Tuesday, January 19, 2010

School's Out! Again!

Big Kid has today off because it's a teacher in-service day. He had yesterday off for MLK day. He had 2.5 weeks off for Christmas break with a one day teacher in-service day attached to the end. They had one day off because they built in one potential day off for a hurricane or tropical storm, but we didn't have one so they had to take a day off once hurricane season was over since they had accounted for a day but hadn't needed one.

It's a little bit insane. I'm not even counting the multiple half-days, usually one a month it seems. Don't get me wrong, I love having Big Kid around and I miss him when he's in school but I'm a little concerned about when the heck these kids have time to learn anything between their multiple days off and daily social obligations.

I also have no idea how full-time working parents do it. What a nightmare, having to arrange and pay for childcare every other minute for all of these days off and early dismissals. It screws up my work week which is as flexible as it gets since little kid CANNOT behave with Big Kid around. He lives and breathes to provoke Big Kid and can't stand to see him sitting around playing his Nintendo DS or reading a book. I think he's just trying to engage Big Kid in play and has no idea how to go about that. I've tried to give him some suggestions (high fives instead of hitting! suggest something you can do together instead of screaming in his ear!) but screaming, hitting and running seem to be the best ways to get instant action.

Everyone would be better off if we had school on this Tuesday.

4 comments:

Theresa said...

I hate all these random days off. I just wish there was a reason. I don't remember having this many days off as a kid.

Mama Kat said...

It can also be a nightmare for daycares who have to somehow make room for additional children (who don't nap mind you).

I have to pay an assistant to stay with me all day and I spend what should be my "break time" trying to entertain them. Booooo to no school.

said...

Even though it doesn't seem like it, they are getting their mandated 180 days of school. Typically, when there are early-dismissal days, the teachers and administrators are doing some sort of required training or workshop that the district or state is putting on. Believe me, speaking as a teacher, the kids are nuttier than little fruitcakes on those days, we'd MUCH rather NOT have early-dismissal days. Also, when I was teaching, (I'm currently in educational consulting), I always wished they could gather up all those dumb little inservice days and tack them on at the end or the beginning instead of spreading them out throughout the year. I'd rather start later or get out earlier. You're right, when we were in school in the 80s and 90s, we didn't have nearly so many days off.

Human runner said...

This is one reason we've considered homeschooling our son (though we probably won't - I don't think he'd have the patience to deal with his parents all day, every day). When it comes to education, there seems to be so much wasted time these days. All this stopping and starting seems pretty inefficient - for the teachers as well as the students.