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What is Saturday School?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Saturday School is a learning program that operates in conjunction with a traditional weekday setting. The program, as the name implies, is structured to operate on Saturday rather than taking place after regular school hours during the week. In general, Saturday School is designed for children from the kindergarten age to grade 12.

There are two common applications for a Saturday School platform. In some communities, the school on Saturday is geared toward providing additional learning opportunities for gifted students. When this is the application, the components of the program are configured to compliment the areas of study that are appropriate for each grade, but provide a degree of challenge that is above the standard curriculum. This allows students who are somewhat bored with school during the week to be intellectually stimulated on Saturdays, and possibly help to avoid the incidence of impaired performance during the week.

A Saturday school might be tailored to gifted elementary school studuents.
A Saturday school might be tailored to gifted elementary school studuents.

A second application of the Saturday School program has to do with helping students who are experiencing trouble with classes during the week. Within this setting, students who have missed a great deal of instruction due to illness have the chance to catch up with their peers by attending make up sessions on Saturdays. At the same time, students who are having difficulty assimilating information during the week have the opportunity to receive instruction from different teachers through the program, and hopefully begin to relate to the subject matter encountered during the week.

Learning programs that operate in conjunction with, but outside of, regular school may be termed Saturday School.
Learning programs that operate in conjunction with, but outside of, regular school may be termed Saturday School.

The sessions of Saturday School are often set in five to eight week sessions, and are normally accredited by the local public school jurisdiction. The content of the offered courses is approved by local and state boards of education, and typically makes use of textbooks and other materials that are approved by these agencies. Many jurisdictions offer the extra school program at no cost or a small fee, with scholarship funds available to families that cannot afford the costs. The program usually is conducted in a public school building. However, there are some examples of Saturday School programs that are housed on local college campuses.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including PracticalAdultInsights, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including PracticalAdultInsights, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

EarlyForest

If you attend a manor school do you have to go to Saturday school?

closerfan12

Sometimes people attend Saturday schools because they want to. For instance, when I was getting my ESL degree to teach in Japan, I attended a Japanese Saturday school that only taught on the weekends.

You kind of get used to it after the first few weekends, and then when the course is over, it makes you feel like the weekend is crazy long, which is kind of nice.

TunaLine

Oh, I hated Saturday school with a passion. My school always had a ton of snow days, which were great, but then we would have to do a million Saturday school days so we wouldn't mess up the school term dates.

I mean, honestly, school on a Saturday? That violates the entire nature of Saturdays, it's simply cruel...or so I thought at the time.

anon9304

Sounds like the "early bird" "late bird" system American public schools had in the 80s. But I think that was geared only towards students who needed additional help with their studies.... Those students would start the day an hour or two earlier than the others to get a little more studying in and one-on-one attention with their teachers. I don't think gifted students came in early though...they typically were directed to schools in the area with gifted programs, if they were offered at all.

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    • A Saturday school might be tailored to gifted elementary school studuents.
      By: Ermolaev Alexandr
      A Saturday school might be tailored to gifted elementary school studuents.
    • Learning programs that operate in conjunction with, but outside of, regular school may be termed Saturday School.
      By: Elena Blokhina
      Learning programs that operate in conjunction with, but outside of, regular school may be termed Saturday School.
    • Saturday School is designed for children starting at kindergarten age.
      By: micromonkey
      Saturday School is designed for children starting at kindergarten age.
    • Saturday school programs may focus on art projects.
      By: DragonImages
      Saturday school programs may focus on art projects.
    • The sessions of Saturday school are often set in five to eight week sessions.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      The sessions of Saturday school are often set in five to eight week sessions.
    • Saturday school allows students who are somewhat bored with school during the week to be intellectually stimulated on Saturdays.
      By: Cheryl Casey
      Saturday school allows students who are somewhat bored with school during the week to be intellectually stimulated on Saturdays.
    • Saturday school programs may help students gain extra practice with their studies.
      By: Prod. Numérik
      Saturday school programs may help students gain extra practice with their studies.
    • Some Saturday school programs may include an athletic component.
      By: Isaiah Love
      Some Saturday school programs may include an athletic component.