Year-Round Schooling is certainly a "hot button" issue these days, as more and more schools districts, are considering the pros and cons of such action.
On April 29, 2009, a U.S. News and World Report blog entry, looked at the increasing number of Chicago elementary schools who are moving toward this change. The major component behind that decision has been for remediation of students and in order to close the gap on what students may forget over the summer. (See http://www.usnews.com/blogs/on-education/2009/04/28/chicago-tests-a-year-round-school-schedule.html for more information).
The debate around year-round schooling has even been extended to national organizations, such as The National Association for Year-Round Education (http://www.nayre.org/). However, I have the unique opportunity of seeing year-round school up-close and personal, and in a slightly different light.
The school I teach at is a private residential school for students with extreme and profound emotional factors and all of our high school students are required to participate in 8 weeks of summer school. It is a unique opportunity for students to learn new skills as well as acquire credit for courses they may be lacking and/or to make-up for lost time. Each summer, we provide two 4-week sessions, from 8am-1pm each day. This summer, students have the opportunity to take courses which include, but are not limited to:Driver's Education, Photography, Printmaking, Basic Computer Skills, Physical Education, Literary Magazine and Vocational Horticulture. Each course offers the unique opportunity to participate in a class outside of the "norm", get "hands-on" experience, and earn a semesters' worth of credit for each course completed. Both students and teachers look forward to the experience and many interesting projects and ideas are shared during the summer sessions. I look forward to an interesting and exciting summer again this year and am curious to see if other schools soon follow suite.
I'd say the experience in your school isn't "year-round schooling" at all, but a summer enrichment program for high-needs kids. I wish more "reformers" were thinking about enrichment for low-income kids instead of "more of the same," which, frankly, will get "more of the same" results.
ReplyDeleteI have such a huge problem with schools feeling that they are the best thing for children. Don't get me wrong - but I believe that children need their families, they need time with family, and they need to learn things about the world that schools can never teach them. I have a son who is gifted/ADHD. He has very serious problems with many academic skills such as writing. However - he has an amazing mind - and school alone cannot meet his needs. For instance, he has befriended a retired paleontologist who volunteers at the field museum who he visits at least monthly and they go through museum exhibits together. He comes home with so much knowledge which can be applied to school - but which he would never receive from school. each summer he is recommended for summer school - and each summer I turn it down. I imagine that the school staff see this as a huge mistake on my part - but I have trouble giving up time with my children (they wont be children forever), and I feel that he gets more out of a summer with us than he would out of a summer in a school building. I wish all parents would be empowered to feel that they are the most important part of their children's education.
ReplyDeleteMamaearth,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that children can learn outside of the school setting, as a matter of fact, A LOT of learning does happen in the home and/or with family,
Also, I think it as absolutely FANTASTIC that your son has so many amazing summer opportunities and that he lives in home where he is supported and encouraged in so many ways. I applaud your willingness to self-advocate for your family and your son and to choose to decline the offer of extended-school year learning. It is truly an amazing gift that you are provide him with such rich experiences.
However, I must say that I wish that more families were able to do so. In my experiences working with students with extreme emotional needs, home and/or outside experiences are often not successful and/or stable and thus, the need for school is often quite great.
By no means, do I think that schools have all the answers and/or that they are the best place for every student, all of the time. However, I do strongly believe that it is a viable option for some students and families and thus, schools have the responsibility to make the learning environment, no matter the time of year, an engaging, interesting, and appropriate one.