I hate to start any post with "back in my day" but desperate times you know. The good news is my story will not be of the "things were so hard in my day" variety because there were not all things considered.
Anyhoo, back in my day the school year would at times start after Labor Day. Kids now! My boys usually head back to the school building by the 2nd or third week of August. Well, COVID-19 mover that date up in Texas at least. The Texas Education Commission is asking teachers to consider several academic calendars offering greater flexibility in case another spike happens. Would you be okay starting August 1 or even July if it meant two weeks in the fall, one month for Christmas break, and a longer spring break? I kinda like that plan!
Going to shool a couple weeks in a month sound great on the serface, but I fear for information retension. Will children be able to remember what was taught every other week? And since children are used to going to school during certain times in the semester, would they be able to keep focused during the summer when they are normally out of school. I understand that we all need to be more flexible in this time of need, but we also need to look at the possible downsides to the child's education. Especially the high schoolers that are relying on their grades and scores to get into college.
The idea of having two weeks in the fall, one month for Christmas break, and a longer spring break is something I think most kids would love to have. Especially the parents who may have a problem with sending their kids back to school while a virus is going on. With having the option of changing the schedule to make it more flexible for parents and students just in case we have another spike coming our way. I believe it's generous of the school district to think of the families who may want to be on the safe side of things.
I would be okay with starting school on August 1, two weeks of break in the fall, one month for Christmas break, and a longer spring break. School breaks being spread out across the academic calendar would help students tackle a semester with a fresh mind. A three month long summer break is detrimental to a students mind in which the mind becomes idle. Personally, I find it difficult to shift into gears after summer break. There needs to be a balance between school days and break days in which the mind has a time of work and a time of recovery. That's why I agree that starting the school year earlier is a great plan.
Honestly, if the chance of having a longer break would arise, I wouldn't complain. In all seriousness, I'd be a little worried about how it'd affect my workload during the fall and my grades. Having said that, maybe during these uncertain times it would be a good opportunity to introduce new methods of teaching and a new curriculum to students. Believe it or not, Corona has actually made me more productive with my school work, and I think in general as well now that I have the time to tidy up. I believe that regardless of what happens, it is God's will behind it, so I am excited to see what changes this semester!
Schedules like this have been proposed before, and adopted in some areas. The idea was that our school year is based on an agricultural calendar which prioritized giving students time to work alongside their families. That isn't a concern anymore for many families in America, so people have started to look at other models. Personally, I would like to have a more spread-out school year. Shorter summer breaks make it easier to remember information, and week-long or two-week breaks throughout the year can be more refreshing than just a long weekend.