(05-30-2015 03:27 PM)JMUDunk Wrote:  

(05-29-2015 02:59 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Wasn't summer vacation necessary originally because as a primarily agrarian society for much or our history, the kids were needed to help with the crops on the farm? Nowadays it's kind of an anomaly.

My kid has a disability and thus I make sure he goes to school year-round. He finished public school today with his mom. I get him for the summer staring Monday and that is his first day of the private school and therapy that I make sure he gets when he's with me. Been doing it each summer since she left. I think he'd be even farther behind if not for this. Of course, that means I drive a 20 year old Honda and no cable TV, smartphones or credit cards for me. I guess I have different priorities than she does. Thanks, liberals!

This, and it's damn hot all over in the Summer, and it's only been relatively recent that most schools have A/C. Some places are experimenting with 2 months on 2 weeks off (something like that) scheduling to see if it makes any difference, not sure how that's worked out.

Back in college, we were on the "quarter" system which was great. 11 weeks in class, 2 weeks off, all throughout the year. It corellated to 2 weeks off at christmas / new years, the last 2 weeks off in late march, the last 2 weeks off in June, and the last two weeks off in September. That was real nice.

(05-29-2015 01:14 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(05-29-2015 01:12 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Here we go

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/29150942/wh...r-vacation

It appears as though the 2010 article is about kids getting the summer off from school whereas the 2015 article is about adults not taking enough vacation from work.

And yet some people still think Americans are lazy.

Some are. Overall we're one of the hardest working cultures though.

(05-29-2015 02:59 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Wasn't summer vacation necessary originally because as a primarily agrarian society for much or our history, the kids were needed to help with the crops on the farm? Nowadays it's kind of an anomaly.

My kid has a disability and thus I make sure he goes to school year-round. He finished public school today with his mom. I get him for the summer staring Monday and that is his first day of the private school and therapy that I make sure he gets when he's with me. Been doing it each summer since she left. I think he'd be even farther behind if not for this. Of course, that means I drive a 20 year old Honda and no cable TV, smartphones or credit cards for me. I guess I have different priorities than she does. Thanks, liberals!

Way to go dad!

(05-31-2015 01:28 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Gotcha. May make sense for the younger kids but I'd rather the older kids get jobs

It has it's drawbacks. It is a good system when it comes to the use of facilities.
A middle school costs $35-$55 million and a high school $55-$75 depending on several factors. Elementary schools run less. That is a lot of county debt that taxpayers can possibly avoid. If you can increase the capacity of the existing structures through going to the year round model you can see why some have done so.

(05-31-2015 02:15 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 01:28 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Gotcha. May make sense for the younger kids but I'd rather the older kids get jobs

It has it's drawbacks. It is a good system when it comes to the use of facilities.
A middle school costs $35-$55 million and a high school $55-$75 depending on several factors. Elementary schools run less. That is a lot of county debt that taxpayers can possibly avoid. If you can increase the capacity of the existing structures through going to the year round model you can see why some have done so.

Not only that, but a lot of kids don't have support systems around them to encourage learning/not regressing over the summer. Summer camps aren't cheap, especially good ones, and working class parents can't afford it. I want to say a few studies make the argument that summer vacations are a major cause in the difference between high school students in wealthier areas compared to those in poorer areas. Not sure how compelling that research is, but on a personal level it seems to make sense.

That being said, I don't know if this is the answer or not. I know I certainly enjoyed summer as a child, and it provided different outlets for exploration and learning than did school. That being said, I had amazing parents, including a mother who was among the best teachers I have ever known, and they both took an active interest in making sure I wasn't just wasting the entire summer. If I was home and it was a lazy day, 1 hour of reading was required. They didn't care what I read, they certainly didn't have some lesson plan laid out, but I know it helped me become a better student.

(05-30-2015 05:08 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  

(05-29-2015 02:50 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(05-29-2015 01:02 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  The media likes to tear down traditional American culture. Then, when it happens, they act surprised.

Can you please try harder? Simply saying 'the media' just doesn't cut it. Give some examples...point to something specific. Don't just throw out such a broad statement. Not saying you're wrong, but I'd like to see you make a case so we have something to actually discuss.

Well, like the death penalty. The media (in liberal lock step) has mocked the death penalty for 40 years. They've also mocked the supporters of the death penalty as knuckle draggers. Then, this week, Time runs a cop over story about how Americans are all of a sudden moving away from the death penalty.

Maybe, just maybe, the media has been herding Americans in that direction all along? There a dozens of situations like that.

Can you link the story you're talking about so I can read it? Not that I don't trust you, but I don't really know what you're referring to without it. I fail to see where the media has had some coordinated 40-year attack on the death penalty as I rarely see it discussed. Thanks.

(05-31-2015 02:30 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 02:15 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 01:28 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Gotcha. May make sense for the younger kids but I'd rather the older kids get jobs

It has it's drawbacks. It is a good system when it comes to the use of facilities.
A middle school costs $35-$55 million and a high school $55-$75 depending on several factors. Elementary schools run less. That is a lot of county debt that taxpayers can possibly avoid. If you can increase the capacity of the existing structures through going to the year round model you can see why some have done so.

Not only that, but a lot of kids don't have support systems around them to encourage learning/not regressing over the summer. Summer camps aren't cheap, especially good ones, and working class parents can't afford it. I want to say a few studies make the argument that summer vacations are a major cause in the difference between high school students in wealthier areas compared to those in poorer areas. Not sure how compelling that research is, but on a personal level it seems to make sense.

That being said, I don't know if this is the answer or not. I know I certainly enjoyed summer as a child, and it provided different outlets for exploration and learning than did school. That being said, I had amazing parents, including a mother who was among the best teachers I have ever known, and they both took an active interest in making sure I wasn't just wasting the entire summer. If I was home and it was a lazy day, 1 hour of reading was required. They didn't care what I read, they certainly didn't have some lesson plan laid out, but I know it helped me become a better student.

Yeah, if done right, summer vacation is a net positive. Summer camp allows for learning through experience and developing social skills, which frankly are just as important as book skills to success for most people. Admittedly, there are a lot of people that don't have the resources to make it a net positive. My son is going to the YMCA summer camp for $75 per week. He is ahead of the game academically so don't really worry about that. We don't make him read or anything at home, but he does it on his own time and has one of those old school Texas Instruments Speak n Math that he plays with all the time. If we were getting $200/week paychecks, camp would not be doable. I frankly have no idea what low income working parents do with their children over the summer. I do like that mine has summer vacation though. I think if they did away with it, we'd probably look at transferring him to a school that has it.

(06-01-2015 09:41 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 02:30 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 02:15 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 01:28 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Gotcha. May make sense for the younger kids but I'd rather the older kids get jobs

It has it's drawbacks. It is a good system when it comes to the use of facilities.
A middle school costs $35-$55 million and a high school $55-$75 depending on several factors. Elementary schools run less. That is a lot of county debt that taxpayers can possibly avoid. If you can increase the capacity of the existing structures through going to the year round model you can see why some have done so.

Not only that, but a lot of kids don't have support systems around them to encourage learning/not regressing over the summer. Summer camps aren't cheap, especially good ones, and working class parents can't afford it. I want to say a few studies make the argument that summer vacations are a major cause in the difference between high school students in wealthier areas compared to those in poorer areas. Not sure how compelling that research is, but on a personal level it seems to make sense.

That being said, I don't know if this is the answer or not. I know I certainly enjoyed summer as a child, and it provided different outlets for exploration and learning than did school. That being said, I had amazing parents, including a mother who was among the best teachers I have ever known, and they both took an active interest in making sure I wasn't just wasting the entire summer. If I was home and it was a lazy day, 1 hour of reading was required. They didn't care what I read, they certainly didn't have some lesson plan laid out, but I know it helped me become a better student.

Yeah, if done right, summer vacation is a net positive. Summer camp allows for learning through experience and developing social skills, which frankly are just as important as book skills to success for most people. Admittedly, there are a lot of people that don't have the resources to make it a net positive. My son is going to the YMCA summer camp for $75 per week. He is ahead of the game academically so don't really worry about that. We don't make him read or anything at home, but he does it on his own time and has one of those old school Texas Instruments Speak n Math that he plays with all the time. If we were getting $200/week paychecks, camp would not be doable. I frankly have no idea what low income working parents do with their children over the summer. I do like that mine has summer vacation though. I think if they did away with it, we'd probably look at transferring him to a school that has it.

We played. We played kid organized baseball, explored the woods, went swimming in the abandoned gravel pits, rode bikes, went to the library, etc. We made it home at supper time, got up and did it again. The parents didn't have anything to do with it.

(06-01-2015 06:58 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(06-01-2015 09:41 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 02:30 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 02:15 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(05-31-2015 01:28 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Gotcha. May make sense for the younger kids but I'd rather the older kids get jobs

It has it's drawbacks. It is a good system when it comes to the use of facilities.
A middle school costs $35-$55 million and a high school $55-$75 depending on several factors. Elementary schools run less. That is a lot of county debt that taxpayers can possibly avoid. If you can increase the capacity of the existing structures through going to the year round model you can see why some have done so.

Not only that, but a lot of kids don't have support systems around them to encourage learning/not regressing over the summer. Summer camps aren't cheap, especially good ones, and working class parents can't afford it. I want to say a few studies make the argument that summer vacations are a major cause in the difference between high school students in wealthier areas compared to those in poorer areas. Not sure how compelling that research is, but on a personal level it seems to make sense.

That being said, I don't know if this is the answer or not. I know I certainly enjoyed summer as a child, and it provided different outlets for exploration and learning than did school. That being said, I had amazing parents, including a mother who was among the best teachers I have ever known, and they both took an active interest in making sure I wasn't just wasting the entire summer. If I was home and it was a lazy day, 1 hour of reading was required. They didn't care what I read, they certainly didn't have some lesson plan laid out, but I know it helped me become a better student.

Yeah, if done right, summer vacation is a net positive. Summer camp allows for learning through experience and developing social skills, which frankly are just as important as book skills to success for most people. Admittedly, there are a lot of people that don't have the resources to make it a net positive. My son is going to the YMCA summer camp for $75 per week. He is ahead of the game academically so don't really worry about that. We don't make him read or anything at home, but he does it on his own time and has one of those old school Texas Instruments Speak n Math that he plays with all the time. If we were getting $200/week paychecks, camp would not be doable. I frankly have no idea what low income working parents do with their children over the summer. I do like that mine has summer vacation though. I think if they did away with it, we'd probably look at transferring him to a school that has it.

We played. We played kid organized baseball, explored the woods, went swimming in the abandoned gravel pits, rode bikes, went to the library, etc. We made it home at supper time, got up and did it again. The parents didn't have anything to do with it.

That's what we did as well, but mom was home. Can't leave an elementary school kid at him by himself all day when mom and dad are working.

(05-29-2015 02:59 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Wasn't summer vacation necessary originally because as a primarily agrarian society for much or our history, the kids were needed to help with the crops on the farm? Nowadays it's kind of an anomaly.

My kid has a disability and thus I make sure he goes to school year-round. He finished public school today with his mom. I get him for the summer staring Monday and that is his first day of the private school and therapy that I make sure he gets when he's with me. Been doing it each summer since she left. I think he'd be even farther behind if not for this. Of course, that means I drive a 20 year old Honda and no cable TV, smartphones or credit cards for me. I guess I have different priorities than she does. Thanks, liberals!

Um, you're welcome?

[Why is he thanking me?]