classrooms with self-paced work, and the ability to take kids out of school for whatever reason (including parental whim) within limits, but no school-mandated breaks.
I also think elementary school ought to run from 8am to 5 or 6pm, and include multiple rest / free play periods, as well as daily music / art / sports activities (rather than the rotation that gets PE in once or twice a week).
I couldn't disagree more! The first paragraph sounds like an instructional nightmare. I'm not a teacher, but I can see why even having small groups helps the students, too. And having people gone randomly would be difficult if the class was doing a certain module at that point. And, you know this country. No mandated breaks would equal no breaks.
As for a longer school day, the only time that is good is when there's a bad home environment. I would die (overly melodramatic) if my child was away from me from 8 until 6. That would leave no time whatsoever for any family time.
The kid has to be *somewhere* during those hours. Two years ago, my neighbor's 6yo and 8yo were unsupervised in their house for an hour before school and two hours after school, because their single parent worked 8 hour days.
That's what before and after school care does.
