it would really distrupt timetables and make everything iffy. It is a lot easier to start everyone at the same time, and for them to finish at the same time.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Our schools start at different times...and there's no problem. It's actually easier because the district needs fewer buses and doesn't have to regulate the interaction between the different age groups. Also, "Besides which teenagers need less sleep than children do. The amount of sleep you need decreases, not increases. Teenagers just like to complain about not having enough sleep, and wanting to have a lie in. If they want more sleep, then they can go to bed earlier" As for that: http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/teens-and-sleep (second bullet under "facts") http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/teens-health/CC00019/ (paragraph under "Too Little Sleep) http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct01/sleepteen.aspx/ (the first and eighth paragraphs)

by Anonymous 11 years ago

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Childrenssleep/Pages/howmuchsleep.aspx

by Anonymous 11 years ago

You gave me one source, I gave you three. I'll believe you when you back it up.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Your first two sources make the exact same point I was making. Teenagers need from 8 to 9 hours. Which IS less than younger children need, as they need over 10 hours. Furthermore, from what I gathered your third source just said children weren't getting to sleep early enough, which I already adressed. They should just go to bed earlier, or deal with a lack of sleep. So considering you only gave two sources with relevance here's another two from me: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children and http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sleep.html# So I now have five that support my argument. Yay.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

@NitaCallahan, all three of the sources you gave said "Teenagers need sleep" and didn't address what AshBashCrashed actually said at all. Her source was very credible what with it being from the NHS website, and was actually relevant to the argument you were (really poorly) attempting to disprove.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

@anonymous You're right, I didn't really clear up exactly what I meant by those links. @ashbashcrashed Yes, they say that teenagers need 8-9 hours, but they also address the fact the circadian rhythm gets skewed during puberty, causing one to go to bed later and wake up later. "Go to bed earlier" seems to be your solution here, but trying to go against the circadian rhythm usually messes things up more. Also, I don't know if you've ever been sleep-deprived, but to just "deal with a lack of sleep" is nearly impossible, and that's what the entire post is about: not making teens "deal with a lack of sleep." (Also thought I'd mention that in the WebMD link you included, the paragraph under 12-18 years includes this exact quote: "It turns out that many teenagers actually may need more sleep than in previous years.")

by Anonymous 11 years ago

My psychology teacher told us that there have been studies saying that the school day in high school should start later. I don't remember much because I wasn't really paying attention but he was ranting about how they pushe the start time earlier and now no one ever came until like 3rd period.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

High schools that start later have higher test scores and lower drop out rates.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Well, getting up at 6am everyday prepares teenagers for when they get a job and will probably have to wake up that early everyday. If somebody needs more sleep, they can go to bed earlier. I rather start school at 7:40am and get out at 2:30pm so I can have more daylight hours to do stuff. And I've never had a problem with upperclassmen as a freshman. They were usually either friendly to us or ignored us.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I had to wake up at 4:30 every morning for high school. I don't think most jobs make you get up that early.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I don't think most high schools make you get up that early either.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

For the younger elementary kids, this might work. No way this could ever work once kids get to the highschool though. Think about kids in advanced classes. Next year I'll be in 10th but in 12th grade classes. Or the kids who failed a class. They are still in the same grade but have to repeat the class with the grade below them. This wouldn't work, so I'll just assume you meant elementary grades.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

I don't think it should be by individual grade, but rather schools (elementary, middle, and high). In my district, the high school starts at 7, middle school starts at 7:40, and elementary school starts at 9. I think it should be the other way around, but the superintendent said that the only reason our high school starts so early is because of sports, which makes a lot of sense (my school is very sports-oriented). Practice is every weekday, for 3 hours, right after

by Anonymous 11 years ago

We're poor and tried that but there weren't enough buses.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

My county does that with schools. High school starts at 7:30, middle school starts at 9:30, and elementary school starts at 8:30. I think elementary and high school should switch, but it's not that bad.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

That's how my county works. And J agree, I'd prefer switching with the middle schoolers. Honestly, I get about 3-4 hours of sleep due to having to get up early, having so much homework, and having sports practice. Middle school was so much easier.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

When I was in high school I actually wished it would start earlier, since I've always been a morning person. Not every teenager wants to stay up until 1AM and sleep in until 9. I think school starting at 8 or 9AM is a good in-between time to satisfy both night and morning people.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Why elementary schools start late (little kids are notorious for getting up early) and highschool starts early (...) I have no idea.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

In my county, elementary school starts at 8:20, middle school at 8:05, and high school at 8:10. They wouldn't really be able to start at widely far apart time though because the different schools in my county share buses (like on some buses there are elementary and high school, or middle school and elementary). It's a nice thought, but honestly, it would be difficult for the sports teams and such to get their practices in if the day didn't end until 4:30 or 5.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Where I live,elementary school starts at 8:00 and gets out at 2:00, and middle and high school starts at 9:30 and gets out at 3:30. I don't do sports or anything like that, but, from I've heard, the kids who do sports have to be at the high schools anywhere from 6:30 to 8:00 AM, depending on which grade they're in and which team they're on. As far as staying after school goes, the whole school gets locked down around 6ish and everyone has to be out of it before then - if there's nothing of importance going on, that is. If there's a band concert, parent-teacher conferences, or a game or something going on, the time gets extended to around 10ish - otherwise they get detention for a week if they get caught.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

If the elementary schools got out earlier than the high schools then more parents would have to pay for after-school child care since there wouldn't be an older sibling to get them from the bus and stay at home with them so it probably saves money when high schoolers get out earlier.

by Anonymous 11 years ago