Provide two to four paragraphs of biological background supporting the recommend

Question

Provide two to four paragraphs of biological background supporting the recommendation that your local high school delay its first classes of the day from starting at 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Search the web to see what you can find out about teens, sleep, academic performance, car accidents, and biological rhythms.

In addition, write one more paragraph anticipating THREE valid criticisms against your proposal. These need not be scientific; e.g., “Who cares what kids think? Doing what is easiest for adults is the most important!”

Explanation / Answer

The main goals of schools to educate and install basic values in the students not to overburden them and make them sleep deprived. Teens already burdened with mental pressure of their changing bodies, school and social life get an extra pressure owing to the morning classes. It is highly recommended for the school to shift their morning classes from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. In support of the above fact we need to understand the sleeping habits of the teen little more clearly. The high school kids are more or less in a constant state of confusion due to their changing bodies during attaining puberty. Not only their way of thinking changes but their internal rhythm, what we call circadian rhythms also changes significantly causing changes in their sleep cycle. Their own body prime them to sleep late and early morning school lead them to a condition of sleep deprivation. And this not only leads to their lack of interest in school but also affects their academic performance.

Teenagers have to balance a lot of thing in this growing age. Their homework, assignments, or a little grownup ones work after school (may be willingly to earn a pocket money or as a responsibility to support their family) some may be even helping their sibling or looking after them to compensate working parents. And after all this, some peer pressure or social life and their own biological sleep cycles does not allow to go to bed timely, most of the times. This leads to irritability, mood swings and aggression in kids which sometimes show up as serious consequences in their lives. Also it does not even fulfil the basic purpose of the fact of early schools as students tend to be less attentive and sleepy in the class as well as their cognitive memory also decreases.

Also, early morning waking up lead to disturbing the basic circadian rhythm of teenagers and make growing up hard for them. It also disturbs their sleep wake balance making them lazy, inactive and sleep in the classes. Studies have shown that school that start late show higher percent of attendance as compared to early starting school, not only this but school shifted their timing also showed a better academic performances. What is the use of starting the school early when the main purpose of the schooling is not fulfilled? This condition of sleeplessness not only effect health and mental wellness but is sometimes fatal too. Studies clearly suggest that sleep deprived teenagers are involved in car crashes approx. 20% more than normal teens. And these accident are mostly recorded in early morning or late nights. So rather than to burden the coming generation of our country with a unnecessary pressure which can be easily dealt with, it’s better to delay the school timing and let the flourish naturally and happily.

Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy wealthy and wise…teenagers will never end up giving excuses for the same. It’s a sign of healthy individual and healthy society which gets up early. The weather is nice early morning and fresh air is around to breathe which is good for kids. Kids these days play video games and watch TV late till night which is not allowing them to wake up in the morning. Reduce these things and there will be no sleep deprivation. Coming up to school early means school will get over early which leaves them with plenty of time later to catch a nap or even work if they want to.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse P
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.