If you didn’t dial a friends phone number for twelve weeks, would you remember it?
If you didn’t get out of bed for twelve weeks, would you be able to walk?
If you didn’t speak for twelve weeks, you you be able to give a talk?
So why do we give kids a twelve week summer vacation?
What do we expect them to remember after all that time?
Cheers!
Nigel Blackwell was born in rural Oxfordshire in England. He has a love of books, a PhD in Physical Chemistry, and a black belt in pointing out the obvious. As a teenager he toured Europe, and hasn't stopped traveling since. He loves seeing the wonders of the world and meeting the people in it, and hasn't been anywhere that doesn't have the potential for a story. He now lives in Texas with his wife and daughter, where they enjoy the sunshine and listen to the coyotes howl at night.
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You’re right, kids will hate you. Sucks to be the voice of reason… 🙂
Hi Diane. I’m the most unreasonable voice of reason there is 😉
Cheers!
Wow, Nigel, I had no idea you had such a sadistic streak in you. I knew I liked you.
Dear Madame Weebles
LOL! There speaks the woman who talks her weebles into posing for murder scenes – without even telling them their motives so they can put their full artistic talent into it! When my campaign gets the holidays shortened, I shall, of course, be naming the first new day back as school “Weeble Day” in your honor.
Cheers!
I just found out this excellent article that explains why the whole summer vacation started in the first place: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/recycled/2008/06/do_kids_need_a_summer_vacation.html
I think students’ vacations should exist, but not in the way they have been. Maybe one month in summer and other in winter, but let’s be honest: most parents look at schools these days as a place to keep their kids away from home while they’re at work. It’s no surprise there are so much summer camps everywhere.
Hi Alex
That’s an interesting article. I don’t think many of the reasons behind the long summer break really apply any more. But the financial concern is obviously still a problem. Even if they just moved some of the summer weeks to other holidays and kept the same number of days in school it would be better. Though more days at school would hurt either.
Cheers!
But how would we develop golfers if they had to go to school all the time. Try to keep priorities in order, Nigel. Really!
Hi David.
It’s a well know fact that golfers are high on the truancy list, so I think they’d manage 😉
Actually, I went to a school right next to a golf course (Burford) and we had the option of learning golf in PE. Since it meant time off the school grounds it was the most popular option!
Cheers!
Ha! I’m sure I could’ve made a strong case for why the break is necessary when I was in school and benefitting from that vacation. Now, I’ve come to a blank.
Hi August. Yeah, vested interested always makes a difference, eh?
Cheers!
Twelve weeks is too long. Six weeks is too long. I’m with you, Nigel.
Hi CC
Interesting you say 6 weeks is too long. Obviously, I went through 6 week summers too, and they did seem like a very long time. No matter how long, kids and adults alike will always say holidays are too short when they come to an end!
Hope you’re having a good week.
Cheers!
Nigel, I couldn’t agree more. That is why some school systems in the U.S. are year round. The children attend school for six weeks, then off three weeks. It make so much sense. They don’t lose the information they’ve learned over previous months. And the parents seem to love it. I, for the life of me cannot fathom why. Can you? 🙂
Hi Karen
Some schools in the US are year round? I never knew, I’ll have to look into that. Sorry to say the ones around us aren’t, but I’d love it if they were.
Cheers!
I’m sure virtual fruit is being thrown at you from some section of the blogosphere. Not by me!
Hi Brinda
Ha! Fruits, eh? That’s not so bad – I’m a vegetarian 🙂
Yes, the idea of shortening the summer holidays wouldn’t be popular, but I think, on average, would be happier because they wouldn’t be sat in classes struggling to remember information their teachers expect them to know.
Cheers!
Interesting. And good point! I relished my summer vacas but can’t say I remember a whole lot from my grade school years so there ya go 😉
Hi Ingrid
I have to confess, I’m not sure how much I remember from school, but I know I wouldn’t know what I know today if I hadn’t learnt it along the way. As you’ll be quick to point out, sentence construction is one of things I’ve forgotten!
Have a great weekend!
Cheers 🙂
Ha! Kids will hate you, but I think you’re on to something. Maybe we should go to that system of trimesters. But then, I want it for work too. If you do something day in and day out and never get a breather, is it productive? Or fun?
Hi Jess.
Kids hate me anyway. I think it’s the chaining them to a seat and quoting Chaucer at them that does it.
I’m not against kids having a break, I just thin 12 weeks to a bit too much (Like about 3x too much!).
Love the write up of your Deadwood visit 🙂
Cheers!