Welcome to September, Arizona Style

My life has revolved around the traditional school year since I was 4 years old beginning Kindergarten. School commenced the first day after Labor Day and ended the Friday before Memorial Day.  It made it easy to keep track of things. As kids, it gave an ending to school.  "Schools Out for Summer" sang Alice Cooper.  Every child I knew felt that same was.  I know I did!

Times have changed!

Schools now have fall break and winter break and spring break.  In order to meet the total number of days-in-class requirement, schools are now opening in August.  Some actually open their doors in late July.  In the 1950s we had two weeks off for Christmas, four days off for Thanksgiving and three days off for Easter. That was sufficient.  

Extended fall and spring breaks and long summers came out of an agrarian society.  Today, most of us don't live on farms where we have to be excused from school in the spring to help with the planting and again in the fall to harvest.  We also don't need a full summer to work the farm and make hay while the sun shines.

Spring and fall breaks are relics from the past just like the horse-drawn plow. 

In truth, the concept of year 'round school makes a lot of sense from the standpoint of the learning and forgetting curve. In the traditional 3-month-summer vacation, students lose close to 80% of new learning. Most teachers spend the entire month of September and part of October reviewing old material that, over time, has been lost.

With shorter, but more frequent, breaks, teachers have less to review and, therefore, can begin teaching new material sooner.

If they are wise, they will build frequent,  automatic review into their curriculum

From the standpoint of learning, I can see the wisdom in the new school timing.  From the standpoint of tradition, I miss the old. Where is the nostalgia and romance in that?

It's the first week of September.  Anyone want to buy a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils?

BTW - if you happen to live in Arizona, it is still 108 degrees in the shade.  Most of us are still thinking of swimming and watermelon!