The bell rings, you can hear the beating feet of kids running down the halls anxious to take flight from the school grounds if only for a couple of months. Left behind is homework papers, teachers, class rooms, and dear I say a little bit of knowledge?
Each summer I play the pros and cons in my head of year long school vs summer vacation. My husband is absolutely against it. He is thinking from the child’s point of view. The two months when the brain is powered down and spelling, grammar, mathematics, and more are all but forgotten. It is a time for our children to be children, to run, laugh, and play and have no worries or cares.
I once believed that this is how it should be, we often push our children to learn, learn, and then learn some more in hopes that they will lead an easier life then the ones we ourselves lead. Sometimes we forget to let her children just be children. To not worry about life or learning and to color, imagine, and play. However after my second son and dealing with his mild learning issue I began to ponder the wisdom of summer vacation. Thinking maybe year long school is a better option. From my experience with my son I saw that he would “just” start to understand something or just start to excel in his learning and then school would let out. This only meant that the following school year he spent the first couple months trying to re-learn what he had finally learned the year before.
At work don’t you just some times need a “mental health” day or week? Some time to slow down, readjust, and push your worries aside? Balance out your life and responsibilities once again? This is why we have vacation time, personal days, and sick time. (How much many of us get here in American is another discussion for another time). What if we pushed, pushed, pushed and then had two months off? Would that be better then spreading it out throughout the year?
I honestly believe, whether you agree or disagree, that year long school for the sake of learning and retaining what you learn is a good idea. I feel giving our children smaller vacation times throughout the year would be more productive then two months at a time. I know they currently have spring break and winter break, and what seems like 2-3 or more days off a month. However in addition if they went over the summer you would take those 2 months and spread them out. They would still be going to school the same amount each year but with more vacation breaks.
That said I’ve read that on the flip side of things it may be a hard hit on our economy or we would go through an adjustment period. I know living in South Florida the summer is one of the busiest times of the year for many of our attractions. I’m sure up north there are certain sports and attractions that can only be done during the summer so businesses survive on their income from this time of year.
I’m not pretending to have the solution. I honestly don’t know the ramifications of year long school in all aspects. I just feel that from a learning stand point it makes sense.
What do you think? Do you agree with year long school? Would you prefer your children have summers off or more vacations throughout the year?
Betty Baez says
I agree with you on the learning standpoint and I think it would effect the economy because I’m sure local businesses and attractions during the summer months rely on business that comes from summer break
Colleen says
That is the catch 22
Elaine Bell says
When my children were growing up they were on a year round school tract. It was great for us because I worked outside the home (hubby did too), so we didn’t have to just put them in child care for 3 months. Plus, they don’t forget so much of what they learned in the previous session when the breaks were shorter.
We lived in Colorado at the time and with 3 different tracts the school buildings were used more efficiently. However, I’m not sure that would be the case where I live in Georgia now, they would have to spend a lot of money on air conditioning! Pros and cons to this debate!!
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
Being that my son is “bored to death”, I say yes to yer round school, with the extra breaks like spring break and such.
Andrew Kardon says
I’d take 2 months off work in a heartbeat! 🙂
I’m against year-long because you need that complete mental break. Yes, you can spread more vacation time throughout the year, but the kids would have projects and homework. Summer vacation is awesome because there are 0 school commitments.
I might be in favor of shortening the summer vacation slightly, but I think kids really need that break to just be kids. You have an entire lifetime to learn, but only a brief time to just be a kid and learn on your own outside in nature.
Also, the summer is extremely hot. Most schools by me do not have air conditioning. As it is, the last month of school is unbearable with the heat. It makes it super hard to concentrate and can actually get dangerous for the younger kids if they’re not drinking enough water. So the summer’s just a real rough time to continue learning.
Colleen says
OMG a school without air conditioning, NO WAY! Man I thought it was bad when I couldn’t wear shorts to school when I was young.Oh yeah I live in FL no way you could survive here without air conditioning.
I do agree with the kids being kids, don’t necessairly agree with the “complete mental break”. Or maybe I do and should bring that up to my supervisor? LOL
I don’t know that my kids get to be any different being home vs being in school. I think if during the summer I was with them and doing a lot of things they don’t do during the year I might think differently.
BUT my main point was the struggle I saw my son go through finally picking up what he learned at school only to lose it during the summer and have to re-learn again. I would like to see a shorter summer and take that time and spread it out at other times in the year. Give them “MORE” mental breaks.
AND that means no projects or homework over their break either for it to be a mental break.
Trasina McGahey says
The school district in Colton CA where my daughter attends has something in between year round and traditional. What they have is something like 6 weeks off in the summer and because their summer is shortened they get a fall vacation of I think one week plus they get an extra week on the winter break and I think an extra week on spring break. It still gives them their vacations, just not as long at once.
Colleen says
Totally love that idea
courtney b says
no i dont agree I think we all need a vacation! I think they should keep it like it has always been….
Barbara Platt says
no, kids need a break
Donna says
I see the pros and cons with it, too. All in all, though, I’d be okay with year round school, with more spaced out times off spread out throughout the year.
april yedinak says
I used to think that year-round school would be better, but I have since changed my mind. I homeschool and not only do I need a good long break from teaching (not to mention time to plan and prepare for coming school year), but I see the benefit of day after day of unplanned days for my children. Maybe I am lucky because my kids don’t sit around complaining they are bored (maybe because I taught them to entertain themselves at a very young age and they now know that when they are ‘bored’ I will find chores to keep them occupied), instead they spend hours playing outside or coming up with plays, building or art project. Sometimes, they spend hours just hanging out on the porch visiting with friends or watching lightening bugs. Once they are adults they will rarely get the time for contemplation, thinking and play that they have each summer as a child.
Colleen says
I can see from a planning stand point how it would be a benefit to have the extra time to plan out your year.
Stefani says
For me, I like the kids to have a break.
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy says
I know my children need a couple months to just be children, so I appreciate these summer months.
Amy @ Cheeky Cocoa Beans says
April said so many of the things I was going to say! We, too, homeschool, and I welcome the summer break as much as the kids do to rest and plan for the next school year. While we don’t typically take more than a weekend trip during the summer (I think it’s a homeschooler thing–as a whole, we don’t like crowds and so we take our vacation during off-peak times. LOL), it is an extended time to switch gears for all of us–life is a different pace, projects are tackled, etc. We follow the local school calendar for the most part, and there are week long breaks sprinkled through the school year aside from the longer Christmas break. If the local school system moves to year round school, we will not follow their lead. There are a variety of issues that make year round school a bad idea for this area, at least–we are in GA, and the heat would be an issue (think: school buses in 90+ degrees with high humidity). Also, I think the pace of summer break gives families–perhaps particularly those with both parents working–time with each other in a way that doesn’t happen with the ongoing obligations of extracurricular activities during the school year. If forgetting what the children have learned during the year is an issue–particularly with those who may already be falling behind in classes–working on keeping them caught up is always an option, even if it’s something you work on together once a week during the summer.
I wonder what public and private school teachers think about this debate.
Lolo says
Heck no! They even got rid of it hear because of the cost. They are already cutting funding from education as it is.
Jenn @therebelchick says
Year long school just means that kids will stop paying attention altogether. Bad, bad idea!
Rhiannon Rowland says
I’ve always wished they would do a month off in the summer and a month off in the winter, just to spread it out a bit. I think the kids can get burned out from school but also know that they get bored with being home in the summer. My kids have always been bored during summer break, its usually about a week after school ends.
Gale says
So long as the kids still got the same amount of time off, I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t all at one time. In fact, being in Texas, I’d love if they say, had a month off in April in stead of July (when it’s too hot to do anything fun that doesn’t involve water).
Really, my kids deal with burn out…and this would help. But I do think it should be broken up in months, not weeks…because the week long breaks in Spring and two week break at Christmas isn’t long enough for some things.
Colleen says
This is exactly what I mean. Going the same about of time just have the break spread out through the year. I definitely am not saying they need to go to school more at all.
April Decheine says
When my kids were in school as much as I would like to say year round would of been awesome, shorter school days etc. I loved the summer break and the change that took place with all of us.
Colleen says
I think that is part of my problem. The only change I feel is less stress on me as far as having to make them get up and get ready and bugging them about homework.
Zipporah Sandler says
Absolutely NOT. There’s SO MUCH learning that happens when they’re NOT in school.
Colleen says
I would agree accept my children are at home and I’m at work so I don’t think they are learning very much LOL. I think for parents that do not work this may be true but for those of us that work full time I don’t feel that mine learn more being out of school then in.
When they attended a camp they got to play which was great I would say they learned skills like being part of a team, and sharing, etc.
Kenda @ Remaking June Cleaver says
I’m for summer break. It’s hard enough keeping up with what days they have off during the school year now and trying to line up time off from work or a sitter with their schedule. I can’t imagine how complicated it would get if they 2 months of additional random days or weeks. Plus add in year round band practice, recreational club meetings and etc. We’d miss the summer festivals, fairs and events as well.
Colleen says
I do understand with the daycare. As for the band and club and stuff that is another good point. I definitely wouldn’t want that either.
Sarah VM says
I have mixed feeling about year long school. I agree that kids do need a break but 2 months straight can be detrimental to them. I also like having the kids home during the summer so we can do fun summer activities.
Colleen says
I think a one month break would be better and then take the other month and spread it throughout the rest of the school year.
Now of course that 2 months is really 2 1/2. The kids have 10 weeks off this summer.
Kathleen says
I actually wish the boys had year long school. It would give them more frequent breaks during the year and make vacationing as a family so much easier. It also would not allow them to lose so much knowledge during an extended break like summer.
Colleen says
Exactly!
kfloveinme says
I think maybe it can be an option for parents. Like you decided they have school all year round then maybe they can graduate earlier.
Colleen says
That could be a possibility. I was thinking school year long but not go to school more, just spread out.
Holly Thomas says
I think year long school is good for kids 12 and older, younger i think is too much.
Colleen says
LOL right now my 6 year old daughter is begging to go back to school. She is not enjoying the summer break. My older boys on the other hand are in heaven.
Wendy T says
I think that ten weeks during the summer is a long, long time for children. Remember how slow time used to pass?
On the other hand, in our area when the students go back the first week in September they don’t get a break until Thanksgiving. That is a long time to go five days a week.
I’m a fan of year long school with more frequent breaks. I also think (if I remember correctly) that even with year long school, you get an extended summer break.
Colleen says
This is exactly what I would vote for if I had a choice.
Mary C. says
I think year round school would be best for Middle School age kids on through High School.
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Colleen says
It was elementary school that my son had the problem with forgetting things. No in middle school I think it is a choice rather then I true ‘forget’ LOL!
Tricia Nightowlmama says
NO I”D HATE IT!! The summer time is the time I finally get to spent time with my children there;s never enough hours in the day to do stuff or travel and see family
Colleen says
I think if I had that time I would agree. I still spend time with them the same, after work and on the weekends summer or not. Summer is just a different ball game with daycare and wild kids when I get home.
Tammy says
I think it is a good idea for some kids. My son used to be in a year round school, because of his special needs.
Rachel says
We home school but we do year round school. It allows us the flexibility to take off when we want or need to while still maintaining all they have learned. I do give 2 weeks off between each grade completed as well as 2 weeks off for Christmas and NYE.
I also did year round school in SA for high school. I really enjoyed it and you still got the same amount of time off it was just spread out more.
Colleen says
I think it would make things more flexible too.
Rachel says
The summer vacation was not intended to be a break for kids… It was out of necessity when our country was much more strongly agricultural and parents needed children home to help with the harvest. Obviously, that need isn’t present any more.
A a former teacher, I LOVED my break but it was really hrd getting kids back into the groove of school when the school year strted back up. It would take WEEKS … So, honestly, I am not against the idea. It makes sense from an academic point of view …
Colleen says
Totally I agree, my biggest reason for thinking about it was the academic after seeing my son struggle and pick it up so late in the year only to have to start over again.
Beth Larrabee says
I agree with the year long school. I think our kids education has slipped considerably and something needs to be done in order for us to stay competitive with other countries.
Canadian Mom Blogger says
I don’t think it would hurt to split up the breaks throughout the year.
Colleen says
That is definitely a must I’m not looking for longer school just break it up different then 2 1/2 months at a time.
Alaine says
I don’t like the idea of year long school. I support parents continuing education year round!
Colleen says
Good answer, it definitely does take parents to help out.
Marcie W. says
I grew up with year around school and didn’t have an actual “summer break” until I entered high school. I never minded and it seemed that just when I needed a break, I got one. As a parent my oldest had year around only during her first year of school. I loved it because we could take family vacations when everyone else was still in school and avoid the crowds.
Colleen says
That is a great point. I would love to take vacation when everyone else is still in school.
Kasandria Reasoner says
We kind of have it. We end school in May and go back at the end of July, but we get a nice break in October. The kids love it. I like it ok. This way they don’t get bored for as long and they retain more.
Kas
kelly nicholson says
i think schools need to manage the time they already have better..I kids dont get a break..they will break!
Tammy S says
I can see both sides of this. But I wouldn’t mind year round school. I think kids forget to much over the summer. I would like to see year round school with some breaks.
Alicia K says
of course! then again, i haven’t known any different
Jennifer says
I fully support year-round schooling. I have participated in school PTA meetings about this and the parent concerns are usually related to vacations. People go on maybe one 1-2 week vacation per year, and they will have many more opportunities to travel with a year-round schedule. Our here, the full year schools operate 6 weeks on, 3 weeks off. That’s plenty of time to travel.
I’m also all for uniforms!
Sherri Lewis says
I see positives in both ways. You could go on vacation at less crowded times with year long school, and they stay focused more, because they dont have a long break. But if they are out during the summer then there are summer camps and more things like that for them to do.