By: Christine Holm
But are we really learning that much so early in the morning? Most students say that starting school so early in the morning causes them to lose interest in school. They’re more likely to fall asleep in class, not pay attention, or lose sleep.
“You wake up and get to school by 7:30, but your brain doesn’t wake up until an hour later!” exclaims freshman, Ashley Macy. Waking up so early doesn’t allow you body to function immediately, much less your brain. Not to mention sitting at a desk for hours until lunch doesn’t help students wake up.
“Waking up early bites. If I didn’t wake up so early, I’d be more alert at school” Vanessa Masse tells me. Very few of us are alert and ready to go at 7:30 in the morning. Waking up early not only affects the students, it affects teachers and parents as well. Parents have to wake up earlier just to get their children to school everyday. This can create problems involving getting to work on time and other things. Teachers have to get up extra early just to get to school before students. They have to be prepared and ready to teach by the time students step foot in the classroom.
Waking up early also causes sleep loss for students. School lasts for 7 hours, and then after school, students usually go to some sort of activity (such as sports or clubs), do their homework (which can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 4 hours), eat dinner, and any finish anything else they have to do. By the time they’re done it can be anywhere from 10:00 pm to 1:00 or 2:00 am. Sleep is very important to students especially.
Getting up an hour later would even help. Students get up usually before the sun is even up. If students woke up an hour later, there would be less of a wait for lunch (where most of us wake up) and an hour of extra sleep. Maybe then the phrase “Rise and Shine” would have more of a meaning.
