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Leveraging school hours and breaks before holiday season: strategies employed by educational institutions

During the summer break's approach, educational activities may appear to dwindle in numerous schools, replacing academic subjects like mathematics and German with outings or films. Is this a squandered opportunity, or a sound educational practice?

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During the pre-vacation period in numerous educational institutions, traditional lessons appear to...
During the pre-vacation period in numerous educational institutions, traditional lessons appear to wind down. Activities such as field trips or films often replace subjects like math and German on the timetable. Is this period a waste of time, or does it serve a sound educational purpose?

Leveraging school hours and breaks before holiday season: strategies employed by educational institutions

Chilling Out Before the Summer Break? A School Life Transformation

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Here's the skinny from our website UPDATE

03.06.2025 | 06:22 AM

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Main Scoop

6th June, the day of reckoning dawns near for Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. But what about these remaining school weeks? Many believe: not much more happens. Regular classes are replaced by project days, sports meets, or movie fests. But is this fortune-telling accurate - could something alter?

Scribe: André Seifert, our website AKTUELL

  • Frequently, lessons' intensity closely approaches zero towards the scholastic year's end - the content then morphs into films, debates, and field trips.
  • The Education and Science Union points out the importance of field trips, group projects, and peer learning during this period.
  • The State Parents' Council criticizes the excessive film consumption in the classrooms.

Outside a Leipzig high school, a gang of fifth-graders lingers after school hours. The school days are grueling as of late, one of them remarks: "What bothers us is that we still have three weeks until vacation, and the teacher suddenly realizes: Oh, we need marks. That's frustrating, now we have to give an exam or something."

Movies over Math: The final school week rhythm

Soon, however, the lads expect a change, quoting: "It'll become - quote unquote - 'chiller'". That'll materialize after the three-day field trip, beginning mid-June. "In the last days, we'll also play games, watch movies, chat about the school year's happenings." Another one chimes in: "It's likely there will still be tests, but I believe it'll be over after a week." His friend seconds the prediction: "Post class trip, it'll be a breeze in the final week."

It's probably much the same across many schools. There's no concrete proof that zero learning happens during the last school days. Data from North Rhine-Westphalia's 2023/24 school year suggests otherwise. According to this, the proportion of special lessons tripled in the last two weeks before the summer vacation. The number of missed classes skyrocketed, while regular classes witnessed a steep decline.

GEW: "School is about bonding too"

Except there's nothing inherently wrong with this, says Burkhard Naumann of the Education and Science Union Saxony: "It's fine to let things unwind a bit like that a few days before the end of the scholastic year. It's unfair to put undue pressure on last-ditch cramming, allowing everyone to transition to the new year more calmly."

School is more than mere book learning. It's about peer bonding and good social interaction, too.

And that's precisely what needs time outside book learning, says Naumann: "For field trips, social events, or projects." The Education and Science Union advocates for trusting the educators.

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The State Parents' Council Warns Against Excessive Screentime in Class

No, says Matthias Rose from the state parents' council of Saxony-Anhalt, when too many films fill in the classroom gaps. While some films belong in school, he states:

  • "This should not become the main event in the last weeks before vacation."
  • "And with the lesson cancellations we have in many places, it's already hard enough to keep up with the lesson material."

A school isn't a movie theater, Matthias Rose reiterates. But, ultimately, the parents' council representative aligns with the unionist's viewpoint: everything in moderation. And, most importantly, fostering those valuable moments of social learning is crucial, with field trips, group projects, games, and more.

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Insight Integration:

Project days, sports meets, and movie fests can significantly impact learning during the last school weeks before summer vacation, promoting a balanced and holistic educational experience. By fostering creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, communication, leadership skills, empathy, and cultural awareness, these activities help maintain student engagement, develop essential life skills, promote social interaction, and reinforce academic concepts in a fun and interactive manner.

Sources:

  • [1] American Psychological Association. (n.d.). The positive effects of play on child development and learning. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/03/play
  • [2] National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2014). The benefits of physical activity for children's academic achievement. Retrieved from https://www.aahperd.org/uploadedFiles/Aahp_Ausp_Aaahperd_Org/New_File_Directory/Resources/Documents/Position_Statements/Benefits_Academic_Achievement_2014.pdf
  • [3] Weareteachers.com. (2021).Powerful strategies for student-led discussions. Retrieved from https://www.weareteachers.com/student-led-discussions/
  • [4] Education Week. (2019). Schools embrace inquiry-based instruction. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/principals/principal-life/2019/1204-Inquiry-Based-Instruction.html
  • [5] National Education Association. (2018). National teacher of the year on education, movies, and social justice. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/home/25606.htm
  1. Field trips, group projects, and peer learning during the final school weeks can provide valuable opportunities for students to foster essential skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, empathy, and cultural awareness, reinforcing academic concepts in a fun and interactive way.
  2. By balancing regular academic lessons with creative activities like project days, sports meets, and movie fests, schools can promote a holistic learning experience which encourages both knowledge acquisition and life skill development, maintaining student engagement and encouraging social interaction.

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