Starting School Later Boosts Student Success
Research shows what parents of teenagers have known forever: teens struggle to wake up early and then they come alive as nighttime deepens.
Many parents are dismayed and frustrated over how early their teenagers have to be at school, knowing all their student would simply nod off in that 7:45 first-period class.
Just how many teens can fully grasp algebraic equations or effectively discuss "Macbeth" at 7:45 a.
m.
? The reality of a later awake/sleep cycle is obvious when college students choose their classes.
Eight o'clock classes are the last to fill-the slots all students avoid if possible.
And they avoid those 8 a.
m.
classes because they know they will be more successful in their studies if they are alert while in class.
The idea seems to be slow in trickling down to the high school level.
Yet it is trickling down, and in fact, an entire organization is devoted to making it the norm.
Start School Later (SSL) is a group ofhealth professionals, sleep scientists, educators, parents, students, and other concerned citizens" working to educate the public about the effect natural teenage sleep cycles has on teen health, safety, and ability to learn in school.
SSL works to educate officials and the public about the "physical, psychological, and educational well-being" of teenagers as related to their sleeping cycles.
The group also helps communities make start time changes in their schools.
SSL's website is full of information explaining the physiological reasons that support later school start times for teens.
Many parents may already be aware of the biology involved, but even more parents simply know it because they see it in practice.
Elementary kids are early-to-bed, early-to-rise with no problem-let them start at 7:30 or earlier-but high school students do much better if classes start no earlier than 9 a.
m.
SSL's website lists several success stories of schools that have improved test scores, attendance, and attentiveness by delaying start times.
The primary excuses heard for not delaying high school start times is disruption to bus schedules and after-school activities, particularly sports.
While it is understanding that bus and sport schedules will take time, effort, and probably money to rearrange, apparently it is working and working well in many school districts across the country.
Fortunately students have much more choice once they head off to college.
If a student is certain he cannot make it to early classes, he can sign up for those that start at 10 a.
m.
or later.
Of course, that is not always possible, particularly as a student advances in college, but in those first couple of college years, it can make a huge difference just as it can in high school.
To learn more about the need for later school starts and to read about schools that have successfully implemented those late starts, see http://www.
startschoollater.
net/index.
html.
Many parents are dismayed and frustrated over how early their teenagers have to be at school, knowing all their student would simply nod off in that 7:45 first-period class.
Just how many teens can fully grasp algebraic equations or effectively discuss "Macbeth" at 7:45 a.
m.
? The reality of a later awake/sleep cycle is obvious when college students choose their classes.
Eight o'clock classes are the last to fill-the slots all students avoid if possible.
And they avoid those 8 a.
m.
classes because they know they will be more successful in their studies if they are alert while in class.
The idea seems to be slow in trickling down to the high school level.
Yet it is trickling down, and in fact, an entire organization is devoted to making it the norm.
Start School Later (SSL) is a group ofhealth professionals, sleep scientists, educators, parents, students, and other concerned citizens" working to educate the public about the effect natural teenage sleep cycles has on teen health, safety, and ability to learn in school.
SSL works to educate officials and the public about the "physical, psychological, and educational well-being" of teenagers as related to their sleeping cycles.
The group also helps communities make start time changes in their schools.
SSL's website is full of information explaining the physiological reasons that support later school start times for teens.
Many parents may already be aware of the biology involved, but even more parents simply know it because they see it in practice.
Elementary kids are early-to-bed, early-to-rise with no problem-let them start at 7:30 or earlier-but high school students do much better if classes start no earlier than 9 a.
m.
SSL's website lists several success stories of schools that have improved test scores, attendance, and attentiveness by delaying start times.
The primary excuses heard for not delaying high school start times is disruption to bus schedules and after-school activities, particularly sports.
While it is understanding that bus and sport schedules will take time, effort, and probably money to rearrange, apparently it is working and working well in many school districts across the country.
Fortunately students have much more choice once they head off to college.
If a student is certain he cannot make it to early classes, he can sign up for those that start at 10 a.
m.
or later.
Of course, that is not always possible, particularly as a student advances in college, but in those first couple of college years, it can make a huge difference just as it can in high school.
To learn more about the need for later school starts and to read about schools that have successfully implemented those late starts, see http://www.
startschoollater.
net/index.
html.
Source...