Students in traditional schooling from September to June anticipate the long summer break when they can relax, spend time with family and be free of school stresses for two-and-a-half months. Students in year-round schooling have a different experience. They attend school for 45 days followed by a 15-day break. Traditional and year-round schooling both require students to be in class for 180 days, but traditional schooling is better for student development and more convenient for families.
When students are in year-round schooling, families are negatively affected. Students spend less time with family than with traditional schooling due to the unusual time for breaks. Also, due to a shorter summer break, spending time with parents may be difficult. Some parents take long trips with their children to visit family or provide learning experience outside of school. A shortened summer break lessens the possibility of this kind of travel.
It is true that experts report that teachers waste weeks of reviewing after a traditional summer break. However, there is no evidence to say how much knowledge students lose over summer break. Also, when teachers review during the first few weeks of school, they learn about their students’ base of knowledge so that they can develop lessons around them. Teachers in year- round schooling have a hard time getting to know their students because they go on breaks often.
During a child’s development, spending time with parents is crucial. With year-round schooling this is a struggle. According to the Child Development Institute, the more time children spend with their parents, the less likely they are to engage in violence toward their family members and others around them.
Year-round schooling can lead to a strain on family relationships and can take away from learning experiences outside of the classroom.
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