The summer break was instituted when America was largely an agrarian society and kids were needed on family farms. This is very much not the case now. From my own high school years, c. 1976 - 80, one could notice some loss of the previous years learning upon returning to the new school year. So yes, there might be educational benefit from year round schooling.
Still, other serious questions must be addressed. The quality of teachers, class size, school size. What to do with disruptive students. Quality of the curricula. One may add to the list...
Our local public schools here should be closed permanently. As it stands now, no one will learn anything until the schools are retaken from the thugs. It has become a serious waste of time and money. The system has been in a serious state of deterioration for about four decades. If we had a functioning system accomplishing something, I would be in favor of year round scho
Our local public schools here should be closed permanently. As it stands now, no one will learn anything until the schools are retaken from the thugs. It has become a serious waste of time and money. The system has been in a serious state of deterioration for about four decades. If we had a functioning system accomplishing something, I would be in favor of year round scho
Our local public schools here should be closed permanently. As it stands now, no one will learn anything until the schools are retaken from the thugs. It has become a serious waste of time and money. The system has been in a serious state of deterioration for about four decades. If we had a functioning system accomplishing something, I would be in favor of year round scho
More time does not necessarily translate to more learning as they do need time to revive between years. Then there is what happens to summer jobs and recreation places. So the quality of the time there is the key in my estimation and not the quantity.
There is time to revive, evenings, weekends and periodic short breaks through the year. I'm at a loss to the reference to "recreation places". Are you suggesting there should not be year round school because summer break financially benefits the recreation industry?
I will go that far as financial is part of that with summer jobs that kids can work during the summer and places like pools, water parks would basically be gone on short breaks. Then there are summer camps of all kinds can give life experience other than in the classroom settings And the summer sports. I realize you make recreation and financial sound bad but many areas get a boost in the local economy from that. Then too, there are family reunions and extended visits along with there are those who still farm around here.
Where we to adopt year round school the aspects you mention would be adjusted to accommodate the new situation. It is interesting you mention sports which already too often seem to be elevated over academics. Summer vacation is three months. Family reunions and extended visits for three months?
And no, I do not object to a strong economy or to recreation. I do suggest that these are weak factors against year round school.
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at March 19, 2017 10:35 AM MDT
Many countries and various societies have "year long" education for their children As far as I know included in that year long education are several one, two and three week breaks. It seems they have all adjusted well. That said, I must also say the systems have been in place for decades and decades. To make such a drastic switch in the United States would require two systems running parallel in the beginning. The old system would have to continue till all the children had completed High School. The new system would start at any given time and all children entering school for the first time would be enrolled. It would be a financial nightmare at first to say the least. I doubt very much it would be accepted by the general populace. Right now there are several school districts in the US already running a year long school program. How they are turning out I don't know.
There was a grade school in my neighborhood that has done it the past three years. They took a two week break around the Independence Day Holiday and a few other shorter breaks during the summer. But they scrapped that after this year. Too many parents did not like it.
Hi Thebigd... I disagree very very much... School should NOT go on all year long.
That is mostly from my own personal experience, school was stifling, crippling, oppressive. And that was in the 1950's, I attended small schools with dedicated teachers, and before all the thuggery came in.
We do not yet understand how to nurture the individual learning styles of children, and so they need (I needed) time to recoup and restore my own sense of self before embarking on another round of horrendous suppression of learning that comes with public school.
When I was about 10, I worked one summer with my father painting the metal fence around a U.S. President's estate. The fence was long, and the summer heat was tough, but we got it done. So I bought a good used 10-speed bicycle with my earnings. Then it was stolen. I found out who stole it. (his girlfriend told me) Never got it back, but I am pleased to announce that the thief died last week.
Benedict Arnold 