Is Summer Break Too Long?

It’s almost heresy to suggest this as an educator, but if given more thought, nearly everyone could come to the same conclusion. Summer break is too long.

Firstly, I am not suggesting that teachers and students go to school more—if anything, just the opposite. But almost three months off for many students can be detrimental to their learning, mainly because they do nothing to help their minds grow over the summer. Most students will be glued to the TV or their cellphones all day, every day. Perhaps before the invention of social media and high-end gaming systems, you could justify a three-month-long summer break. But now? Students almost have a decline over the summer because of how little they are doing.

It used to be that students would be outside playing and socializing with their friends from sun up to sun down all summer, reaping all the benefits of outdoor activity and increased social skills.

Now, kids return from summer break like zombies with their eyes stuck to their phones.

So, is there a solution?

So, what is the alternative? Imagine if more school districts embraced a trimester or “quadmester” schedule for the academic year. This could be a game-changer.

Instead of dividing the school year into two giant halves, divide it into smaller thirds or fourths.

Firstly, this would help alleviate the loss during the long summer break. Students would still get the necessary breaks but not lose the necessary skills.

Secondly, it could solve the issue of the length of the school day. Many states require that schools be in session for a certain number of minutes each year, adding to the length of the school day because districts don’t want to extend the school year into the summer months. States could keep the minute requirement, but the districts could shorten days and have students attend school during the traditional summer months.

Thirdly, this school schedule translates to a “grown-up” life far better. The only profession that gets a summer break is a teacher, and most students aren’t going to grow up and become teachers. So, it would best to instill an understanding of work-life balance in them.

Of course, students don’t need to grow all the way up whenever they are in middle/high school, but they must get a proper understanding of responsibility, discipline, and the fact that you can’t just have fun all the time. Sometimes, you need to buckle down and do the hard work.

Ultimately, changing the school year schedule would benefit students and teachers. Students would get a year-long learning experience, and teachers would get more breaks throughout the school year, which would help with teacher burnout.