Official and applied in all schools at the start of the 2014 school year, the reform of school schedules is upsetting everyone’s minds. The time of the four-day week is now over in all schools.
Reform of school schedules: a brief general reminder
Children will have to go to school every day, including part of Wednesday morning. But then, all this poses a problem. For children, parents, and teachers alike, this reform raises hackles as soon as we talk about it, yet some parents are in complete agreement with this reform. Children will therefore go to class in the morning. In the afternoon, activities such as a scientific animation, homework help, or other activities likely to occupy them will have to be organized. From the parents’ point of view, this reform is yet another obstacle that prevents them from enjoying their children.
School reform is seen from the parent’s point of view
Many people wonder how they are going to organize themselves. The question that arises is that of the end of the day. Because the children are likely to finish early, it is difficult for working parents to find solutions. It is then necessary to know if the daycare will agree to be late on its schedule. If not, find someone who can come and pick up the child earlier. Or, find a babysitter who will take care of it.
Some parents are against the reform for another reason. The fact of not seeing their child on Wednesday mornings upsets them. It is true that with the four-day week, there was still Wednesday to enjoy it. From now on, Wednesday morning will be reserved for school and Wednesday afternoon for extracurricular activities. Parents will therefore see their children less and are quite upset by this new school schedule. There will then only be time in the evenings for homework, and the weekend, which remains short despite everything for some.
Daily activities are generally carried out on Saturdays and Sundays by parents.
Finally, parents may have to spend more money, whether to pay for school activities or to have their children looked after. Which explains the discontent!
The fate of communities and the views of children
While some mayors refuse to implement the school schedule reform, some have already adopted it. These mayors, who refuse to open school on Wednesdays for example, are also sanctioned by the State. In addition, it is difficult for communities to find additional staff to take charge of activities at school. Very often, it is young people without training who are recruited and who have a hard time managing the numbers.
The State formally prohibits non-compliance with this reform and strongly condemns mayors who oppose it. Will the refractory mayors
finally, give in? Children also have their say. With four and a half days of school, and less free time with their parents, this reform requires them to spend more time at school. In addition, many of them practice activities outside which leads to an overloaded schedule. From now on, these will have to be shifted to Wednesday afternoons or weekends only.
Spending more time at school could exhaust them more, which will not be without consequences on the results. Indeed, children need free time to rest their minds and relax to be fully receptive to learning times. This reform, already applied in some schools, will be definitively applied at the start of the 2014 school year by all French schools.
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