They made us switch classes just like the kids do, but every 15 minutes. It was quite the whirlwind. After 8 classes I can see that the fact the middle schoolers only get 10 minutes of "recess" is not going to be a problem. The sixth graders are going to get quite the workout going up and down the steps to all their classes.I've seen the books these kids have and it's enough to give them scoliosis. They've got eight 300-page textbooks and a half dozen workbooks, plus binders and folders for papers. These kids look like something out of (pre-)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- small kids with giant backpacks that weigh a 99 pounds.
The books are so ridiculously heavy that they even go so far as to give each middle schooler two complete sets of books so one can stay home and one can stay at school to reduce the burden. Good grief! Why not just give them all a Kindle and be done with it? Or an iPad? (Ooooh, iPad!)
All I can say, is that I'm glad I'm not in middle-, high- or any other kind of school anymore. Who wants to be young anyway? Not anybody with a lick of sense.
4 comments:
I bet when Simon is in middle school e-books will definitely be an option. I could even see a school-issued ebook reader of some sort being distributed.
A Kindle or some other device for e-books would be great. A lot of paper saved, not to mention kids' backs!
I have a teenage cousing who was carrying such a heavy backpack, loaded with a ton of books, that she ended up with back injuries and had to get surgery--I kid you not! Sounds like a lot of schools are going way overboard with the textbooks. What's up with that?
Evan
When I was teaching, the students had the option of logging on to get their textbook online. This way they didn't have to take the books home. That was a few years ago, so I am sure it is happening more and more now.
I think e-books are a great option. I think the "dead tree industry" and the powers-that-be wouldn't like it so much.
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