Why do the last weeks of school suck so badly?

[Anonymous]

Why does it bother you so much?

[Anonymous]

DP. If they’re just watching movies and doing nothing academically, I’d rather school end abruptly after the last meaningful test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does it bother you so much?

Not OP, but we have 4.5 weeks of school left. But after next week all APs and SOLs will be complete (we are in VA) so nothing meaningful will be taught, but the kids are still expected to attend and do busywork projects. My kids didn't mind as much in ES because it was fun, but once they hit MS, this last month is a complete drag. We don't need the childcare, so its just really pointless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the schools need to count these days as "attendance" to meet their attendance metrics.

Right. But that’s arbitrary and stupid if learning has ended.

Add it to the list of things that are arbitrary and stupid about public school.

+1. But since we don’t all have private school money, here we are.

I agree, but a question out of curiosity (and to get a sense on whether my kid is getting an inferior education or just having to put up with some administrative nonsense a private school kid wouldn't):

Are private schools offering several weeks more of actual instruction and enrichment, or do they just have shorter school years and the kids spend that time jetting off on vacations with their wealthy, private-school-tuition-affording parents?

[Anonymous]

This question gets asked regularly. Ninety percent of the answers are always along the lines of get over it, it's just the way it is, if they changed the weeks then the weeks before would be wasted, etc. Most of the answers do not address the actual issue. Why is your time, your child's time, your tax dollars, being wasted. Either figure out how to teach until the end (or only a few days of fun left) or end school weeks earlier. It's incredibly frustrating. And, while your kids my not mind in elementary school (and it may help with childcare), they and you will care very much as they get older and catch on.

[Anonymous]

If I see that the students are just spinning their wheels on the last week or two of school, I’m seriously thinking of just pulling my kid out. The teacher last year had the students do deep cleaning, watch videos, etc.

[Anonymous]

My kid is essentially done today. They had pizza and a water balloon fight. They had a 4 day field trip last week. They had their last actual class about 2 weeks ago. It's fun for them and I don't care one bit that they're not actually learning anything these weeks. Not every second needs to be a learning experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the schools need to count these days as "attendance" to meet their attendance metrics.

Right. But that’s arbitrary and stupid if learning has ended.

Add it to the list of things that are arbitrary and stupid about public school.

+1. But since we don’t all have private school money, here we are.

I agree, but a question out of curiosity (and to get a sense on whether my kid is getting an inferior education or just having to put up with some administrative nonsense a private school kid wouldn't):

Are private schools offering several weeks more of actual instruction and enrichment, or do they just have shorter school years and the kids spend that time jetting off on vacations with their wealthy, private-school-tuition-affording parents?

Most private schools have a much shorter school year, at least the ones where my friends/relatives' kids go. My sister's kids are done before Memorial Day and only started a couple of days before my kids. So our school year is about 3 weeks longer. And our school day is longer too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is essentially done today. They had pizza and a water balloon fight. They had a 4 day field trip last week. They had their last actual class about 2 weeks ago. It's fun for them and I don't care one bit that they're not actually learning anything these weeks. Not every second needs to be a learning experience.

Just give it 5-7 years. The parents of little kids are so precious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is essentially done today. They had pizza and a water balloon fight. They had a 4 day field trip last week. They had their last actual class about 2 weeks ago. It's fun for them and I don't care one bit that they're not actually learning anything these weeks. Not every second needs to be a learning experience.

Just give it 5-7 years. The parents of little kids are so precious.

Kid is in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is essentially done today. They had pizza and a water balloon fight. They had a 4 day field trip last week. They had their last actual class about 2 weeks ago. It's fun for them and I don't care one bit that they're not actually learning anything these weeks. Not every second needs to be a learning experience.

Just give it 5-7 years. The parents of little kids are so precious.

Kid is in 8th grade.

Your 8th grader finds the last month of school fun? Do share the school name because that is a rarity!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it bother you so much?

Not OP, but we have 4.5 weeks of school left. But after next week all APs and SOLs will be complete (we are in VA) so nothing meaningful will be taught, but the kids are still expected to attend and do busywork projects. My kids didn't mind as much in ES because it was fun, but once they hit MS, this last month is a complete drag. We don't need the childcare, so its just really pointless.

So then don't send them. Take a trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it bother you so much?

Not OP, but we have 4.5 weeks of school left. But after next week all APs and SOLs will be complete (we are in VA) so nothing meaningful will be taught, but the kids are still expected to attend and do busywork projects. My kids didn't mind as much in ES because it was fun, but once they hit MS, this last month is a complete drag. We don't need the childcare, so its just really pointless.

So then don't send them. Take a trip.

DP but yeah right. They can only miss so much school before it’s an issue, and this “busy work” crap needs to get done. I can’t just have my kid take 5-10 school days off, don’t be ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because the schools need to count these days as "attendance" to meet their attendance metrics.

Right. But that’s arbitrary and stupid if learning has ended.

Add it to the list of things that are arbitrary and stupid about public school.

+1. But since we don’t all have private school money, here we are.

I agree, but a question out of curiosity (and to get a sense on whether my kid is getting an inferior education or just having to put up with some administrative nonsense a private school kid wouldn't):

Are private schools offering several weeks more of actual instruction and enrichment, or do they just have shorter school years and the kids spend that time jetting off on vacations with their wealthy, private-school-tuition-affording parents?

Most private schools have a much shorter school year, at least the ones where my friends/relatives' kids go. My sister's kids are done before Memorial Day and only started a couple of days before my kids. So our school year is about 3 weeks longer. And our school day is longer too.

Private school parent here. Yes our school year is shorter, but we don’t take off for all Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Chinese, Jewish holiday so the kids have less days off during the year. And less ‘video watching’ days at the end of the year compared to their public school that we left.

[Anonymous]

This is not a new phenomenon, I remember the same thing happening when I was in school 30 years ago.

I am just happy I don't have to pay for camps these weeks and we can maintain our routine.