For those unwilling to read the article, the gist of it is that during summer vacations students who don't have access to resources are losing month's of reading comprehension and math skills during vacation. While those students with access to higher learning facilities, museums, etc. retain much more of their knowledge in comparison.
US students spend 180 days in school with a total of 1,080 instructional hours. Average 15-year old math scores are 474.
The argument is basically that summer vacation should be shortened or eliminated replaced with breaks that are scattered through out the year. Of course this could have major economic impacts as many industries make a large profit during the summer travel season.
Well like you said it would kill some buisness that many places need in the summer. plus i imagine the amount of teachers would decrease. BUt i really just wanted to post that the only real reason we had it in the first place is because Farmers need there Childs help in the summer
*points at self* This is my caring face. Sports are distractions, escapism if you would. Interfering with them isn't a reason to keep summer break the way it is.
That being said I'm all for year round schooling with the same amount of class room hours but more breaks being spread throughout the year. I'd be much more happy with a month in the summer and a month in the winter than 2 1/1 months in the summer.
Of course this could have major economic impacts as many industries make a large profit during the summer travel season.
All this would do is change vacation times; in reality it might improve the economy of vacation areas.
The argument is basically that summer vacation should be shortened or eliminated replaced with breaks that are scattered through out the year. Of course this could have major economic impacts as many industries make a large profit during the summer travel season.
This is what some nations do, especially Japan, where their schools have extended school periods, then an extended break period. I don't know how it is done, but it's something like 2 full weeks of work per one full week of break. Something like that. I could be wrong.
But I am totally against eliminating summer vacation. It's not MY problem anymore, but it's definitely my children's problems. We all know too much work promotes stress. With no extended periods of breaks, we will break. We are only human; we need a long period to just relax, have fun, and not worry about assignments or studying.
But at the same time coming back to school is ridiculous, because I don't know about you guys but in math especially basics are important to a high point, and I happen to be one of those people who forgets things over the summer, which means when I come back to school, I start worrying about how I don't know this, or that. Which really affects my grades as a whole.
Personally I would like it, a month in the summer would be fine for me, and the 2 wks per 1 wk, ratio is also pretty cool. I just think that if you're going to put in all that effort, why leave room to forget it?
