School Holidays

[Maggie-Mae]

Are any other parents getting "cheesed off" with the amount of time that children are on school holidays. My eldest son attends secondary school and I was looking at his holiday schedule and theres not one month thisyear that the school wont be closed for at least one day or more. Because Easter was early this year ( in March) they had the four day easter break and then two weeks off in April about three weeks later. And then theres the "Teacher Training days" that they tag on to the end of the school holidays. Im starting to feel like their never at school. They'll be off for six weeks in another few months and at my younger sons school in the last week before the summer holidays (and at Xmas as well) all they do is watch dvd's and play games. What ever happened to education. Are there also any teachers out there who would like to comment?

[spudqueen]

I don't think they have any more holidays now than they used to. Personally I think it does the children good to have a break, they are not as resiliant as adults and would probably crack up if they only had 4 weeks holiday a year. I always know when it's getting close to the school holidays as my children seem that little bit more tired and jaded.

Also, if they didn't have these holidays I wouldn't be able to spend as much quality time with them, there's nothing like a family holiday or a few days at Grandmas, or even a few days out together to make you feel more like a family unit.

[flashpig]

Children like holidays. Stop being so miserable. The children are probably learning really hard on the other days per month. And on the last week of term all of the assesment has been done, the children have sat end of year exams or tests, and they want to have fun in their subject, and for that one week a year the teachers seem like okay sorts of people. If the teachers tried to teach the pupils on the last week of the year they would have a riot. And that would include your son.

[Maggie-Mae]

Its not a question of being miserable Flashpig, its more about being concerned about my childrens education and the fact its been the news on more than one occasion about issues such as literacy standards falling.  My children get a lot of quality time with me because I make time for them at weekends and after school and as far as them being less resiliant, Spudqueen, my kids have far more energy than I do.

[spudqueen]

I know what you mean about children having more energy Maggie-Mae, what I really meant was that they haven't the resliance to carry on doing the same thing day after day, week after week without getting bored and tired of doing it.

I, like you do spend quality time with my children after school and at weekends, but it's never quite the same as holiday time isit? It's always in the back of your mind that they're back at school tomorrow/ in a couple of days so I'm sure I'm more relaxed and easy going when we've got a few days/weeks off. Even one extra day can make a difference as we made cakes today when I should have really been getting tea ready, but as they are not at school tomorrow it didn't matter that tea was a little later (and we had yummy cakes to eat afterwards!)

[EssJay1]

I am a teacher, but I'm not sure what you want me to comment on.  State schools are open for 39 weeks and have holdays/non-pupil days for 13 weeks. The summer holiday in Essex LEA has gone to 5 weeks to account for changes regarding the Easter break.  As the end of term approaches at Christmas and summer, I find the children are very tired and unable to concentrate for long.  Even so, the poor children in my class have to work until the final afternoon, when we will play board games and watch DVDs/videos!  

[miss_chase]

As a teacher, we spend much of our holidays marking and planning - which is easier without the day to day issues of term-time. Teacher Training Days are just that, we have training in various relevent issues for example behaviour management, anti-bullying or assessment.

Personally, I think if there weren't the 'holidays' (which I agree are the same as they've always been) no-one would be able to cope with the workload and intensity of being a teacher.

You could of course plan a course of additional education for your child in the holidays. WHSmith has a variety of Numeracy and Literacy guides.

[miss_chase]

oops - possibly training in spelling is needed too

*relevant*

x

[acw]

A concern for a child's education should involve setting them a good example with accurate grammar.

 

Teacher training days ARE used for training.  If they didn't have them, I suspect many people (dare I say you included) would complain that the teachers weren't being trained. 

 

Bank Holidays count for everyone.

 

You could always use the holiday time to teach them something.  Like take them to the park and name all the trees and birds and cloud shapes etc.  That shouldn't be too stressful or expensive. 

[Hammer]

I nearly qualified as a teacher, but got cold feet right at the end of course because of the massive workload involved.

Teacher training days are essential for teachers to keep up with changes in the curriculum, legislation, developments in technology, etc etc... Teachers do not instinctively know everything, but they have to learn the same as everyone else.

They are usually tagged on to school holidays to minimise disruption to the children, not just to "extend the teachers' holidays". Teachers are working on training days, end of story.

Parents need to understand that school is only a part of education, the problem these days is that many parents see school as free childcare as well as the only source as their child's education.

[snoteater]

Stop moaning you old misery.

[Gevs1966]

Maggie-Mae, I have to agree with the majority of posts above in that as far as I can see the amount of holiday hasn't changed since I was at school. My sister is training to be a teacher at the moment and would agree with the above that these training days are necessary.

 

Lastly, if you are worried about the literacy/numeracy standards of your children then what is stopping you from using some initiative and teaching them yourself? As far as I can remember I was basically taught to read, write and count etc by my parents and not just farmed off to school for the teachers to take full responsibility for my education. Parents these days are always looking for someone or something else to blame instead of taking responsibility for their own children's lives which is an integral part of why kids are how they are today.

 

I think you are just moaning for the sake of moaning.

[EssJay1]

And if we're talking about what parents can do to help at home...
Don't let your children interrupt you while you're talking to someone
Teach them the meaning of the word "no".

[ICEMANSAV]

School is only a percentage of the learning process for your children. There is still the requirement for you to teach your children other important life skills. Common sense, manners, respect etc. I think if you spent more time with your children when they are on holiday rather than complaining about the holidays they receive they would continue to learn even in schools absence.

[Coppa]

The question is not whether the children have the same holidays as we did, but whether the school term is still relevant in today�s society.

There are very few individuals lucky enough to not have to work in order to support a minimal �standard of living�. School holidays are not expensive due to frivolous days out at theme parks and expensive holidays abroad, but because of child care costs. Unlike teachers, the average employee receives only 4 weeks annual leave, leaving another 9 weeks, plus TT days to cater for. Like may people in their thirties, for me the option of �grandparent care� is limited.

As the sister of a serving police officer, I can say that there are jobs as stressful as teaching, that require the unpaid commitment that teaching does, but does not offer the benefits.

It is time that the teaching profession recognised that the years of wives being at home baking cakes and waiting for their loved ones to skip through the door are long gone. It is time the teaching year evolved with the rest of society by eradicating extended holidays, and term time training.