Why Are People Concerned?
One of the services I provide is tutoring. I noticed that this year many teachers assigned homework over the fall (some call this is Thanksgiving Break) break. In years past I saw this on occasion but not many students had to work through the days off. This year was different, at least in my area. I asked parents what reason the teachers gave They referenced the academic losses during the closures and distance-learning which occurred due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Teachers and parents do have concerns over academic learning and many teachers in my area have already said they will provide activities for winter break learning this year. Between school closures and stress, students likely did miss out on some direct, explicit teaching time. Whether or not that set students back is likely an individual issue. Some students do well with e-learning and distance learning models while others do not. Some students remember information easily whereas others may forget easily if they are not using information, like the order of operations in math, regularly.
Should Kids Work Through Breaks?
Everyone needs a break at some point. Depending on the length of your child’s winter break, you may want to practice reading or math skills. But keep in mind that kids need a break from structured learning on a regular basis. They need to work on social skills, problem solving, life skills, free choice activities like hobbies, etc. School is a full-time job that often includes homework in the evenings. This is work time, not being a kid time.
In today’s education system, children are expected to work this full-time job, successfully complete homework, often they have little family time in the evenings, then they eat dinner and head to bed. It is extremely important to balance the planned educational activities with socio-emotional activities, so kids aren’t burned out. Think about it this way, if you work 7-10 hours a day, every day, even on days off, you are not going to be open to continuing this pattern. Yet kids do this most days of the week throughout their school careers, often through college. It’s exhausting.
Keep in mind your child’s limits as well as your own. If you or your child are easily frustrated during homework time, maybe taking a break is more helpful anyway. Of course, you can always have someone else help, but many people take time off during holidays anyway so plan ahead if using a tutor.
If you want to work on skills, but want to use less worksheets, then there are options. Play games like Sum Swamp or Ion. Baking and cooking teach science as well as math skills. You can also do hands-on science experiments instead of worksheets. Go on a nature walk or scavenger hunt, then write down what you find. Use adjectives and adverbs to describe what is happening and what you see.
What’s Your Decision?
In the end, this is a decision you have to make, and your decision may be different than someone else’s. You may need to let a teacher know that you will not be completing some or all of the winter assignments because your child has other skills to work on. You may decide that the assignments are appropriate and use time each day to work on them but limit the time spent on these activities. It really is up to you and your child’s needs. Keep in mind that whatever you choose should include breaks, free choice activity time, social skills time like playing with friends, family time, and other non-structured activities.
