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On this blog site we will be discussing topics related...however distantly...to education. Please consider the viewpoints stated here and add your own. THANKS for sharing your perspectives!
Mizgwendar
Monday, March 12, 2007
Year-Round School
Many school systems in Georgia have converted to a year-round school calendar. There are definitely pros and cons. What are your thoughts?
I like the idea of year round school if it is properly concieved and prepared. I personally think there are many school systems that are "fooling" teachers and parents by extending the year and providing summer and fall breaks. One of the best programs I saw was in South West Georgia. The school system used title one funds and other local fund to offer a week or remediation and enrichment for their students. Students in danger of failing were required to show up. Great response and I think the research has shown significant improvement in test scores.
I also like the concept of year round school. I think less time would be spent each year "settling down" and orienting the students which would mean more quality time in the classroom. The shorter breaks could be scheduled around the major holidays and maybe a month during the summer. The problems I see with this are so many activities for students are scheduled in the summers such as "world series' of softball, baseball, etc. Summer Camps, National Dance Conventions and pageants that may cause attendance to be poor during the summer.
I do not like the idea of year round school. It seems our children already carry such an overwhelming load of school and homework as well as after school activities and year round schooling would never give them a break. Now that is coming from someone who does not have children and might have a whole different view if she did!
Our school system is heading in the direction of year round school. We currently have one week for fall break, one week for winter break, and one week for spring break. We begin school in late July or early August and end the school year at the end of May. I have mixed feelings about the positive outcomes of this schedule. I can see the positive and the negative. One negative is that parents of young children have a difficult time with childcare during the week long breaks.
I like the idea of year round schools. I feel that it allows less time for students to have memory loss from material learned.In addition, it is an cost efficient way to use public buildings if multiple schedules are made for students. However, the big drawback in the multiple scheduling is when siblings are put on a different school schedules.
I recently talked with a teacher who used to teach at a year-round school in Kentucky. She said explained that students were given 2-week breaks throughout the semester and that these breaks were perfect for letting students catch up who've fallen behind. Many times students who are benind aren't able to catch up until summer school. It's an incentive for students to want to do well (in grades as well as behavior) so that they can get a full two-week vacation like the rest of their friends. I really like this program!
I have mixed feelings concerning this issue. Teaching is such an exhausting profession. Summer break is a time for regrouping for many. I often use this time to reorganize my classroom, prepare units, and get ready for a new class of students. Summer break is often used for professional growth for many as well. On the other hand, students who do not have stability,emotional or academic support at home can benefit from year round schooling. I can also see where financial issues would need to be considered, especially in the south, due to the peak prices of electricity and gasoline. It is important for school systems to look at the needs of the students in their communities, and try to find a balance for students and teachers when scheduling the academic school year.
In Birmingham a few of the schools have been doing year round schooling for a couple of years now. The teachers and students seem to like it. Contrary to popular belief, there are smaller breaks throughout the year as opposed to one long summer vacation. I know when I was in school after that long break, I was no good for at least 3 weeks into the new school year. I think students can lose focus when they have a long break. The smaller breaks give teachers and students a breather while still retaining the knowledge they gained a couple of weeks prior.
I like the idea of year round schools. The added breaks are good for "re-charging" and buildings are better used in place of sitting idle for extended periods of time. Scheduling can be a problem for families in some cities who have children in different schools that may not observe the same breaks. I think students stay more in tune with their learning and do not have to re-orient themselves after an extended summer break. I would also like to see four day work weeks with "Friday" a teacher workday for paperwork/lesson plans, etc.
I am sure there are many pros and cons to the year around school; however, I feel the children are rejuvenated after the summer break (me too) and seem to learn more and appear more attentive during 1st semester. After the Christmas break, the children loose their focus and it seems the attention span is much shorter. Plus, the frequent breaks seem to take too much time to settle the children down; before and after the break. In fact, I think we need to go to a four day week. It would save a lot of money. :)
I am not in favor of year round school. My system is currently trying to ease into this. This year we have had a Fall break, a Winter break and an upcoming Spring break. What I have observed through each of these is that there is litle instruciton the week before and part of the week after the breaks. I believe it all centers around the fact that educators are being forced to become the childrens' parents and guardians. We feed them breakfast, feed them lunch, educate them for seven hours, then an additional 2 hours of tutoring after school and keep them until 6:00 in an after school program. During what little summer there is, students have summer school with free lunch and breakfast provided. Until parents are held more accountable, schools will continue to be open more and longer hours.
12 comments:
I like the idea of year round school if it is properly concieved and prepared. I personally think there are many school systems that are "fooling" teachers and parents by extending the year and providing summer and fall breaks. One of the best programs I saw was in South West Georgia. The school system used title one funds and other local fund to offer a week or remediation and enrichment for their students. Students in danger of failing were required to show up. Great response and I think the research has shown significant improvement in test scores.
I also like the concept of year round school. I think less time would be spent each year "settling down" and orienting the students which would mean more quality time in the classroom. The shorter breaks could be scheduled around the major holidays and maybe a month during the summer. The problems I see with this are so many activities for students are scheduled in the summers such as "world series' of softball, baseball, etc. Summer Camps, National Dance Conventions and pageants that may cause attendance to be poor during the summer.
I do not like the idea of year round school. It seems our children already carry such an overwhelming load of school and homework as well as after school activities and year round schooling would never give them a break. Now that is coming from someone who does not have children and might have a whole different view if she did!
Our school system is heading in the direction of year round school. We currently have one week for fall break, one week for winter break, and one week for spring break. We begin school in late July or early August and end the school year at the end of May. I have mixed feelings about the positive outcomes of this schedule. I can see the positive and the negative. One negative is that parents of young children have a difficult time with childcare during the week long breaks.
I like the idea of year round schools. I feel that it allows less time for students to have memory loss from material learned.In addition, it is an cost efficient way to use public buildings if multiple schedules are made for students. However, the big drawback in the multiple scheduling is when siblings are put on a different school schedules.
I recently talked with a teacher who used to teach at a year-round school in Kentucky. She said explained that students were given 2-week breaks throughout the semester and that these breaks were perfect for letting students catch up who've fallen behind. Many times students who are benind aren't able to catch up until summer school. It's an incentive for students to want to do well (in grades as well as behavior) so that they can get a full two-week vacation like the rest of their friends. I really like this program!
I have mixed feelings concerning this issue. Teaching is such an exhausting profession. Summer break is a time for regrouping for many. I often use this time to reorganize my classroom, prepare units, and get ready for a new class of students. Summer break is often used for professional growth for many as well. On the other hand, students who do not have stability,emotional or academic support at home can benefit from year round schooling. I can also see where financial issues would need to be considered, especially in the south, due to the peak prices of electricity and gasoline. It is important for school systems to look at the needs of the students in their communities, and try to find a balance for students and teachers when scheduling the academic school year.
In Birmingham a few of the schools have been doing year round schooling for a couple of years now. The teachers and students seem to like it. Contrary to popular belief, there are smaller breaks throughout the year as opposed to one long summer vacation. I know when I was in school after that long break, I was no good for at least 3 weeks into the new school year. I think students can lose focus when they have a long break. The smaller breaks give teachers and students a breather while still retaining the knowledge they gained a couple of weeks prior.
I like the idea of year round schools. The added breaks are good for "re-charging" and buildings are better used in place of sitting idle for extended periods of time. Scheduling can be a problem for families in some cities who have children in different schools that may not observe the same breaks. I think students stay more in tune with their learning and do not have to re-orient themselves after an extended summer break. I would also like to see four day work weeks with "Friday" a teacher workday for paperwork/lesson plans, etc.
I am sure there are many pros and cons to the year around school; however, I feel the children are rejuvenated after the summer break (me too) and seem to learn more and appear more attentive during 1st semester. After the Christmas break, the children loose their focus and it seems the attention span is much shorter. Plus, the frequent breaks seem to take too much time to settle the children down; before and after the break.
In fact, I think we need to go to a four day week. It would save a lot of money. :)
I am not in favor of year round school. My system is currently trying to ease into this. This year we have had a Fall break, a Winter break and an upcoming Spring break. What I have observed through each of these is that there is litle instruciton the week before and part of the week after the breaks. I believe it all centers around the fact that educators are being forced to become the childrens' parents and guardians. We feed them breakfast, feed them lunch, educate them for seven hours, then an additional 2 hours of tutoring after school and keep them until 6:00 in an after school program. During what little summer there is, students have summer school with free lunch and breakfast provided. Until parents are held more accountable, schools will continue to be open more and longer hours.
Debra Chester
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