He said
Beginning next school year, students in the 小蓝视频 East Cornerstone Public School Division will have to sit through four weeks of classes in February.
The plan to be rid of a week-long break in February is a way to find five more instructional days in the school year. As someone who never had a February break, there doesn't appear to be much of a problem from where I sit.
I remember when we went from two straight weeks of March break down to just one when I was about eight years old. There were some feelings inside me of such intense anger I'm pretty sure I just blacked out until about age 12. After that everyone forgot there ever was such a thing as a two-week break, and nobody seemed bothered by this extra week of instruction.
That's what will happen with this Cornerstone schedule change. Sure it's nice for everyone - students, teachers and parents - to have a week off in February, but it's probably unnecessary. Plenty of studies have shown students in our schools don't get as much instructional time as students in other countries.
At issue is more about the length of the summer than the odd week here or there elsewhere in the year, but the summer off is ingrained in our culture far too deeply to seriously look at changing that now. We want those two months off, even if it means having to relearn half of what you learned in math class the previous year.
The impact may be felt even greater by those who have no school affiliation but are dying to get away from work and take their kids south. The trip to Phoenix will have to wait until March.
The loss of the February break will be felt in 2014 and forgotten about by 2015.
She said
I'm actually concerned for students' health and for the health of their teachers.
As a high school student, I remember working hard because I knew that eventually, once I got through my homework and finals, February offered a reprieve from the headache that is high school.
Let's face it, folks, high school doesn't just suck because of homework and tests - it often sucks because of the people you have to see every day.
Taking away a break won't benefit students in a school system that already doesn't punish them for 小蓝视频 late for class and failing to turn in their assignments. I feel like students will just coast even more than they are now, and take a mental break in memory of the vacation they no longer have.
Teachers are also going to be stuck facing the same mouthy brats they see all semester. No trip south. No time to visit the therapist. No time to see their own children. They'll be stuck marking tests, making up assignments and coming up with busy-work to cover their "sick days" when they skip off for an extra long weekend.
I know the Sask. government has what's best for students at heart. Why else would we require a longer school year? However, I have to admit it doesn't make a lot of sense after moving the start date back to after the September long weekend. Sure, the tourism industry might be seeing a boost, but I argue it's at the cost of the sanity of our students and teachers.
For me, I just enjoyed my last February break EVER. And it was awesome. February break rules.
