ENGL 1711 03

                               

 

 

YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLING

By HIRUT   TESSEMA

MARY CRISPIN

ENGL 1711-03

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the world of academia, the policy of choosing from year-round schooling and the traditional shorter calendar year schooling is always controversial. On one hand, scholars argue that year-round Schooling has become increasingly common both as an academic improvement strategy and as a solution to overcrowding of students in a class. They also argue that year-round schooling can reduce summer learning loss, reduce teacher and student stress, and help working parents manage schedules.  Furthermore, in a year-round teaching methodology they argue that student do not feel detached from the school environment and hence they develop better relationships with other students and teachers than they do in a traditional teaching method of shorter calendar year with summer break. On the other hand, other group of scholars argue that year-round schooling complicates schedules for parents, deprives children off a needed relief from the classroom, and limit summer family vacations. And they also argue that, economically it affects families since they must support students who do not have time to work during the summer to make money and help themselves. ( Introduction part)

 

Research indicates since recently that, year-round schooling is becoming common as a solution to both academic improvement and reducing overcrowding.  For instance, a conducted research by Jaclyn claims that year-round schooling in which a single summer break is swapped out for a series of shorter breaks throughout the year, has become increasingly common, both as an academic improvement strategy and as a solution to overcrowding. Similarly, year-round Continuity in ‘Education Week’ indicates that Year-round schooling inspires strong reactions from students at as it assisted them in terms allowing multi-track system to maximize school resource for use and evenly distributes break for vacations. Furthermore, the proponents of this idea argued that year-round schooling can reduce summer learning loss, teacher and student burnout, and help working parents manage schedules. 

 

One major thread argument against year-round schooling as described by ‘Education Future’ however, is that it complicates schedules for parents. Obviously, majority of families have a plan to take a vacation either to visit some historical places or see their extended families at some other places when schools are closed. But when students are still at school this is somewhat impossible to do.  Furthermore, the ‘Education Future’ report explained that the year-round schooling increases economic hardship on working families. It is true that when students are at school throughout the year, they do not get sufficient working time to generate money and support themselves. Furthermore, the opponents of year-round schooling argue that it is depressing for students to stay at school year-round which in turn significantly impacted their academic performance. For example, reports of ‘the Center on Education Policy’ shows that the grade of students attending classes year-round reduced by 30% compared to those students who attended schools on traditional way. Hence, they strongly opposed the policy that advocates year-round schooling. 

 

The pro year-round education proponents yet provide this method of learning as a typical remedy and logical necessity by describing the traditional school year as back warded and something that does not fit into the current generation’s demand for learning. Similarly, they argue that year-round education reduces the summer loss that may happen when students are out of school for an extended period. Others believe that year-round education gives students the opportunity to enhance their creative skill by making more practices at school using the school’s abundant resources than they have at home. 

 

The argument against the year-round education as a remedy says that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. They disproved that argument by depending on the mixed results of research as to whether year-round education reduces the summer loss, and the extended period enhanced the student's thinking and creative abilities. According to this line of argument it does not worth changing the traditional learning paradigm. They substantiate their argument by offering two school districts. They claimed that in districts where some schools are year-round and others are traditional, families are in trouble adjusting their conflicting schedules to pick up their kids from school (New York Awards Grants for Extended Learning to Nine Districts). 

 

In conclusion, given the pros and cons of both year-round schooling and traditional education, it is difficult to select the better alternative for education. It requires to undertake an empirical data-based research to identify and recommend the better learning strategy.  

  

                             

Citations 

 

1.  Zubrzycki, J. (2015, December 18). Year-Round Schooling Explained. Education Week 

2. Education Weeks' Time and Learning Blog 

3. ‘’Center on Education Policy, Expanding Learning Time: A Summary of Finding from Case studies in Four States ‘’ January 2015. 

4. “New York Awards Grants for Extended Learning Time to Nine Districts,” by Samantha Stainburn. A state program. 

5. The “Education Futures” Commentary series on year-round schools.