Un mit demontat

Noi ne plângem că adolescenţii sunt prea ocupaţi cu şcoala, americanii spun că supraîncărcarea este un mit. Şi dau şi un calcul, care arată cam aşa:

"Much literature in this genre is based on impressions—but, fortunately, we have some data about how kids spend their hours. In recent years, researchers from the University of Maryland have analyzed findings from the continuing Panel Study of Income Dynamics, which documents children's time use. They found that teens spend 30 of their weekly 168 hours in school. With the 12- to 18-year-old set sleeping 65 hours per week (a little more than nine a day), that leaves 73 hours for other things. Homework took up a mere 4.9 of these hours (about 42 minutes a day), and sports 3.9 hours. "Organizations" (like youth groups) filled 1.2 hours.

These are, of course, averages. Some children spend more time playing sports or doing homework, but some do less, too. Joseph Mahoney, an education professor at the University of California, Irvine, estimates that about 40% of children aren't involved in any activities. Unfortunately, these young people tend not to fill their free time with the high-quality unstructured play that pundits praise. Many are at home, by themselves, watching TV—the "dominant leisure activity," Mr. Mahoney calls it—and eating junk food, which is probably why he finds that participation in organized extracurricular activities correlates with better academic performance and even lower body-weight."

Puteţi citi mai multe aici. Deci, doar 42 de minute pe zi pentru temele de casă. Şi ne mirăm că habar nu au de nimic, că sunt cel mai adesea analfabeţi funcţionali?