I’ve been ruminating for a while on the questionable value of a balanced Pk-12 academic calendar (in other words, year-round school). There are good arguments on both sides of that debate, some more perfunctory than others. FYI – The “outdated, agriculturally-based” argument isn’t good soil, if you know even a bit about farming. Most of that work can be done in the spring and fall, leaving plenty of summer days for learning…but I digress. Family farms are sadly disappearing at such a rate that few children get the benefit, or are allowed, to work one.
Our local district is recently considering a revised schedule of some sort, based on recent staff and parent surveys used to gather public perception. This is a good move, because despite any argument for or against, if the people do not want it, this will not be successful. Personally, I fancy this concept. Not because it guarantees me uncomfortably, humid, smelly days in a yet-to-be air conditioned classroom, but because it guarantees me a more authentic schedule to the way that learning should and does happen: all the time.
To be sure, we’d get summer. My lazy days in the pool and camping with my family would not be eliminated. There could still be an abbreviated summer vacation. If we went to school for nine weeks, then took two or three weeks off, around the year, I might even get to experience Disney world in the off-season when they have prices and climates that are friendly to public teachers. I think they have pools there too.
A balanced calendar promises me more consistent timing to prepare children for the never-ending learning standards that keep coming at us. It promises to reduce summer loss for those kids who can not afford to lose any ground. Year-round school would give me the chance to watch things grow in gardens where we currently plant in the spring, then weed out in the fall…isn’t that ironic. I can imagine lessons outside, more days in the woods and by the river with my students, learning in real time in the classroom of life and nature.
What do you think? As always, I invite holes to be shot in my ideas…otherwise I’m not learning (and I do that all the time).
The Year Round Concept was “wildly liberal” when it began in California and trickled across to Texas in the ’70’s…it has been tried with many variations, and has most-often been eliminated, due to the complications of blending it with traditional work-place thinkers and child-care predicaments. I, for one, believe that year-round education would be a perfect solution to the teaching-learning continuum, to the budgetary problems of closing and opening school plants, and for administering quality encouragement to ALL children, whether they be “Gifted and Talented” or individual-developers. It was for my amusement this past summer, that I spent a week with grands in Michigan and observed, first-hand, the “off-letting” of neighborhood children from elementary school. I could see the interesting mix of staggered “coming out to play” times after the year-round kiddos got home, and as the all-day-at-home kids got bored of their daytime friends and games. I could also see GREAT family and scheduling advantages, in terms of scheduling alternate outside activities (not ALL shopping has to be done by everyone between 4-8p.m. when varying school schedules are available.
All in all, I endorse the study of year-round positive and negative outcomes, the inclusion of parents from several populations (working/non-working-outside the home parents), transportation directors, and budgetary considerations from administration, and then a commitment to a 2-3-5 year plan, at the least, since education so often “scrubs” good ideas BEFORE the plan is even tested well. Let the conversation continue!
I’m against the idea. It’s probably a lame reason, but I feel kids should be able to enjoy the summertime “good ole” days just as the rest of us did. We need to consider the changes our children already have to experience with the different world we live in today. Some good and too many bad.
Hi Walt–
As usual, I appreciate your blog…this one of course is one that I support as well. The balanced calendar is good for kids! The calendar has a positive impact on what is known as the “summer slide.” With less re-teaching, we are better able to navigate the curriculum!
Thanks for joining Dave…for newcomers, Dave is a friend and principal of a school that has successfully operated on a balanced calendar for a few years.
I appreciate that you have asked for input from alumni.
Before we enrolled our children at Dimondale we explored the year-round idea at Horizon Elementary. Even with a summer cottage on a lake we had decided that our children’s education was more important than an extra couple of weeks at the lake. An besides, we could visit the lake in the winter, go to Disney in the off-season, visit grandparents out of state for more than a couple of days. Unfortunately for us, there were no vacancies outside the Horizon borders.
I think the most important statistic which I have not seen mentioned is the test scores from Horizon which annually rank among the highest in the state. That’s not by accident. It is a proven fact and I see it every year with my own children is the re-teaching/recalling time (time wasted) in September and October to prepare for the upcoming October MEAP tests.
People have a hard time adapting to change, especially when it affects them personally, I think we have only begun to see change that will affect many of us personally because of all the cuts being made to education on the State and Federal levels.
I would be for year-round school K-8. I hope to see more responses to your survey!
Mike & Kim Seibold
I understand that year-around school would help address student backslide. I also feel that if I wanted my children to go to a year-around school that I could find other options already available. As a parent, I find that it is our responsibility to continue the learning and take advantage of learning together as a family during summer vacation. (We have identified trees, rocks, engaging things that are best taught outside, etc.)
In addition, I do not welcome 2 academic calendars when my children are no longer both in elementary school. The middle school will most likely be on the traditional calendar and the elementary school on a year-around schedule would provide a bigger headache (early release Wednesday is enough for me).
Our schools have had to cut offerings because of budget. In an effort to bridge the gap and round out our children’s education we are forced to go to outside sources to find exposure to in-depth music lessons, art, language, etc. It is hard enough that our school district calendar goes until mid-June. Many camps and opportunities are offered while we are still in school.
Parents need to be aware that a break from school does not mean a beak from learning. At the very least, a workbook page a day can do wonders. I would rather have summer homework than a year-around calendar.
Linda Toomey
This is a topic that has been of interest to me for a long time; I completed a research project on balanced calendars during my undergrad. In the end, I believe that this is something that we should seriously consider for many reasons, not the least of which is the reduction of the ‘summer slide.’
I feel that periods of focused instruction followed by two week breaks would allow for a better model of reflective teaching. Throughout the school year, I don’t have time to sit back and look at the strengths and weaknesses of what is going on in the classroom.
Students could attend short (half day at most) remediation sessions if necessary instead of waiting until summer to catch up on skills that were missed in October. My two cents…
My response is two-fold. On one hand, I would not have been able to attend college without having long summer days to work while I was in high school. And considering that I waited tables at a tourist destination, I needed everyone else to have the same time off. And like someone else posted, having drastically different schedules for elementary vs older grades would be a mess.
That being said, as my son is fighting his fourth or fifth illness since December, I am starting to wonder if longer breaks during the cold/flu season might reduce the germ passing around or at least give more recovery time to build up some immunity. Maybe there would be less days missed overall?