Posted on 01/14/2008 11:29:58 AM PST by shrinkermd
...Research shows that teenagers’ body clocks are set to a schedule that is different from that of younger children or adults. This prevents adolescents from dropping off until around 11 p.m., when they produce the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, and waking up much before 8 a.m. when their bodies stop producing melatonin. The result is that the first class of the morning is often a waste, with as many as 28 percent of students falling asleep, according to a National Sleep Foundation poll. Some are so sleepy they don’t even show up, contributing to failure and dropout rates.
Many of our presidential candidates have been relatively silent on how they plan to save our troubled education system. For those still searching for a policy that might have a positive impact, here’s an idea: stop focusing on testing and instead support changing the hours of the school day, starting it later for teenagers and ending it later for all children.
Indeed, no one does well when they’re sleep-deprived, but insufficient sleep among children has been linked to obesity and to learning issues like attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. You’d think this would spur educators to take action, and a handful have
...But few of these problems actually come to pass, according to the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota. In Kentucky and Minnesota, simply flipping the starting times for the elementary and high schools meant no extra cost for buses. Nor have after-school jobs and activities been affected as anticipated. And though team practices and matches might have to start a bit later, student participation has usually stayed the same. Some districts have even witnessed improved performance from better-rested athletes.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Not for me. My body is much cleaner than any public school shower.
HA!
You are quite the little princess aren’t you?
:)
:)
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8 AM English Lit was a killer for me.
I’m sure you have the youth bote.
I don’t know. My teenager goes to bed at 9 pm, doesn’t have much trouble falling asleep before 9:30 most nights, and then gets up usually by 6:30 or 7 am. After he showers and dresses, he’s pretty much ready for his day.
My younger is an 8 hour kid, no matter when she goes to bed. 10 pm? Up at 6 am. 11 pm? up at 7 am (the latest she can get up for school).
Just how they are hard-wired I guess.
I'm a night owl and always have been. I blame my mom. When all of us kids were really little, my dad worked graveyard so my mom kept us up late. I think she ruined me. I used to leave my house at 6:35am to catch my high school bus.
I'll happily accept a job if I'm called the night before. I'll almost never accept a job if I'm called in the morning. My husband is quite sure I ought to just get up early every morning as if I'm going to work.
We've been married 16 years and he still just doesn't get me at all!
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