Soft Students vs Demanding Schools

10/7/2024

Instructions. Click the image to read the article in its entirety. Then, first, do you agree with the teacher? Next, answer the question posed by the headline. In your post, mention something that stood out in the article that supports your answer. BE MINDFUL OF THE ADJUSTED DEADLINE.

**Vague responses will not be accepted in your post or replies.
**Disrespectful comments will not be accepted and will result in a zero whether you do the assignment or not.

1. Respond to the post. Do not post vague or ambiguous commentary. Your post should have depth, be thoughtful, and provide specific, meaningful insight. Make sure it addresses the topic and encourages reflection, discussion, or a connection.

2. INCLUDE: Last Name, First Initial, AND Class Block. You do not have to include an email address or a website.

3. You MUST comment on at least TWO other posts from any student in any class. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.

4. Language. Do NOT use profanity.

5. Set a weekly alarm or calendar timer. Whatever you do to remember other important events, I'd do the same for this assignment.

6. Don't wait until the last minute. Telling me that you didn't do the assignment on Friday because you broke your leg, for example, on Thursday will not do anything for you when you've had a week. Be responsible and accountable.

7. How to post. Click in the top right hand corner or the lower left hand corner where it says Comments to access the discussion board. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the page to post a Reply. After, choose comments from at least two students from any class and Reply to what they wrote.

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school, your family or your upbringing with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

DISCLAIMER: If you do not respond AND comment on TWO others, you will not receive credit for this assignment. If you do not write your name correctly, and I don't see your work, you will not receive credit for this assignment. If you use profanity, you will not receive credit for the work. It's all or nothing.

WARNING: If you post even one second past midnight, your comment might appear to be posted, but as soon as it is opened to be graded, it will automatically delete.

Due Thurs., October 10, 11:59 p.m. CST

Kendell Hurrington 4A

10/7/2024 08:20:53 pm

Mr.Donahue's claim holds lots of truth. Students are being conditioned into living on crammed schedules thus causing them less time to enjoy life or even process what they are learning, if we keep going down this route then we may cause an educational crisis. High school does need to be less demanding , but we cannot place the blame of burnout and high stress solely on it, as colleges have a hand to play as well. A Harvard dean named Amanda Claybaugh stated , "Students feel the need to distinguish themselves outside the classroom because they are essentially indistinguishable inside the classroom. Extracurriculars, which should be stress-relieving, become stress-producing.". This quote indirectly states to us that it's because of the lack of individuality among students that colleges seek out so much, that students are overworking themselves in order to stand out. This creates a toxic culture of trying to have as much meat on your bone in a resume so that your dream school chooses you over everyone else. But being chosen at the expense of your own sanity shouldn't be the norm. We must speak now before "individuality" become "indistinguishable"

Colocho J 6B

10/8/2024 09:19:33 am

I think this would be true also because of the stress around us we just look at and not see what's the best of it.

Grant Z 4A

10/9/2024 09:25:39 pm

I can understand that perspective. I do think some times we as students put ourselves in situations we can't handle.

Torres. C 3/A

10/8/2024 09:46:41 am

Students are given the option to join these forms of classes/ Extra Cirriculars. It can also be blamed on the parents, so it´s not just fault of the student, but the parent as well.

Williams Z 6B

10/10/2024 03:35:44 pm

I feel like student need to do more because their schedule is overload does't mean they need to do better with their schedule

Alarcon 3A

10/10/2024 08:39:58 am

I understand where they're coming from and I agree that students should not overwork themselves just because schools have very high demands for them and I believe schools should lower the expectations that they hope students meet.

Malvaez M, 1A

10/10/2024 09:33:03 am

School can be stressing at times and I agree that it should be less demanding, but I also agree that we cannot always blame the education system for not being able to complete most of our courses

jahlil .H 4A

10/10/2024 03:27:57 pm

I feel this too because at the end of the day we have to make sure we get a education and maybe go to college

Johnson C 8B

10/10/2024 08:00:01 pm

I believe this because we still have to do the work so we can get an education

Luster J 3A

10/10/2024 10:51:32 am

I love how you bring up collage too because on top of the stress we're expected to deal with in high school collage is also shoved into our face in our last year of high school when all kids want to do is enjoy their time

Williams Z 6B

10/10/2024 03:30:33 pm

I agree with Kendell

Johnson C 8B

10/10/2024 07:58:52 pm

I agree because students often times find their self in situations with a lot of pressure they cant handle .

Tapia, R 1A

10/11/2024 01:09:53 pm

I've been taught to make myself stand out from the rest of my peers by participating in extracurricular activities and community services along with taking advanced classes to build my transcript and stand out more then others and at times it causes stress. This stress can be a little more avoidable if we had a little bit more time or little bit less work I am not saying that we should get rid of the work just shorten the amount of it. This will relieve the stress of some of the students and let them enjoy high school more rather than make them hate school make them enjoy coming but it all starts with the getting rid of the stress.

Colocho J 6B

10/8/2024 09:18:23 am

I agree with the teacher because she knows what were going through and how the struggle is trying to keep up. And I think I would be one too because sometimes you have to make the effort to push yourself and not always stand down. In the article "Soft Students vs Demanding Schools" says, "It's no wonder kids are so fried when they get home that they retreat to their screens". This sentences stood out to me because it describes us and we at least need a mental break here and there.

Torres. C 3/A

10/8/2024 09:44:36 am

Do they know what we are going through? Not many of us participate in any extras, and in fact many of us are just passing by.

Bronson M, 3A

10/8/2024 11:53:36 am

I agree, the teacher is understanding with students problems. There are excuses that are made to not be able to accomplish things, if they want it bad enough it is achievable. The quote you added from the article does describe us students being exhausted, but we have to keep pushing through.

Hurd J

10/8/2024 02:36:17 pm

I agree we are totally capable of understanding what we signed up for and the amount of effort it would take to accomplish the end task

Flores A 4A

10/9/2024 08:55:52 pm

Many students already have priorities outside of school and classes do give out way more assignments to do at home, which can be a lot of on a students plate and can lead to burn out, which in turn can cause them to ignore there assignments all together, which leads to there grades to fall off.

jahlil h 4A

10/10/2024 03:23:34 pm

I agree with this person because many people have things to do after school like sports , jobs , or family things too do and sometimes having a lot of school work can really miss with there mental because they have to worry about school than later have to worry about there other things

Fuentez M 3A

10/10/2024 11:57:12 pm

Agreeing to what you said, I've seen a lot of friends of mine including myself get physically and mentally sick because of the stress, pressure , and anxiety we feel on a day to day biases . Our diet is horrible adding to our sleep schedule .

Barrientos S 4A

10/10/2024 03:22:01 pm

A mental break should be given to students once and a while, to enjoy themselves and have time for other things going on in life.

Torres. C 3/A

10/8/2024 09:43:09 am

High school is perfectly fine with its course and what it demands the students. While the author of the essay that is within the article, Tim Donahue, makes very valid and crucial points, it cannot be blamed on the school. Schools do not require you take on this extra cirricular activites, it is given by the parents or the student themselves, this issue is more on the hands of the family, and should not be blamed entirely on the school.

Bronson M, 3A

10/8/2024 11:58:33 am

I agree, the teacher cannot be blamed nor the school. The students are aware of the work that will be missed and have to be made up when doing an extracurricular. The issue is in the students hands, they are responsible for their schedule.

Hurd J

10/8/2024 02:34:27 pm

I agree because I understand what I committed to and the struggles that come with it and the time and effort it takes balancing multiple things

Sanchez A 3A

10/8/2024 05:05:32 pm

I agree that the schools does not require to take extra curricular activities, but some students don't have a choice and get put in anyways. This causes students to do more for classes they didn't want like if they had to do community service outside of school puts more stress on the students.

Teniente J. 1A

10/8/2024 05:18:42 pm

I can see why you agree that its not the school system fault that the students choose extra activity to do in during school, but it can be faulty that the school can also put you in classes that are not required which they cannot leave or change out of that causes more issues for the students so it can go both ways that can end badly for the stress of a student.

Nathan T 6B

10/9/2024 09:56:21 am

I agree because extra curricular activities are not imposed by the school. So it can't be the schools fault.

Colocho. J 6B

10/9/2024 01:26:31 pm

Well we will think that of course not to blame the school depends on our personality.

Thompson D 8B

10/10/2024 08:45:02 am

Exactly what I was thinking. Teachers don't give students all the extra class that the students / parents choose, so you can't put all the blame on the school just because students are stressed out when they go home when half of the blame is on the students themselves.

Curlee A, 4A

10/10/2024 09:50:30 am

While it is true school doesn't require you to take extra curricular activities, it is heavily encouraged. This is due to the credit system in place, where in order to graduate you have to have a certain amount of credits. This leads to students picking classes they don't really like or enjoy in order to gain these credits. That's why the phrase, "We condition students to do a so-so job and then move on to the next thing.", is even mentioned, because the systems in place don't encourage students to engage in critical thinking, they encourage students to just pass.

Kendell Hurrington 4A

10/10/2024 10:16:24 am

School cannot be blameless in the draining of kid's and their energy. its the schools and colleges who pick the students that cause the stress for the students in the fight for individuality.

Tapia, R 1A

10/11/2024 12:47:51 pm

Although that it's true that the student themselves choose to do extracurricular classes that's not the only thing they may do after school as many teenagers have jobs to help support their families or for their personal needs and just imagine the amount of stress caused by the amount of work given in some classes as some teachers give crucial amount of work in a given amount of time, For example Say someone just works a night shift for 3 outta of the 5 days in the week and their teacher says there's an essay due in the end of the week and it's 30% of your grade you don't have much time and this isn't the only class your apart of cause he/she may have more classes with this amount of work. I don't think it's fair to some teens who have jobs and clubs they join for fun to turn into stress due to all the work given as sometimes we miss days which have big assignments and missing that day keeps us behind.

Salgado M, 1A

10/11/2024 03:33:09 pm

I agree, its all on the students whether or not to take up these activites and on how they will manage their schedules.

Bronson M, 3A

10/8/2024 11:48:09 am

I agree with the teacher, majority of students complain about the complexity of their schedule and find excuses. High School does not need to be less demanding. If you cannot handle balancing out sports with work you need to focus on your academics. Tim Donahue says "Students feel the need to distinguish themselves outside the classroom because they are essentially indistinguishable inside the classroom. Extracurriculars, which should be stress-relieving, become stress-producing." I agree with the quote because the reason for stress is overworking their schedule, having too many things to do.

Nathan T 6B

10/9/2024 09:50:09 am

I agree with you because it's true students should learn how to separate your academic life with sports or any other activity. If you can't control that or learn how to separate them then you should prioritize school.

Palacios R 1A

10/9/2024 09:07:10 pm

Success is about finding what makes you happy and pursuing it with all your heart. College isn't the only path to success for what I know. Whether its starting your own business, or pursuing a career.

Alarcon 3A

10/10/2024 08:37:21 am

I agree with this statement schools should be less demanding and should expect less from students the demand makes students stress out and overwork themselves.

Thompson D 8B

10/10/2024 08:47:02 am

Students chose to be in extra classes like sports, and clubs , so you can't blame the school for that. If you decide to be in those certain things you have to learn to balance your schedule and get the work done.

Kendell Hurrington 4A

10/10/2024 10:26:22 am

The teacher is not on the side of the schools as he believes students are being over worked and that schools should demand less. This quote is meant to convey how the pressures of school causes students to over work themselves to an unhealthy degree. Its unfair to blame student for falling behind the systems they have to accommodate for .

Hurd j

10/8/2024 02:31:42 pm

I agree with the teacher because she understands what we go through and maybe have been through it also the students choose the extra curricular activities they weren't forced .

Vega F. 1A

10/9/2024 04:16:04 pm

I agree, most of the time is the students the one that puts all the pressure in themselves

Guzmán X 6B

10/9/2024 07:20:08 pm

I totally agree. She gets what we're going through and has probably been there too. We chose our extracurriculars, so we should learn to manage them. It's a valuable life skill.

Grant Z 4A

10/9/2024 09:11:48 pm

I actually have mad love and respect for those types of teachers because they are understanding and give students an outlet to be themselves.

Dralyn S. 4A

10/8/2024 02:43:14 pm

I agree with the teacher, majority of students complain about the complexity of their schedule and find excuses. The students are aware of the work that will be missed and have to be made up when doing an extracurricular.

Garcia M 3A

10/9/2024 02:07:32 pm

I agree, the demands are a lot and it can be hard on students with having crammed schedules, work, and other out of school activities. The demand limits can affect the student and they wont be able to thrive as much in school and can fall behind .

Alanis A. 3A

10/9/2024 10:31:41 pm

I agree, Having a less demanding schedule can help students focus better on their tasks and reduce stress. It also allows more time for rest and personal interests, which are essential for overall well-being

Garcia M 3A

10/8/2024 03:25:29 pm

I agree with the teacher because us being students we have a lot on our plates with either dealing with school, work, or any other activities that give stress. Students have complex schedules and it can be a bit stressful trying to balance everything. If students do less and spread everything out into smaller chunks of work they can do better . Yes, school should be less demanding to promote a healthier balance between academics and personal well-being. Reducing pressure can enhance students' engagement, creativity, and overall mental health, allowing them to thrive both academically and personally. Paragraph 1 states ,"We often hear from students about how their schedules are overloaded — they have too much homework, and they’re running from one extracurricular activity, sport or volunteer project to another. As a result, they don’t sleep enough or spend enough time with their friends and families" which helps other understand how students feel about the demand limits and what is expected from them to be a bit much for both their academic and personal performances

Malvaez M, 1A

10/10/2024 09:29:43 am

Trying to balance life and school can be challenging to students, but having to do less will be better for the well being of students and will be easier to balance both lifestyles.

Alvarez J 8B

10/10/2024 10:05:14 am

You're right it's been proven over and over again that if you have more time to do something important you perform better and the work is better. If you have so many things cramped into your schedule you start to just do good enough in your work

Luster J 3A

10/10/2024 10:49:39 am

I agree with you and i love how you explained this, kids are just expected to do so much but at what cost. I feel like you really got that in your message

Fuentez M 3A

10/10/2024 11:59:32 pm

Agreeing to what you said and also complementing on how you quoted the article. Students are getting tied more easily which result in us not wanting to do our school work. We don't have a good diet some of us tend to starve in order to catch up on missing work and catch up on sleep. We are exhausted and need time to do better in school we need a break .

Sanchez A 3A

10/8/2024 04:58:53 pm

Mr.Donahue states that students need less work to be more successful, I abide by it because we can have more time with less assignments to complete. High schools should be less demanding with the amount working out they have to do in extracurricular and practices. "Between classes and sports, I never see my child'. This statement stood out to me because parents should always be able to spend time with their children and with all the work they have to do in school prevents that.

Teniente J. 1A

10/8/2024 05:13:10 pm

I agree that the school should not demand as much to overwhelm the students especially when students are dealing with a lot outta school where they want to focus on it or want to rest after a long day. This affects the parents that they usually see their child sleep when they get straight home which they want to spend family time but can't due to the stress of schools so they should have less demanding school work to help the teens.

Divine Ojeh 8B

10/8/2024 10:33:30 pm

I agree I feel like when high school is less demanding towards high school students, their life would be easier and wont have to stress.

Sophia Nyamichabab, 6B

10/10/2024 09:05:11 pm

this is exactly what I thought I feel like teachers should be more considerate and think about what's going on outside of school.

Divine Ojeh 8B

10/8/2024 10:32:20 pm

I agree I feel like as an high school student there should not be alot of pressure towards the high school student because It wont make them expand.

Vega F. 1A

10/9/2024 04:15:27 pm

I agree that students should have more free time

Miles D 4A

10/9/2024 10:58:18 pm

i agree because students in extracaricular activities often times have to put alot of time into both school work nand what ever sport ot activity they are involved in and it can become stressful for them trying to balance both.

Curlee A, 4A

10/10/2024 09:08:30 am

I completely agree with this comment. We have 8 classes, some of us might have early release, late arrival, or doubled blocked classes, but the majority of students have 8 different classes. That is a lot to manage, and while some classes may be easy, it doesn't necessarily make them beneficial. If a class is "easy" to the point you don't really learn anything, then why have the class? A class should never take away time from your people.

Teniente J. 1A

10/8/2024 05:01:35 pm

Mr.Donahue claims that students can better themselves when there is less work, and stress on their hands to make them become more successful. Which I side with his claim about having less work because students have a complex schedule, and different problems that they deal with outside of school. It really affects how they get work done or having any motivation to even start the work outside of school. This starts to hurt their mental health that they start getting depressed,drained, or feel useless that students don't want any help dealing with nor do the teachers recognize it until it's too late. Mr.Donahue states,in paragraph,"our high school students also have a breaking point, and it has been announcing itself for quite some time with its own resounding trends — depression, anxiety, migraines. We are letting this happen, too. We are letting it waft through the floor vents." Explaining that it is the school system fault for making the students mindset, and their academic go downhill overtime in their high school career. In conclusion, less work can help balance life with school work while improving the students mental health.

Sanchez A 3A

10/8/2024 05:08:50 pm

I agree with this statement because all the work that's put on the students can hurt their mental health, along with work piling up even more, every day that goes by there's something new.

Garcia M 3A

10/9/2024 02:13:32 pm

I agree with this statement, the demand levels are a lot and can get hard on students with tight schedules, work, and other out of school activities. The demand limits affect the student and they wont be able to thrive as much in school and can fall behind with not getting enough sleep or time with family and friends .

Palacios R 1A

10/9/2024 05:55:25 pm

Balancing quality education and individual needs might be the key.

Flores A 4A

10/9/2024 08:33:20 pm

I agree student can definitively need time to unwind and relax from all the pressure they receive from school, if they don't it can really affect there mental health and can negatively affect there grades.

Miles D 4A

10/9/2024 11:03:47 pm

i agree with this statement becuase all the work that gets stacked up can become stessful and damaging to their mental health.

Divine Ojeh 8B

10/8/2024 10:30:55 pm

1. Yes

2. Yes high school needs to be less demanding.

3. "exploration is the catalyst of learning."

Nathan

10/9/2024 09:44:12 am

I agree with the teacher because yes even though students think that they have "overloaded schedules". students should learn to manage their schedules separate them from work, or extra curricular activities. It shouldn't be less demanding.

Guzmán X 6B

10/9/2024 07:16:13 pm

I completely agree .Students need to learn to manage their busy schedules, not have them watered down. It's essential for building time management skills and prioritizing tasks. This prepares them for real-life responsibilities.

Rodriguez R. 4A

10/10/2024 03:34:14 pm

I agree the students should find the time to finish their work and use their time in class.

Vega F. 1A

10/9/2024 04:14:25 pm

I agree that even tho students have overloaded schedules they should learn how to manage their time and activities, school is no that hard.

Tomas R 6B

10/10/2024 03:13:47 pm

True, maybe they should have a schedule to manage their work and time

Palacios R 1A

10/9/2024 05:52:22 pm

High school demands are out of control, it causes unnecessary stress and restlessly affecting mental health. Some believe reducing work might help relieving pressure, however I think that expectations of students should be lowered. So tell me, when can we create an environment where schools actually prioritize students and give us time for what we enjoy?

Esquivel. E 1A

10/10/2024 02:11:53 pm

Extracurricular activities are an option for students to enjoy and have fun that's why they are there. As for expectation, there isn't much when all you need is a 70 to pass a class, and that is just bare minimum.

Guzmán X 6B

10/9/2024 07:12:42 pm

I agree with the teacher's perspective that high school should be less demanding. The current educational environment often overwhelms students with excessive homework and extracurricular commitments, leading to stress and burnout. This situation can hinder their ability to perform well academically and maintain a healthy balance in their lives.

Esquivel. E 1A

10/10/2024 02:09:43 pm

I can agree to an extent, having excessive homework and extracurricular classes can cause stress, but it teaches students time managing skills. If they don't have those skills they are more likely to burnout.

Rodriguez R. 4A

10/10/2024 03:30:04 pm

I agree the excessive homework overwhelms the student.

Flores A, 4A

10/9/2024 08:11:04 pm

I agree with the teacher, students are given a lot of work to do at home even after spending around 8 hours at school, and that not including all the after school actives students they can partake in, which really limits how much time we get to ourselves and time we get with and friends, plus when we get home from school most of us just want to get home and go to our rooms and relax and or do the mountain of homework we have. High schools can be less demanding in the from of less test and more hands on learning. in the article a mom felt like a prison Warden having to bring there kid food at there room as they worked on school assignments, which is kinda sad for a mom having feel that way.

Taylor Hayes

10/10/2024 11:06:21 am

I feel what your saying we should lessen down on the test and do more hands on stuff

Sophia Nyamichaba, 6B

10/10/2024 09:03:07 pm

I agree being more demanding can cause students to have more stress.

Grant Z 4A

10/9/2024 09:06:48 pm

Mr. Donahue made many good points. I personally have to jugle dance and being a part of leader ship, do my school work all the many assignments from individual classes. Along with working and making it home later and then having to be up early for practice. As students the teachers who assign us the work don't really care as much about what we had going on they want their work and if you don't get it done its on you. Sports nowadays demand so much as it is and unless you have a good relationship with your teacher you will lose the battle and feel so crammed and overwhelmed. For some students they have to deal with school and home stress, so they really don't get a break and don't have much time for friends.

Alanis, A 3A

10/9/2024 10:27:47 pm

Tim Donahue's essay makes an excellent point The pressure to excel in every area can be overwhelming, and it's true that sometimes extracurriculars, which are supposed to be fun and relaxing, end up adding more stress. Slowing down could help us do better in the long run, not just academically but mentally and emotionally too. I might say that a demanding schedule can help teach students important time management and prioritization skills. It can prepare students for the real world where they often have to juggle multiple responsibilities. The pressure can sometimes push students to achieve more than they thought possible. However, it's crucial to find a balance to avoid burnout.

Barrientos S 4A

10/10/2024 03:35:06 pm

I agree it does show students how to manage time and having a tight schedule, but later on when you go off to college maybe even in the last years of college. It would be appropriate to show students how to manage both things at the same time. But young kids in middle school, early high school should not be going through this. At that young age is when the brain is developing the most, so it is important for them to discover themselves instead of worrying about having a tight schedule everyday.

Miles D 4A

10/9/2024 11:46:52 pm

I agree with Mr Donahue's many point he made in the article. Students that are involved in extracariculars have to be able to find a balance between what they are involved in and the school work they are assigned and not everyone can do that, so for the students who can't find that balance should slow down and focus on their academics.

Taylor Hayes 8B

10/10/2024 11:03:45 am

I agree with what your saying the students need to learn how to balance out their life and if they don't know how they should cut something out.

Telkom University link

10/10/2024 01:24:47 am

What are the main characteristics of soft students compared to those who thrive in demanding school environments?

Arcon 3A

10/10/2024 08:35:23 am

I agree with the teacher extra curricular studies wind up causing more stress and I believe the expectations students are meant to meet should be lowered down a bit as this also causes stress upon students. In paragraph 1 the statement "We often hear from students about how their schedules are overloaded — they have too much homework, and they’re running from one extracurricular activity, sport or volunteer project to another. As a result, they don’t sleep enough or spend enough time with their friends and families." this section really explains the things students have to go through while in place of learning.

Thompson D 8B

10/10/2024 08:40:49 am

I disagree with the teacher, if students do less they aren't going to work harder if anything it's going to cause them to work even less. The students might end up thinking "oh this work is easy I can finish this in 5 minutes" but they end up failing because they aren't trying/ doing enough on their assignment. I do agree that High school should be less demanding, but that doesn't necessarily means that they have to do LESS, by less demanding I mean like cut out on the work that's do at home, give students more time to do work inside the class rather than giving them work 5 minutes before bell ring and making them do work at home. Not everyone has the ability to do every single last homework assignment given by teachers, so schools should take the precaution of sending students home with packets of homework. Textual evidence "We often hear from students about how their schedules are overloaded — they have too much homework, and they’re running from one extracurricular activity, sport or volunteer project to another. "

Curlee A, 4A

10/10/2024 09:03:15 am

Firstly, I do agree with the teachers viewpoints on this topic. Furthermore, I agree with the statement that students need to do less so we can become better. The reason why I resonate with this statement so much is because I've experienced this personally. I've spent time taking classes (such as astronomy) that really do not interest me in the slightest. I only take certain classes to obtain my credits, not because I value what I learn in those classes. Even Mr.Donahue says himself, "We condition students to do a so-so job and then move on to the next thing." I don't truly learn for most of my classes, I just retain information until I don't need it anymore.

Gonzalez J, 4A

10/10/2024 11:44:45 am

"Your honesty is refreshing! Mr. Donahue's quote resonates deeply. It's time to prioritize meaningful learning over credit-chasing."

Malvaez M, 1A

10/10/2024 09:26:40 am

Mr. Donahue states that students are so "fried" when they get home because of all their class courses and having to do sports or any other activities after school that they have no time to themselves to relax. I agree with Donahues claim because I can relate to what she claims, having to do all that work under a deadline is extremely stressful but it has to be done. Though it is important for students to learn and grow but too much can affect a persons mental health causing stress, depression, and anxiety. In the article "High schoolers need to do less so that they can do better", Donahue states "Our high school students also have a breaking point, and it has been announcing itself for quite some time with its own resounding trends depression, anxiety, migraines. We are letting this happen, too." The quote stands out because it provides reasonable information on how too much work will negatively impact a students mental health.

Presas A 6B

10/10/2024 08:10:02 pm

Especially being in extra activities or all the work or tutoring they have or even their parents pushing them to get higher grade because of all the work they give us how can the students stay on top of that and try to remember every work they have to turn in to make there grades good . And like you said it can have a huge affect on there mental health it can drain them with sleepless nights trying to get work done or rushing because they decided to change the dead line from what It was before students cant have time to relax or have time to themselves with out being stressed or enjoy there teen life a little without having to worry if they did it correct or what work that has to be done.

Alvarez J 8B

10/10/2024 09:53:25 am

I agree with the teacher, High school should be a time to explore what you like and try to at least figure out what you want to do in the future and having to do so many things can be distracting and overwhelming. Something that really stood out to me is that a parent was worried about how their son was so busy she had to give him his food at his desk and she felt like a prison warden.

Tomas R 6B

10/10/2024 03:24:07 pm

I agree, high school should be challenging, but not challenging to the point where the students are having depression, just enough where they have time after school, maybe less homework for they can hang out with friends and explore places.

Luster J 3A

10/10/2024 10:47:13 am

Tim Donahue states "It’s no wonder kids are so fried when they get home that they retreat to their screens." and i completely agree with this statement. Kids try so hard to balance so much by the time they get to go home even if they have more work they need to do, their brains get "fried". Everyone needs a break but without one you'll overwork yourself. High school needs to find a way to be less demanding of children without taking away all the things that are actually enjoyable. Actually something that stood out to me was the statement of "Extracurriculars, which should be stress-relieving, become stress-producing.” Things like sports, band, or theater are supposed to be fun activities that the children can enjoy. But it ends up just stacking onto the load we have. Kids want to have a lesson load without losing those fun activities.

rivera d 4a

10/10/2024 11:24:52 pm

I totally agree. High schoolers are overloaded, and by the time they get home, they're too exhausted to do anything but retreat to their screens. Extracurriculars, which should be fun, end up adding more stress. We need a way to ensure that students can enjoy these activities without feeling overwhelmed.

Hayes T 8B

10/10/2024 11:01:07 am

I agree with the teacher because I feel like High school doesn't need to be less demanding the students need to learn how to work around their schedules and if they can't do that then they need to focus on their academics. Mr. Donahue had a good point he says "it cannot be the schools fault the students and parents are the ones who signed up for the extracurricular and it should not be blamed on the school.

Gonzalez J, 4A

10/10/2024 11:42:16 am

"I understand your point, but Mr. Donahue argues that systemic pressures and cultural expectations drive burnout. Schools and society contribute to this high-stress culture. Are students truly 'signing up' for extracurriculars voluntarily or feeling pressured?"

Hernandez M, 4A link

10/10/2024 03:35:12 pm

I agree on the first sentence kids should find a better way to balance academics and school and work but I feel like the school should also care in a way as to not make the kids burn out.

Smith S, 8B

10/10/2024 08:15:40 pm

I agree because students need how to better spread out time to all of their things

Gonzalez J, 4A

10/10/2024 11:39:41 am

Yes, I agree with Mr. Donahue's argument that high school students are overburdened and need to slow down.
Yes, high school should be less demanding. The current system prioritizes academic achievement over mental health, well-being, and meaningful learning experiences.
What stood out to me was Mr. Donahue's observation that students feel pressured to distinguish themselves outside the classroom because they're essentially indistinguishable inside the classroom. This highlights the issue of grade inflation and the emphasis on extracurriculars, leading to burnout. My Additional Thoughts scaling back expectations, students can focus on genuine learning, develop meaningful relationships, and prioritize self-care.

Rodriguez R. 4A

10/10/2024 12:30:19 pm

I do agree with the statement Mr. Donahue provided, students are being overworked by school work and causing them to get depression, anxiety, and migraines. I also kind of agree with what the headline is asking if students need to do less so that they can do better, because there are some students that have other things to do after school and they don't get the time to finish the home work they been assigned to do, especially since they have many other classes to also manage. Something that stood out to me in the article was the sentence "It’s no wonder kids are so fried when they get home that they retreat to their screens".

Smith R. 8B

10/11/2024 02:40:06 pm

I agree, we are oftentimes burnt out because of how overworked we are and by trying to balance everything in our life.

Esquivel. E 1A

10/10/2024 02:04:41 pm

I do not agree with the teacher because the classes of the school itself aren't a problem. As a person that takes extracurricular activities, I do it to stay busy, it is my choice to have a busy highschool life not the schools. Though a lot of what was said in the article are valid, highschool isn't as demanding as some think. "They have too much homework, and they’re running from one extracurricular activity, sport or volunteer project to another." Homework is one thing but extracurricular activities and volunteer works are as they say in the name, students don't have to do EXTRAcurricular activities or VOLUNTEER works.

Hernandez M, 4A link

10/10/2024 03:29:59 pm

I disagree with this comment many kids have to do these things because they want to get into new schools and these schools look for people that do Extracurricular activities and Volunteer works and then work they do it not just because they're helping out people but also because it helps them out.

Smith S, 8B

10/10/2024 08:14:44 pm

I agree you choose whether or not to do your assignments / stay on top of everything

Cavazos N 6B

10/10/2024 11:58:29 pm

I would disagree with your comment because although being in extracurricular activities may not be a problem for you, that isn't the same for most. Although it's not mandatory to join extracurricular activities many students do it because that's what they love to do.

Salgado M, 1A

10/11/2024 03:31:19 pm

I can agree with this. They are very optional a lot of the times. It's up to the students to take up these activities to begin with.

Tomas R 6B

10/10/2024 02:17:02 pm

I agree with Mr.Donahue that high school students are getting overworked often leading to Stress, depression, anxiety, and migraines. In the article it says that students want to do something that can distinguish themselves outside of school, but cant due to the lack of time, and work. And they're not even safe in their own house either. with their parents say they feel like wardens delivering food to a prisoner, since the high school kids seem to always be locked up in their own rooms

Smith R. 8B

10/11/2024 02:38:16 pm

I agree, we all have certain responsibilities and are unable to have time to do things that we actually enjoy and interests us.

jahlil .H 4a

10/10/2024 02:44:10 pm

i agree with mr donahae people are getting to much work that they start being stressed out and start being lazy when school ends and when u get home u just wanna sit their for the rest of the day

Barrientos S 4A

10/10/2024 03:20:27 pm

Mr Donahue has a good argument, he claims students are "fried" and I agree. Of course school is not easy, it will never be easy, but teachers should be considerate of students time. Students should be able to live their lives outside of school, and live their youth to the extent. The youth have other things going on in their live that do not revolve around school, getting so much homework and having deadlines could cause stress to students. Teachers should be considerate and be understanding of the effects it has on kids having to balance everything else in life and school at the same time.

Presas A 6B

10/10/2024 08:01:27 pm

Yes school isn't easy and teachers should know that to and understand that they pile of work they give us especially pilling up with out other classes we have can make it harder by having different dates that they may be due by some might even forget because of everything that may be going on in there life.It just can't be always about school teachers respecting students get their work done on time without them having their own life and having fun while they can or even to relief themslef form stress that can even be caused because of school.

Hernandez M, 4A link

10/10/2024 03:24:06 pm

I agree on this article because that's what my schedule looks like most of the time.I work 5 days a week,do chores, and go to math club and Sat tutoring; on top of all these things that I'm doing I also have inconsiderate teachers who think their class is the only class we have and give us loads of work. Between all these things I find many of the statements in the article true like when the mom says she feels like a warden because when her kids get home all they do is eat and then rest before they go and do the same thing again the next day that's what life looks like right now.All of the things we do is for the better of our future.

Dilworth z 6b

10/10/2024 10:49:58 pm

Just like in the article when kids don’t get enough time to spend with their family after school

Cavazos N 6B

10/10/2024 11:53:05 pm

This is a prime example of how high schools need to be less demanding to their students. Hernandez has a lot on their plate so all they can do in their free time is just rest because of all of the work they are doing.

Williams J 6B

10/10/2024 03:59:17 pm

I agree on this article because Mr.Donahue's claim holds lots of truth. Students are being conditioned into living on crammed schedules thus causing them less time to enjoy life or even process what they are learning, if we keep going down this route then we may cause an educational crisis. High school does need to be less demanding , but we cannot place the blame of burnout and high stress solely on it, as colleges have a hand to play as well. A Harvard dean named Amanda Claybaugh stated ,

Presas A 6B

10/10/2024 05:45:07 pm

Yes I agree with the teacher, And something that had stood out to me in the article where they say that '' It’s no wonder kids are so fried when they get home that they retreat to their screens. And in the maelstrom, home life gets eroded, too. “Between classes and sports, I never see my child,” a well-meaning parent at my prior school told me. “I come into their room and drop dinner on their desk. I feel like a prison warden.” Because of all the work that is given there is not break for the kids to seek relief from school work and maybe might have home work pulling up from other classes that's needs to be done even for parents to see there kids with no light in there soul showing after from school and just going straight to there room with no communication with there parents to talk or speak about how their day was at school.

Galvez J, 3A

10/10/2024 10:38:48 pm

Although I do think the work is sometimes too demanding I can see what the teacher is saying as most of the time I retreat back to phone and forget about doing my work.

Johnson C 8B

10/10/2024 08:01:12 pm

Most students already have priorities outside of school and classes do give out way more assignments to do at home. which can be a lot on a students and can lead to stress.

Smith S, 8B

10/10/2024 08:16:12 pm

Lara, S 8B

10/11/2024 02:41:24 pm

The standard students are supposed to be very high. With extra curricularity at school and out of school can cause stress levels to rise. I think school needs to be less demanding.

Sophia Nyamichaba, 6B

10/10/2024 09:00:30 pm

I do agree that high school needs to be less demanding. Us high schooler's have a lot on our plate. we have to wake up early to go to school, do our homework, and sometimes go to work right after school. Us highchooler's also might have things going on at home which would distract us from doing our school stuff.

Galvez J, 3A

10/10/2024 10:37:30 pm

My thoughts exactly as I have a job and do sports so sometimes the amount of work I get from 6 different classes is hard to keep track of.

rivera d 4a

10/10/2024 11:20:18 pm

i totally agree with you. highschoolers definetly have alot on their plate. waking up early, going to school, doing homework, and even going to work after school can be very overwhelming. its definitely important to find a balance and make sure students dont overload.

Galvez J, 3A

10/10/2024 10:35:56 pm

Although I don't agree with the teacher I can still see his point like when he says that kids become lazy when they see too much work, because I have felt like that before as well. From first hand experience I do believe that sometimes the work from teachers does need to be less demanding as I have other stuff going on then next thing I know a big assignment is due in 20 minutes. Something that stood out to me in the article was in the way they ask " does this sound like you?' as I do sports and have a job so the whole article is relatable to me.

Dilworth Z 6b

10/10/2024 10:48:53 pm

Kids do get lazy when they see big assignments but also because it’s multiple big assignments on top of that

Lopez H 4A

10/10/2024 11:52:39 pm

I can agree with your statement, maybe not have a fully relaxed schedule with tons of free time, but giving students a little bit of extra breathing room would definitely help.

Dilworth Z 6b

10/10/2024 10:47:47 pm

I agree with the teacher because school is a lot going from sports to extracurricular activities to some kids having to go to work right after and no there isn’t enough time for sleep or rest , so yes high school should be less demanding. What stood out to me is how the teacher gave detail on how high school is really tough and how much he understood the students

shaniah s 8b

10/11/2024 02:31:45 pm

I agree as a student who works from as soon as I get home from school t is tiring

rivera d 4a

10/10/2024 11:16:27 pm

Yes, I agree with the articles point about high schoolers being overloaded with activities and assignments is compelling. One standout point from the article is when Donahue mentions, "We condition students to do a so-so job and then move on to the next thing. We need to let them slow down. Critical cognition, by definition, takes time." This emphasizes the importance of allowing students the time to engage deeply with their studies rather than rushing through them. it seems that a less demanding schedule could indeed help students perform better and lead healthier lives.

Lopez H 4A

10/10/2024 11:50:58 pm

Exactly, having assignments that take more time and consideration, are going to have better results and in return better learning experiences. And by easing off a little with the busy schedules, students can have a healthier lifestyle.

Cavazos N 6B

10/10/2024 11:48:32 pm

I agree that high schools need to be less demanding with their students. Many students already have extracurricular activities so by adding extra school work on top of that it can be very draining for the students, and not to mention the students who may also have jobs.

Lara, S

10/11/2024 02:36:50 pm

School can be very draining, juggling different things in and outside of school. School does need to be less demanding on students, keeping everything balance can be very stressful.

Lopez H 4A

10/10/2024 11:48:38 pm

I do agree with Mr.Donahue. Between our normal work schedule around school and also taking in the fact that some teachers can give you mountains of while other do not, and while this can work either way as good or bad, most teachers do push lots of projects and like stated in the article, "We condition students to do a so-so job and then move on to the next thing." And I have seen it before last year as in where we have many assignments but they don't push us to do our best and just get it over with. So there should be a more relaxed schedule but in a reasonable amount as to have a good balance of work and rest.

Fuentez M. 3A

10/10/2024 11:55:04 pm

1) I agree with what the teacher's opinion is In this article. Students are more likely to be exhausted because they have to keep up with loads of homework and then they're extra curricular in their school. They also have to worry about their life outside of school . School is not easy for many of us and as someone who is a lot extra curricular and try to keep up with school work and life. It is very difficult for me to keep up with many things at once. I tend to have bad health because of the stress and the pressure put onto me. The only time I can catch a break is when the district has a week break.
2) High schools do need to be less demanding especially some teachers , directors, and coaches. Most of the staff in school forget we have an outside life and things tend to happen. Directors expect so much from us when us as teenagers can do so little. Coaches expect to have our time 24/7 when we have a life outside of school. teachers assign us homework crazy and some will not empathize with your situation. so yes school does need to be less demanding so us students are able to focus and do better resulting in our grades.

Tapia, R 1A

10/11/2024 12:38:00 pm

Mr.Donahue claim is suggesting that with less demanding work for the students will create a healthier schedule and open up their time to go to extracurricular and spend time with their families which Mr.Donahue has a point as we right now in high school we are under a lot of lengthy assignments that are worth a lot of points of our grades and they use up most of our time as us high school students have other things to do like jobs,sports, or family business to attend too these grades can really penalize us in the future and causes us to much stress to where we get burnt out and fall behind.

shaniah smith 8B

10/11/2024 02:29:08 pm

I agree that student shouldn't be held to such a high standard because school is stressful and being held at a certain standard doesn't make anything better. Students should receive less work in order to create a healthy and on track schedule

Lara, S 8B

10/11/2024 02:35:04 pm

I agree with the teacher on how the standards are too high and how the students are stressing. Students are exhausted days in class and night staying up. I do think school should be a little less demanding about how much work a student needs to do.

R. Smith 8B

10/11/2024 02:37:06 pm

1) The teacher who wrote this article shares an opinion that I think many of us students can agree with. We are oftentimes told that school prepares us for the real world, but we are in the real world. It is hard for many of us to manage our school life with our at home life. Many of us go through hidden battles that teachers don't know. What stood out to me from the article was the author's mention of depression and anxiety, many kids go through this because of things that effect us at home and school just adds on to this issue. 2) High schools do need to be less demanding, although this varies from state, schools, and districts, there are many ways we can reduce the stress school instills in us. For example, limiting the amount of work we have after school and being understanding of each one of our's situation.

Salgado M, 1A

10/11/2024 03:29:45 pm

I can agree with Mr. Donahue to an extent, in where school work can get ridiculously demanding sometimes, and that does cause a lot of stress. From my personal experience, I haven't been too stressed throughout high school. There have been moments, but I've pulled through. Things such as extracurricular activities, sports, etc. are all still optional for the most part. I haven't done much in regards to extracurricular activities and sports, so I don't know how it really goes, but maybe sometimes those could be too demanding, yet that could vary from program and student. In short, students should be encouraged to take extracurricular activity, but maybe some of them should tone down on the workload and expectations. High school was never too much for me since I never did those things in the first place, but all the work you take up is still partially on you and on the providers, both are responsible for keeping up and assigning, making sure both are taking healthy amounts of time doing the things they choose to do.

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Mixed Ink is our class blog, the window into our souls. It was designed to improve students' writing, critical thinking and communication skills by giving them a platform to provide meaningful content based on their interpretation of what they see.

Although the students receive a grade based on a rubric for completing this assignment, they are not graded on complexity of thought. This is a place where students of all levels can freely, confidently and creatively express themselves and their opinions in a nonjudgmental platform. They are required to respond to and critique each other, but degradation, slander, lewdness, etc., will not be tolerated.

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