1. Set Focus
Frame the inquiry with these essential questions: Why is school important? What services beyond education do schools provide to students and their families?
2. Read and Discuss
Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:
- What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether schools should adopt a four-day school week. The issue is timely because teacher shortages are leading some school districts to offer four-day school weeks as a benefit to attract new teachers.)
- Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Chris Fiedler is the superintendent of a district that currently employs a four-day week. Paul Thompson is an economist whose research focuses on the four-day school week.)