Do children where you live go to school year round?

Working people do deserve more breaks but i couldn't afford them when i was working . It's hard to make a living especially if u are raising 2 boys by yourself like i did.

LOL, my friend. Breaks like that for all workers would be wonderful! I do know the kids need them, as well as the teachers. Students today seem under so much more pressure than when I was young and still in school. Hope your day is a good one Karen

That is very true, Antiquelady. My dad never took a vacation, and there were 8 of us children. He was allowed to get the money instead, and that is how he and Mom gave us all such a very nice Christmas each year. We did stay at my uncle's cottage on a lake each summer for a week, and he would commute. He loved that, since he enjoyed fishing and swimming and could get his fill just by walking to the end of the back yard! Plus, there was a boat. Hugs, Karen

I completely agree with you that students need some break for recharging their batteries.

Hello Deepak. Your kids have about the same sort of holidays as the students in my own area, except that the summer break is three months rather than two. I do agree that every student needs routine breaks of a long enough time frame to recharge their batteries! Education pressures, homework, and extra curricular activities have risen to very large proportions! Kids do get worn out with it. Thank you for your input. Karen

Yes, especially since pressure and the workload on students seems to keep increasing. Even the young need time to relax! Karen

It is rather amazing how long certain things are discussed and contemplated before a decision is reached. Here, it is on a "trial basis" in just some of the schools. I hope you have a nice evening. Karen

Hi Elite. My daughters are grown now, but 6 of my grandchildren are in school, and they do seem to have massive amounts of homework and after school activities. I think the longer summer breaks are the only time they actually get to be kids. You have a nice night. Karen

Hi Kevchua. You make a good point. This concept is quite new in some places. While I think kids and teachers alike do need breaks, it might well be better to make them shorter and spread them throughout the year. Thank you for the information :) Karen

As a teacher who worked in a traditional school and a year round school, I found the year round concept to be more taxing due to the many short breaks. Too many of the students and some teachers simply looked forward to the next break which distracted them from the task at hand. Also, I found that even after a short break, I had to spend the next day or two reteaching what was learned before the break. It also made it difficult to plan due to testing. Do you try to cram all the material in before a break so as to complete the test beforehand or do you hold off and then need to reteach upon returning from a break? All the shorter breaks did not allow for the "recuperation" one would expect. It actually made the planning and teaching somewhat more tedious. The students didn't "recuperate" any better. It actually seemed easier to get the students on track and keep them on track with the traditional school year. Students do not lose as much over the summer as people think. Within a relatively short period, the students are on track. The very beginning of the year is always refresher learning anyways. How did we manage to be successful in school and life when we had long summer breaks? End of year summer breaks should be at least two months long to give the students a chance to just be a kid or for the older student, a chance to work without having to worry about school. Kids need time to just be kids especially today with the overload of information that they must learn. Even kindergartners are now pressured to read, write, and do math. Kids today may not do as well as they should because we've taken the joy out of being a kid and the joy out of learning. Our students from the earliest grade on are taught information that is a mile long and an inch deep. In other words, too much information with little depth. Too many breaks during the school year can impede the information overload that the students must deal with each school day.

As a teacher who has taught in a traditional school year (summer breaks) and in a year round school, I found the year round school to be more disruptive to the teaching and learning process due to the many short breaks. First, I found that many students and some teachers spent too much time looking forward to the next break. Then there was the issue regarding planning and teaching of the lessons. I had to always be concerned about how I was to teach around the many breaks. Do I cram the material in before the break so that I can get the testing done before break or do I reteach material after the break and continue on hoping to get everything taught within the required timeline? Even after a short break, students need to be refreshed as they do forget even after a week off. I found that the traditional school year allowed for less distraction with more focus on the learning due to the less frequent stopping and starting. Today's students are overwhelmed and overloaded with information that they are to learn and retain for the state test. Unfortunately, today's learning is a mile wide and an inch deep. In other words there is an overload of information with little depth to understanding. Even kindergartners today must learn to read, write, and do math. Today's students don't have time to be just kids. A summer break of at least two months allow the students to relax, socialize, and just be a kid. For the older student, the summer break allows them to work without having to worry about school. Year round school is not the panacea some think it is.

Hi Wasup. I loveeeeed summer long vacations when I was in school, for many of the same reasons you've mentioned. That and the heat and lack of air-conditioning can be a real problem for kids and teachers alike, especially those with certain medical conditions. That, and where I live, summer is the best time to travel or vacations. Karen

Oh yes, I hear you. Summers were so much fun that they seemed to zoom right by, and before we knew it...back to school. I hope you're having a great day! Karen

Yea summer is great, best time to have fun! Longest holiday, you can plan stuff, go camping, fishing, video games, movies, or do whatever. Almost pretty much feel like you don't have to worry about time, until that last day when the big 180 days of school hits again, LOL!

Hello Daphne :) You make so much sense. Kids have to grow up soon enough as it is, without getting those three months to just be kids! It is such an important stage in life. I appreicate your response and your wisdom Karen

Hi Cher. Here, there is only air-conditioning in the personnel offices of the schools, not in the class rooms. The days that it is hot would be awful in that respect, so that is a great point. But many kids do get bored by the end of longer summer breaks sometimes, and then there is the fact that the teachers have to help all catch back up and remember what they learned the previous year before getting on with the new year. Karen

Hello Dream. I do agree that pressures to study and all the homework are great these days, even for those in elementary school. And then there are all the extra-cirricular activities such as band, choir, sports, clubs. Kids are so very busy and pressured these days, and yes, they do need time and opportunities just to play, relax, and enjoy these childhood years. They only come around once in our lifetime. Thank you for your insights! Karen

Hello to you. I can see that the crowds when traveling or vacationing would be smaller, yes. So many ways to look at the year round vs all summer off thing, yes? It seems both have the positives and the negative. Karen

Hi Lynn. The hotter months are a concern. Most schools have no air-conditioning in the classrooms. The heat would make many people ill. It does seem that whichever way it is done, the time off balances out, yes? Thank you for your input. Karen

Hello Flutter. There is a lot of back and forth talk of it here in MI, too, and some schools are trying it out. Sometimes, snow days have gone over the limit and have to be made up here, too. I think I can see pros and cons on both sides. I do remember how much I looked forward to and enjoyed the long summer break when I was child, though. Karen

Hi Jb. Myself, when my kids were in school, I actually enjoyed the summers they had off. It was more laid back and I saw more of them. But I do know for some parents, the daycare is an issue. Like you, I do think kids need the longer break. Karen

Hello Preema. A happy medium sounds like a wonderful idea. I think that is one reason many of the schools are now experimenting with various time frames for vacation breaks. For your special needs children, I can see the value in making the breaks shorter, though :) I appreciate your input. Karen

Hi Divkris. Like you, I believe kids can become used up with all the pressure to learn more and more and be serious all the time. I am a firm believer in getting a good education, but when kids are on break, they get another kind of education...the education of "life" and how to relax and pursue more family time, which is also important. I really appreciate your feedback on this subject! Karen

Hello Dory. I know more and more areas in the world are either using or thinking of switching to the year round school idea. Like you, I feel that children DO need the longer breaks to relax and pursue other things. As you said, it gives them time to "recharge their batteries," and rebuild enthusiasm and energy for going back to school! Karen

Hi Web. You're right about learning being much more high-pressured these days, and the amount of homework given out seems astronomical! I know the breaks are needed by all concerned. I appreciate your feedback on the discussion. Have a great day! Karen

Hello Butterfly. I know there are various opinions on this. When I was in school, I always very much looked forward to summer vacation. It allows a child to "catch their breath" and spend more time with their family. My own daughters also had their summer breaks, and their learning didn't seem to suffer, but then reading was always an important thing we did each day. Thank you for voicing your opinion :) Karen