Break: Teacher Friend or Foe?

Well, I know that I'm lagging behind on this blog post, but I for the life of me could not come up with something education related to blog about on here.  That was until I started thinking about how I should really get this done before break.  This thought process lead me to thinking about having break as a teacher.  Almost every Education student or teacher knows and thinks about break.  We know that it is definitely a perk of our job.  We probably have more days off as a teacher than any other profession.  However, are the breaks all they're cracked up to be?

As a student, I know that I enjoy my breaks.  They are a time when I can rejuvenate and gain back any lost sleep.  I also know this will be true for my future students.  Studies show that everyone needs a break at some point in their lives, both mentally and physically.  Without this time as a student, I know that I would just crash and burn into a long narrow road.  On the other hand, there are disadvantages that many students do not necessarily think about while they're spending their days relaxing and just being kids.

The breaks that we have a majority of the time are relatively short.  They last about a day or two longer than a normal weekend, sometimes extending from a week to two weeks.  These breaks are typically productive when it comes to relaxing and not being mentally challenged.  They allow students to rejuvenate and come back ready to learn.  I remember being a small child and thoroughly enjoying this time off, and I was able to do just that- come back and perform with more rigor than before.  Therefore, short breaks are not a problematic situation.  It is when longer breaks come into the picture that teachers begin to worry.

A long break, such as the typically summer three month break is definitely a perk in most teachers minds.  It is not the reason why we go into education, but we do see it as a time to sit back and relax, and also as a nice amount of time to begin preparing for the next school year.  However, many students do not do the same.  During the summer, students look at is as all play and games, and NO education.  Students who need to go to summer school to help them retain what they have learned often times do not like this because they don't understand why they have to go when no one else does.

As a result of a "free" summer, many students fall behind.  They loose their routines, and they forget to some extent what it's like to be in school.  Consequently, teachers have to take valuable time to review and sometimes reteach information that they can no longer recall because they have not been thinking about it.  Many students "loose" information and loose any gains that they had during the school year.  In essence, it sometimes seems like a teacher is starting back at square one.  On average, the first two to three weeks is spent reviewing information from the previous year and setting routines of the new school year.

There are a few different options to decrease this loss of knowledge.  The first is to have year round school where students go to school for a month/month and a half and then have two to three weeks off.  In this, students are given enough time to relax and then come back to school.  There is then less of a loss of information.  The problem with this is that the breaks for the schools do not always align, making it difficult to go on family vacations.  It is also hard to set a routine with being in and out of school so much.  There also can then be a debate on when students move up to the next level of schooling because there is no real defined start or end to the school year.

The second option is to have summer goals set for students, such as reading so much every day.  A time period of 30 minutes a day is sufficient and allows students to keep thinking.  Worksheets and online activities can be given to parents/guardians for their student to work on at home as well.  The problem with this is that there is no definite way to enforce the reading and make sure that it is being done.  Also, if students have limited resources at home, external resources must be sought out.  Although not impossible, students may be less motivated to go to the library to work on academics during the summer than if they are forced to at school.

What it all comes down to is communication with parents/guardians, students, and teachers.  Teachers NEED to emphasize how important it is to keep the information new.  If students have the resources at their finger tips, they should be encouraged to use it.  If students do not have resources available to them, the teacher/school should provide a list of ways that this student can keep learning throughout the summer.  One discussion that teachers may want to have with their students is the fact that learning is a life long process and point out different times and places that he/she has come into learning.

Another way to improve this targeted learning is to have a whole school or school district initiative where everyone is involved.  Motivation is key, so if schools can find a positive incentive for students, then it will probably work better.  Also, if it is district wide, everyone will know that every other school and student should be doing this as well.

There is no right or wrong answer, but many options.  Ultimately, the school district and state will decide, but knowing the options available is a start to creating a community of life long learners.