Longer school year. Yay or Nay

[101lifts2]

I did 1 hour of homework in Study Hall in high school and got a 3.52GPA.

But I stuided 3 hours a night and 8 on the weekends in Electrical Engineering school. Shit sucked.

[Particle Man]

And who gets to foot the bill to renovate old schools in the northern states and equip them with AC? No thanks.

[snobuny]

who needs a/c.....we didn't when we grew up so get a fan suck it up and deal with it! I remember having class under a tree in June when in high school many years ago cause it was so hot.

I think it would keep kids off the streets with nothing to do in some urban areas and hopefullykeep them from losing everything over the summer.....hence the 2 months of refresher in the fall.

We have a year round charter school in the area.....2 year wait to get in, top scores for all the kids and unbelieveable graduation rates/college acceptance. No, its not private, no tuition, kids in local area get first pick, then schools of choice from all other areas.

They get 4 weeks off in the summer, then 2 weeks in fall, winter and spring, plus the normal holidays. I think they only get one week at christmas instead of 2.

Teachers love it.....more small breaks, Parents love it....less child care, kids love it.....keeps them busy and the breaks are well spaced so they don't miss the big summer. Not sure tourism industry will love it but they will cope.

[CrazyKell]

I'm all for year round schooling.

I taught at a school that had 1 week off in October, 2 in December, 1 in February, 2 in April, 1 in May, and 4 in August. You still got the feeling of summer without the brain drain that most kids go through.

As for teachers using those breaks to update their education, not really possible and means no vacation for the teachers. And bitch however much you want about teacher's vacation (and yes, there will be bitchers), but you wouldn't work a full year without vacation.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by CrazyKell

I'm all for year round schooling.

I taught at a school that had 1 week off in October, 2 in December, 1 in February, 2 in April, 1 in May, and 4 in August. You still got the feeling of summer without the brain drain that most kids go through.

As for teachers using those breaks to update their education, not really possible and means no vacation for the teachers. And bitch however much you want about teacher's vacation (and yes, there will be bitchers), but you wouldn't work a full year without vacation.

I guess I'll be the bitcher since no one else is stepping up. When you taught you had 11 freaking weeks of vacation and I can only guess that is in addition to the single days off also peppered throughout the school year. How much of that time was really spent "updating education"? If the school system dropped some of those 11 weeks you can't tell me teachers would end up with "no vacation". If their actual vacation amounted to 2, 3, or even four weeks they would still be doing about as well as most of us slobs working normal jobs.

[CrazyKell]

Originally Posted by goof2

I guess I'll be the bitcher since no one else is stepping up. When you taught you had 11 freaking weeks of vacation and I can only guess that is in addition to the single days off also peppered throughout the school year. How much of that time was really spent "updating education"? If the school system dropped some of those 11 weeks you can't tell me teachers would end up with "no vacation". If their actual vacation amounted to 2, 3, or even four weeks they would still be doing about as well as most of us slobs working normal jobs.

In England there are no days peppered through the school year. Those are your holidays and that's it.

My time spent updating was done after school at classes taught on weeknights.

I'm not arguing with the amount of vacation teachers get. I still would've been a teacher whether I got 4 or 14 weeks off a year, or 2 for that matter. Just that they are entitled to vacation....the amount is up for debate.

I was making what amounted to 40,000 a year. That's it. And my work schedule looked like this: at school every day by 7 and left at 6 only because they locked the building. Went home to plan and or mark usually for about an hour a night give or take. Sundays were usually spent planning or marking for about 2 hours. So my work week was approximately 60 hours a week, for $40,000 a year. Night courses were paid for on my own dime, and done in my own time. Did I need 12 weeks of vacation a year? No. But what was I going to do....go into school and work when there were no kids to work with?

Keep in mind, I'm not complaining one little bit about what my job was. But it sounds like you're bitter you didn't get the same amount of holidays. So if you wanted 12 weeks then quit your bitching and become a teacher.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by CrazyKell

In England there are no days peppered through the school year. Those are your holidays and that's it.

My time spent updating was done after school at classes taught on weeknights.

I'm not arguing with the amount of vacation teachers get. I still would've been a teacher whether I got 4 or 14 weeks off a year, or 2 for that matter. Just that they are entitled to vacation....the amount is up for debate.

I was making what amounted to 40,000 a year. That's it. And my work schedule looked like this: at school every day by 7 and left at 6 only because they locked the building. Went home to plan and or mark usually for about an hour a night give or take. Sundays were usually spent planning or marking for about 2 hours. So my work week was approximately 60 hours a week, for $40,000 a year. Night courses were paid for on my own dime, and done in my own time. Did I need 12 weeks of vacation a year? No. But what was I going to do....go into school and work when there were no kids to work with?

Keep in mind, I'm not complaining one little bit about what my job was. But it sounds like you're bitter you didn't get the same amount of holidays. So if you wanted 12 weeks then quit your bitching and become a teacher.

They didn't give bank holidays to the schools?

I'm not bitter at all about getting less vacation than a teacher. I wouldn't want to be a teacher even if they had 24 weeks of vacation. My point was teachers can loose some of their vacation and even after time spent updating their education they should still have some vacation, contrary to your earlier post.

Concerning the hours and pay, it shouldn't have come as any surprise. I would say quit your bitching and do something else but it looks like you already decided to do so.

[CrazyKell]

Originally Posted by goof2

They didn't give bank holidays to the schools?

I'm not bitter at all about getting less vacation than a teacher. I wouldn't want to be a teacher even if they had 24 weeks of vacation. My point was teachers can loose some of their vacation and even after time spent updating their education they should still have some vacation, contrary to your earlier post.

Concerning the hours and pay, it shouldn't have come as any surprise. I would say quit your bitching and do something else but it looks like you already decided to do so.

I would reply but I'm too tired to explain to you how dense you sound.

[Dave]

Fuck no. My property taxes are high enough thanks. Bad enough I have to pay for everyone elses darling little mistakes in the first place

[defector]

Both of my kids had year round classes until we moved. They had the same amount of time off as "normal" school schedules for a calendar year.
A week off here and there, and a two week "fall break".

I didn't like it at first, but not wasting most of the first month of school having refreshers was nice. IMO, it was very productive from about the third day in.