Have you ever wondered why students in the United States always went on summer vacation in May or June? Why students have a spring break, or why students went to school around eight and got out around one? As professor Sistrunk explained in our class a couple weeks back, during our agricultural age when the school system was primarily formed there were reasons and traditions behind this structure. We learned that school would let out in the early afternoon so that the children could go home and aid their parents on household chores. The reason why children would not go to school for the summer would be due to the harvesting of crops. All of these things that were implemented into school systems still stick today and the question remains: Should these traditions still be honored as we have abandoned this agricultural age and entered into a technological based age?
There are so many perks in this day and age that would show why staying in school for the summer would benefit a student more than staying at home for a summer vacation. One of the more rational reasons would be the many networking opportunities that a student would gain by staying in school. Internships would come into fruition due to summer school. Another strong point would be the amount of knowledge gained by continuing school during the summer. Studies have shown that students who continue school during the summer come more prepared into the fall semester and have more confidence in their studies thus producing higher grade point averages.
This charges me to think that in my twenty years of life and my sixteen years of academic studies, there has never been a time where I made a major agricultural impact on the United States, which leads me to believe that the school system that was structured for the agricultural age is now out dated. It is more effective to have students continuing school rather than giving them months to potentially just waste a summer and do nothing that would benefit the student. I had the opportunity to actually start college in the summer post my graduation and the level of networking and preparation that I gained due to studying only seven weeks ahead of the fall schedule was amazing. Ultimately I think summer school or internship opportunities should be mandated in every school system. The benefits are more in favor of students being academically or occupationally active during the summer.
It is safe to say that America, for the most part, has shifted from an agricultural age to a technological age. However, I feel that the current academic calendar for students should stay the same. Instead of doing away of time off or looking at it as waisted time, we should embrace it. Students can use this time to self improve intellectually and educationally. I agree that to make sure this occurs summer school or internship opportunities should be mandated in every school system. The benefits are more in favor of students being academically or occupationally active during the summer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this blog and believe that summer school and internships are important for a students future and learning process. Being in summer school instills a year round learning mentality in the student and definitely helps prepare them academically for each school semester. Internships provide a great experience for students to get a look at work life and see if they are on the right track for their career path. A good site/program for internships for African-Americans students is inroads.org
ReplyDeleteinroads.org is a very informative website to help link those in undergraduate studies to executives in the real world for mentoring purposes. Also they provide a number of internships every year for students who demonstrate the criteria for the position listed. Thank you so much for making that point Mr. Lowe. I actually had the opportunity to speak with one of the senior accounting partners over the summer and she really liked what I had to offer as a student from Morehouse and from Detroit. She has since then kept in contact with me and has set up a series of interviews for me through inroads.org.
ReplyDeleteI agree that America's school schedule is based on the agricultural age and is outdated. I also agree with the many benefits of summer school and internships. However, I am not quite sure if summer school and internships should be mandated. I am somewhat conflicted because I am accustomed to the current system and would like it to remain the same. However, this summer at an internship, I felt school does not properly prepare students to work in the real world, meaning working year round. What occupations, other than those in education, allow employees to have months off? Ultimately, I feel that students having to attend school year round, with 2-3 week breaks every quarter, will better condition them to work and continuously learn year round.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Terrance in this post. Having year around school will most definitely prepare our generation for the working environment by training our mind to work more harder.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Phillip, I like the academic calender the way it is. Besides, as you grow you begin to appreciate those summers off, and breaks from school even more, because as you grow those breaks become non existent. I feel that school year around would't be negative in anyway. However, I don't think internships and summer school should be mandated, mainly because its your free time, and should be used the way you want it. Not going to summer school, or participating in an internship does not mean that you can't be productive in that time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Terrance. I believe that year around school would cause kids to become better learners. They would not just memorize information.
ReplyDeleteThe traditional school year structure was set in place for reasons that do not apply to most students today, and I do believe it would be beneficial to look for other ways of structuring the academic calendar. While most students would agree that summers off is the best way to go, I also think it's true that students tend to forget a lot of what they've learned. Perhaps another way to go about it would be to have two months on one month off, that would give students time to not only digest information they've learned, but also time to focus on extra curricular activities without being bogged down by school all the time.
ReplyDeleteI agree, we have transitioned to a point in society where we do not not to have the same school system as we did in the past. I think that a students mind needs to be constantly stimulated for we are sponges. I experienced the year round school system during grade school and I enjoyed it because I was getting constant attention and many breaks throughout the year instead of one big break (i.e Summer break). I think that students should be required to do something engaging during the summer prior to attending highschool when most summer education camps begin for students for it will then only be habitual when students come to college to do something enriching.
ReplyDeleteWhile the current school/vacation structure is based on an agricultural economy, I like it. Knowing that after working hard for nine months in school you have an extended period of time to pursue other interests is very refreshing. While I understand for grade schools in some places it may make more sense, imagine being a college student without the option to have an enriching twelve week internship over the summer? Part of what I appreciate about the seasons is that summer is a laissez-faire period.
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