In the United States, only about five percent of kindergarten through twelfth grade students are enrolled in year-round schools (Hess). This means that instead of having an extended summer vacation the way traditional schools do, these students have several shorter breaks, called intersessions, throughout the school year. The number of instructional hours included in each school calendar is the same, but there is much debate over which calendar is more beneficial. Recent research proves that switching to year-round school calendars is advantageous for students, teachers, and parents alike. The year-round style enhances the education experience for everyone involved because it modernizes our outdated school systems, increases students’ retention of information while giving them, along with teachers, more frequent breaks, and makes sense logistically in a growing population.
Perhaps the most prominent reason that the traditional school calendar needs to be updated is that it simply no longer serves its original purpose. Summer vacation was created in a time when our country was still dominantly agricultural and parents needed their children’s help on the farm. This worked well because academic achievement was not as important, lack of air conditioning was a health risk in the summer, and moms were typically home to watch the kids while they were out of school. In the 1960s, sixty percent of households were comprised of a working father, a stay at home mother, and multiple
Imagine a school year that never ends. A year without summer, relaxation, and vacations with family. Summer is the time of year that every student cannot wait arrive. But what if the playful time filled with friends, smiles, and laughter did not exist? What if school remained in session year-round? This is happening in 3,181 schools across America and is gradually increasing (edweek.org). The government calls it: Year-Round School. There are both many pros and cons to this controversial issue in today’s education; however, Year-Round School is not a good decision because of the social outcomes, the financial costs, and the academic effects that Year-Round School burdens on the students.
Summer break is supposed to be a time of rest and rejuvenation for students. After nine months of hard work and challenging classes, one would think such a long break could do nothing but good for students; however, this is not the best way for young minds to learn. A three month break is far too long for children to go without proper education and supervision. Instead of a long three month break at the end of each school year, why not give students the same number of days off but spread them out more frequently throughout the year? Year-round education is a more efficient, globally competitive, and fair alternative to the traditional nine month school year.
Most students enjoy summer vacation, but some educators feel that the summer break is too long and that students do not retain information as easily when they return in the fall. Some people argue that there should be year-round schools, where there would by a 3-4 week break in the summer, a long winter break, and a week off in the spring and fall. I disagree with those people. The biggest problem with this schedule would be the summer break, it just isn’t long enough. I believe year-round school is a bad idea because summer break is a time when students get to take a break, parents may not be able to find a caretaker during the shorter breaks, and schools may not have sufficient funds.
Have you ever wondered what the difference between traditional schooling and year-round education is? Maybe you didn’t know that there are more than one type of year-round education. A year-round school schedule can benefit educators, students, and even families. Year-round schooling is where the breaks in school are on a balanced schedule. Instead of having a three month summer break, there would be 60 days off and then the students would be back to school. If on a multi track schedule, teachers could use their off time to substitute at their school on a different track or at another school to get paid more. For students, the shorter breaks away from school increase retention rates, therefore reducing the amount of review necessary at
Industries such as business and medicine depend on extreme methods and forward thinking ideas. To be a successful enterprise, one must be willing to take risks and try new things. Within the last century, education has attempted to take a leap of faith by completely flipping the traditional school schedule and idea of summer vacation upside down. Just as with any idea, there are advantages and disadvantages as well as supporters and opponents. Each district must look at their own individual needs and evaluate the trials from schools that have gone before them to decide if year-round schooling would benefit their school.
The average school period is one hundred and eighty days with small breaks in between and a three-month break during summer to ease students’ minds and let them relax. The Board of Education should make all schools in the United States year-round to increase educational time and decrease the loss of knowledge over the breaks. It gives students the same time to relax and plan family vacations periodically throughout the year, but never creates the stress of changing sleep schedules that summer break changes. Not only is it a good way to enhance education, but it also is better for planning family events, positive effects on budget, academic achievement, and could decrease the absence rate of students.
Imagine a school year that gave the students one week off after every quarter and every Friday off. Does this sound exciting and rich with possibilities? Then ask the superintendent of the school district to consider year round school with only four days per week.First, students would not forget what they learned over the long summer. Next, parents would not have to get day care except on Fridays instead of the whole summer. Finally, teachers and students would have better relationships as they spend more time together instead of being rushed. Let’s take a look at some proof.
Year-round schooling is characterized by its 45-90 day periods of instruction (varying with different multitrack systems) separated by 15-30 day breaks (varying with different multitrack systems) (California Department of Education). There is no current scientific evidence to show that year-round education lessens the amount of material forgotten during the summer (McMillen 68); in fact, this memory loss is maximized as it occurs more frequently as it accompanies the shorter, habitual breaks. Constant breaks can also multiply some of summer’s negative effects. One common issue associated with summer is students’ loss of focus as summer approaches and trouble becoming accustomed to the beginning of the following school year (Worsnop 439). This would be a, though minimized, a recurring difficulty with constant breaks. Furthermore, teachers
Since this is a controversial school schedule due to the shorter summer break, each school system should have a string of schools (elementary, middle, and high school) try the schedule out for five-years and track the improvement throughout the years. Teachers no longer feel as if they are on the edge of a breakdown because of the new system. Since the teachers and students are in school for nine weeks have a week of break, they can know look forward to up to two or three weeks of break. With the cut down on the summer break to add to the other breaks throughout the year, students have a better chance of retaining knowledge. It would be beneficial for schools to switch to the year-round school schedule because the teachers are happier and not on the verge of a breakdown, the breaks are longer, and the students retain the knowledge from the previous
A teacher who was part of a year round system recounts, “I found myself going through 3 school years without that opportunity for self-assessment and planning for the future of the educational program.” (“The Effect of Year Round Schools” 1999/22 February 2005). With a much shorter summer break, teachers will not have enough time to increase their education, which can benefit the learning of their students. For these reasons, year round schools are not as beneficial as the traditional school year.
Year round school calendars aren’t the best idea we’ve had to improve our educational systems. This is just one of many ideas we’ve had. Year round schooling has affected families, students, and required maintenance in many negative ways.
Some people say that year-round schooling would disrupt summer and other already made schedules. Summer break would be shorter, but other breaks throughout the year to make up for it. For parents concerned about what they would do with their child during breaks, day care programs either through the school or other programs, will adjust. High school students looking forward to summer jobs could help run day cares or baby sit during breaks. This would also help to solve the previous
Schools across the country are switching to a year-round schedule. Little do they know many others are switching back to the traditional school calendar. Whether it's the parents, kids, or the teacher, change isn't easy on anyone. Many simply think of it as more school and no breaks but it's kind of the exact opposite. Year-round school is simply the same number of days off just in between and throughout the year. Ultimately switching to a year-round schedule would cause a rise in costs, and greatly affect kids who have summer jobs/vacations, thus creating a scheduling nightmare for kids, parents, and teachers alike.
The three-month summer vacation block may sound great for planning vacations, but in reality, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. By having one large vacation block, parents have to compete in the workplace to get the appropriate time off and travel is more expensive because everyone else is traveling. Year round schooling offers more breaks and more opportunities for everyone to take a well-deserved vacation
It is October 15th. Normally, students would be at school, working for hours on end at math, communication arts, and science. But this year is different. This year your school has now entered into the year-round calendar system. At home, you can enjoy the season of fall with pumpkins, Halloween, and beautiful weather. The idea of year round school has most commonly been pushed aside because of the misconception that it is too much school, or an on-going cycle of learning. However, those who declare this, do not understand the year-round school concept. Year-round school provides the same number of days as the traditional calendar. The difference, which will change our society and the achievement rate of our students in the future, is that the days are reordered into intersessions. The mechanisms of year round school include students attending school for a nine week period, then following this is a three week break. This rotation occurs year-round with a slightly longer summer break. Consequently, Though many people agree with keeping tradition with the popular school calendar, new evidence and testimony proves that year-round school provides the better avenue because the world is evolving, it benefits low income students, and intersessions are more effective than summer break.