Is it just me? What is with this school year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our DCPS elementary, kids are still learning and kids/teachers don't seen burnt out.

+1. Ours also. And they’re still trying to do remediation for COVID learning loss. Even if it will need to be retaught next year, schools need to maximize learning time until kids are caught up.

And DCPS does holiday, winter, and spring break. I agree it really helps kids and teachers from getting burnt out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So over it! My kids have, including today, 5 more full school days, one field trip day, and then two half days. Why are they still learning new concepts at this point? Why homework? Why did I just sign a paper about a brand new math concept that my kid bombed. BRAND NEW. You think he will remember any of this after the summer? Am I the only one completely over this year?

There is another current thread where parents are throwing tantrums that in their last week of school, kids watched movies or socialized and weren’t drilling math facts up until the final bell rang. The schools can’t win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So over it! My kids have, including today, 5 more full school days, one field trip day, and then two half days. Why are they still learning new concepts at this point? Why homework? Why did I just sign a paper about a brand new math concept that my kid bombed. BRAND NEW. You think he will remember any of this after the summer? Am I the only one completely over this year?

There is another current thread where parents are throwing tantrums that in their last week of school, kids watched movies or socialized and weren’t drilling math facts up until the final bell rang. The schools can’t win.

We were at one school where the teacher spent the last two weeks reviewing math skills through games, reading and discussing fun books and doing hands on art and science activities. There were some videos, but a lot of reinforced concepts done in an engaging, fun way. It was great! We don't need to have such extremes like teaching totally new concepts vs giving up and just watching movies and socializing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weren't you all demanding extended learning to 'recover' pandemic losses?

You right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So over it! My kids have, including today, 5 more full school days, one field trip day, and then two half days. Why are they still learning new concepts at this point? Why homework? Why did I just sign a paper about a brand new math concept that my kid bombed. BRAND NEW. You think he will remember any of this after the summer? Am I the only one completely over this year?

There is another current thread where parents are throwing tantrums that in their last week of school, kids watched movies or socialized and weren’t drilling math facts up until the final bell rang. The schools can’t win.

We were at one school where the teacher spent the last two weeks reviewing math skills through games, reading and discussing fun books and doing hands on art and science activities. There were some videos, but a lot of reinforced concepts done in an engaging, fun way. It was great! We don't need to have such extremes like teaching totally new concepts vs giving up and just watching movies and socializing.

This! Or at least teach the kids chess or monopoly or risk or set. There are so many more engaging fun things to do than just movies and Minecraft while the teachers zone out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's because there aren't enough large vacations in the school year that you feel burn-out.

In my home country of France, the summer vacation is shorter (one month and a half), but there are two-week breaks in mid-fall, around Christmas, mid-winter, and around but not necessarily at Easter. Two weeks is great, because it allows for a real re-charge. People can travel if they want, even to far-away places, and not have to worry about cramming it all in and jet lag. There is a system of subsidized childcare for parents who work.

So it's not year-round school, but the calendar is more evenly broken up.

I read this as a two working parent household and thought, what a nightmare to line up childcare during those times off. Americans often start off with only 10 days of vacation. After working a decade, Im still at 15 days of vacation. I would have to be working during those breaks so I can have some summer travel. Subsidized childcare how? There are centers that take care of kids gor these two week breaks? How does this work? I'm intrigued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because there aren't enough large vacations in the school year that you feel burn-out.

In my home country of France, the summer vacation is shorter (one month and a half), but there are two-week breaks in mid-fall, around Christmas, mid-winter, and around but not necessarily at Easter. Two weeks is great, because it allows for a real re-charge. People can travel if they want, even to far-away places, and not have to worry about cramming it all in and jet lag. There is a system of subsidized childcare for parents who work.

So it's not year-round school, but the calendar is more evenly broken up.

I read this as a two working parent household and thought, what a nightmare to line up childcare during those times off. Americans often start off with only 10 days of vacation. After working a decade, Im still at 15 days of vacation. I would have to be working during those breaks so I can have some summer travel. Subsidized childcare how? There are centers that take care of kids gor these two week breaks? How does this work? I'm intrigued.

You still have to pay for camp during the summer, so it’s not like year round school results in more camp costs.

I’m from Germany and we have a similar vacation schedule as France. I wish it was like this in the US, my kids have horrible learning loss after every summer break.

[Anonymous]

The county puts it out the community, about what the schedule should be for the upcoming school year.
This is what you, parents, voted on. You wanted free childcare for an extra two weeks. You got it! And with it comes homework, studying, and failing test. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because there aren't enough large vacations in the school year that you feel burn-out.

In my home country of France, the summer vacation is shorter (one month and a half), but there are two-week breaks in mid-fall, around Christmas, mid-winter, and around but not necessarily at Easter. Two weeks is great, because it allows for a real re-charge. People can travel if they want, even to far-away places, and not have to worry about cramming it all in and jet lag. There is a system of subsidized childcare for parents who work.

So it's not year-round school, but the calendar is more evenly broken up.

I read this as a two working parent household and thought, what a nightmare to line up childcare during those times off. Americans often start off with only 10 days of vacation. After working a decade, Im still at 15 days of vacation. I would have to be working during those breaks so I can have some summer travel. Subsidized childcare how? There are centers that take care of kids gor these two week breaks? How does this work? I'm intrigued.

You still have to pay for camp during the summer, so it’s not like year round school results in more camp costs.

I’m from Germany and we have a similar vacation schedule as France. I wish it was like this in the US, my kids have horrible learning loss after every summer break.

+1. DPR offers February break camp during DCPS's February break. I believe other places that do winter and spring break camps in DC offer February break camp too. So yes, you pay for camp, just like you would in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because there aren't enough large vacations in the school year that you feel burn-out.

In my home country of France, the summer vacation is shorter (one month and a half), but there are two-week breaks in mid-fall, around Christmas, mid-winter, and around but not necessarily at Easter. Two weeks is great, because it allows for a real re-charge. People can travel if they want, even to far-away places, and not have to worry about cramming it all in and jet lag. There is a system of subsidized childcare for parents who work.

So it's not year-round school, but the calendar is more evenly broken up.

I read this as a two working parent household and thought, what a nightmare to line up childcare during those times off. Americans often start off with only 10 days of vacation. After working a decade, Im still at 15 days of vacation. I would have to be working during those breaks so I can have some summer travel. Subsidized childcare how? There are centers that take care of kids gor these two week breaks? How does this work? I'm intrigued.

Don't people have much, much more vacation in France? Something like 4 - 6 months a year?

[Anonymous]

DCPS parent and I think the teachers are done at our school. And I don't mean that as an insult -- I get it. They finally finished assessments which is such an exhausting push in late May/early June, but after that I think people mentally check out a little bit. It's short-timers syndrome and I agree with the PP who said it's mental, not based on the schedule. Once your tests/requirements are done, it just becomes hard to focus and you start daydreaming about vacation. Normal.

The part that is schedule-dependent in DCPS is that our school, like many, has AC issues and school in June can be tough. They actually got a break with the weather this week because it's been cool in the morning and not so disgustingly hot/humid that kids can't go run around at recess and burn off energy. But it's still very hot in the classrooms by noon, and that is absolutely one reason why you see less instruction and learning. Kids are lethargic from the heat and the lack of reliable or good AC, and often the best thing to do is give them a non-academic activity (movie, game, etc.) or just take them outside. A lot of teachers will try to schedule field trips this time of year to mix it up and keep people engaged, but field trips are still pretty hard in DCPS thanks to Covid restrictions and the challenges of getting chaperones certified through DCPS's insane process. So I think some just gave up on that this year because they didn't have the volunteers or didn't want to fight admin on transportation issues.

Anyway, I'm grateful for the extra weeks of my child being in a safe and happy environment and am good with the teachers either taking it easy with movies or trying to reinforce concepts before summer. DC's summer is short and we'll do some reinforcement and lots of reading this summer, it will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's because there aren't enough large vacations in the school year that you feel burn-out.

In my home country of France, the summer vacation is shorter (one month and a half), but there are two-week breaks in mid-fall, around Christmas, mid-winter, and around but not necessarily at Easter. Two weeks is great, because it allows for a real re-charge. People can travel if they want, even to far-away places, and not have to worry about cramming it all in and jet lag. There is a system of subsidized childcare for parents who work.

So it's not year-round school, but the calendar is more evenly broken up.

I read this as a two working parent household and thought, what a nightmare to line up childcare during those times off. Americans often start off with only 10 days of vacation. After working a decade, Im still at 15 days of vacation. I would have to be working during those breaks so I can have some summer travel. Subsidized childcare how? There are centers that take care of kids gor these two week breaks? How does this work? I'm intrigued.

Don't people have much, much more vacation in France? Something like 4 - 6 months a year?

Lol to 6 months of vacation. What do you think it is, Australia?

It's more like 8-12 weeks, plus there are more bank holidays than here. But the main difference between France and other European countries and the US is that workers there actually take their leave and employers can't be as stingy with granting it as they can here.

We didn't go anywhere for the February break this year even though we wanted to, because I had a project ending that week and my boss literally would not let me take time off. And I'm a white collar worker, so have more leeway for that than most. People who work hourly jobs where they have to submit formal leave requests have even less freedom in using even the vacation they currently get. In France, the idea of not using all or most of your vacation each year is bizarre and will get you labeled a workaholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back in the day you started after Labor Day and finished before Memorial Day

What day? I’m 48 and I always started in August and finished in June. Did you ever have 180 school days in a school year with a schedule like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back in the day you started after Labor Day and finished before Memorial Day

What day? I’m 48 and I always started in August and finished in June. Did you ever have 180 school days in a school year with a schedule like that?

I'm 42 and that was close to your schedule. We'd start the week before Labor Day and go to the Friday before Memorial Day. We never had school after Memorial Day.

I have some family who still lives in that school district and this is still their schedule.

They do not do a fall break, Thanksgiving is just 2 days off, 2 weeks for Christmas, and 1 week for spring break. Summer is 12 weeks long.

I personally prefer the DC/east coast approach of going much later, shorter summer, but more breaks throughout the year. I especially appreciate the fall break and the February break, because it's really nice to have vacation time that is not linked to a family holiday but also not during a peak travel time. Having to squeeze all school year family travel into Christmas/New Years and spring break is miserable. And while I remember enjoying how long and lazy my summer was as a kid, I also remember getting bored and very antsy by August. 8 weeks is more than enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our DCPS elementary, kids are still learning and kids/teachers don't seen burnt out.

+1
I'm glad they aren't just wasting time. You can learn something interesting or important in a week. The kids generally seem fine. Better than showing them movies for a week.