Kill Summer Vacation?

[downtown]

So, a growing body of research suggests that the long summer vacation may be detrimental for US schools. Currently, school is out from late May/first week of June until late August/first week of September. With the exception of a summer reading list for older kids, no coursework is assigned or graded during that period.

Many charter/magnet schools have been experimenting with adding a mini term in July to help break up the break, or going year round, with some sort of 6 weeks on 3 weeks off sort of thing. Since students are no longer needed for harvest help, supporters of this idea say there is no reason to have that much down time.

Others say students need the time away from school. They claim that summer vacation gives kids time for work experience, travel or other projects they can't do during school. Also, ending summer vacation will require paying teachers/support staff more money, and spending more money on building upkeep. Critics say there isn't a way to do this without increasing revenue.

What do you think? Should we axe summer vacation?

 

[Bill3000]

In the battle of keeping crappy schools versus keeping summer vacation, I choose keeping summer vacation. Sorry.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Others say students need the time away from school. They claim that summer vacation gives kids time for work experience, travel or other projects they can't do during school.

This would be my main argument.

 

[downtown]

This would be my main argument.

What about kids who are younger than 16? 6 weeks isn't enough for an internship or a vacation?

 

[mrt144]

This would be my main argument.

And it's not applicable to most children. Most children under 14 don't work. Most children don't go to new places to learn new things during summer vacations and those that do already live in districts that have good schools. Do kids in developing countries get summers? Why let our children be lazy compared to the competition.

 

[dwaxe]

What about kids who are younger than 16? 6 weeks isn't enough for an internship or a vacation?

Even kids younger than 16 have extra-curricular activities. I wouldn't have time to take full courses at my local community college if the summer vacation was just barely 6 weeks.

It may be that "Most children don't go to new places to learn new things during summer vacations and those that do already live in districts that have good schools." But we should not neutralize those who do.

 

[downtown]

Even kids younger than 16 have extra-curricular activities. I wouldn't have time to take full courses at my local community college if the summer vacation was just barely 6 weeks.

If you live in the United States, your district is required to pay for you to attend those classes during the school year if you so desire.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

What about kids who are younger than 16? 6 weeks isn't enough for an internship or a vacation?

That is true. I would support shortening it for the rest though, as children ought to have some time enjoy summery weather on a vacation. Too bad I can't change my vote.

Do kids in developing countries get summers?

Not sure about that. My experience tells me yes, but that's just one country.

 

[dwaxe]

If you live in the United States, your district is required to pay for you to attend those classes during the school year if you so desire.

Good point, I'm taking them for free .

I am in favor of increasing our time in school, as are all my English teachers with whom the subject has come up (every one since 6th grade, actually). But I don't think that the summer vacation should be less than 7-8 weeks because it is a boon to many students.

 

[melbrooks4king]

How much more money would it cost to have all public schools in session year round?

 

[dwaxe]

Do kids in developing countries get summers? Why let our children be lazy compared to the competition.

Actually, they do get summer vacations--I know this for a fact for public schools in India and China.

 

[West 36]

A project and/or reading list would be a good idea, I think. My school did neither, but I've had friends who did. Now that I'm at out of school I don't really have the same passion I did for summer vacation, all those years ago...

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Independent study units would be a great way to encourage and teach self-learning.

 

[downtown]

How much more money would it cost to have all public schools in session year round?

I imagine you would have to add on 5,000 more in just salary for every single teacher on payroll. You would then have to pay for those extra days of busing and utilities, and their insurance would also likely increase. I estimate it would cost several hundred thousand dollars for a single school building to remain open the entire summer.

 

[Cutlass]

230 days of school a year. Arange it as you want.

 

[Phlegmak]

So, a growing body of research suggests that the long summer vacation may be detrimental for US schools. Currently, school is out from late May/first week of June until late August/first week of September. With the exception of a summer reading list for older kids, no coursework is assigned or graded during that period.

Many charter/magnet schools have been experimenting with adding a mini term in July to help break up the break, or going year round, with some sort of 6 weeks on 3 weeks off sort of thing. Since students are no longer needed for harvest help, supporters of this idea say there is no reason to have that much down time.

Others say students need the time away from school. They claim that summer vacation gives kids time for work experience, travel or other projects they can't do during school. Also, ending summer vacation will require paying teachers/support staff more money, and spending more money on building upkeep. Critics say there isn't a way to do this without increasing revenue.

What do you think? Should we axe summer vacation?

Mark me down in favor of keeping summer vacation.

 

[Formaldehyde]

I think we should look to countries with public school systems that work better than our own for our answers to such questions. Germany takes 12 weeks of breaks throughout the year, but the summer break is only 6 weeks long.

Summer vacation seemed like such a waste of time to me when I was growing up. I would have gladly traded some of the time for other breaks during the year. I always suspected the primary motivation for this schedule were the teachers.

 

[Joecoolyo]

I would go insane if there was no summer vacation. Everyone needs a break, if you school all year round that's just putting too much pressure on the kids.

 

[Defiant47]

I would go insane if there was no summer vacation. Everyone needs a break, if you school all year round that's just putting too much pressure on the kids.

Work is all year round too.

 

[tycoonist]

look, the fact of the matter is that kids like long summer holidays. and who is to deny kids the joys of freedom, for at least a few weeks a year.