Is It Really Vacation At All?

Throughout the course of the academic year, SHS students are given three week-long vacations Christmas break, February break, and April break, along with numerous Jewish and national holidays.  Almost always, students are given homework in each of their core classes to be completed over these breaks.

Many teachers say that giving homework over break is necessary in order to stay on track and move through the curriculum in a timely fashion.  Mr. Kohut, an English teacher at Swampscott High school, said that the main reason teachers assign work over vacation is because of time; they can’t afford to stop giving work for over a week.  Some teachers also believe that because students are out of school, students have ample time to do homework and projects.

Although these are valid justifications for assigning homework, many teachers seem to forget that schools have vacations for a reason— to spend time with our families and friends, and to enjoy a much needed break from the overwhelming stresses of school. 

Some teachers seem to think that the only thing that matters to students is school.  While education is extremely important and is a top priority for many, homework over vacation interferes with valuable family time. 

It is somewhat understandable that students have homework over secular vacations, like February or April break; however, it is completely unacceptable for teachers to assign work over holiday breaks, like Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Holiday breaks are specifically devoted to spending time with loved ones, celebrating festivities and traditions, or going away to visit family; not doing hours upon hours of school work.

Even for those who do not necessarily spend time with their families over break, vacation is a time to unwind and relieve the perpetually accumulating stresses of school.  But, when a student’s week is spent writing papers, doing book work, deciphering math homework, studying for tests, and painstakingly working on projects, he or she has no hope of reducing school-based anxiety and truly relaxing.  

I’m not saying all homework over breaks should be forbidden— I understand AP classes are on a very strict time schedule and need to maximize class and homework time.  However, I do believe students and teachers can find a happy medium where teachers only assign the minimum amount of work necessary to adhere to the pace of the curriculum over vacations. 

If our school breaks are going to be consumed with tedious school work, then why have a vacation at all?