I got in trouble once again last night for questioning why schools are only open nine (or so) months of the year. I was in no way suggesting that teachers don’t work hard enough, or that they’re paid too much, or that I disrespected them in any way. I just don’t understand why (other than historically) the academic world should run on a different schedule than the rest of the world.
The response I seem to get from teachers is “because it’s a really, really hard job and we don’t get paid enough.” “If it weren’t for the time off you’d lose a lot of teachers.” Traditionally this was time off because the children were needed on the farm to help with planting and/or harvesting. Do they really benefit now from sitting at home watching TV and playing video games?
I’m sure that managing a classroom full of children is very, very difficult. More difficult than managing the same number of employees? I don’t know, but I suspect not. Smaller classes would be a great idea. Paying teachers an appropriate wage would be good too — and if we don’t have enough willing to work, then obviously the wages should go up. More money on schools, less on weapons systems?
The most paid vacation I’ve ever had was two weeks a year. I understand that in Europe, Australia, and other parts of the civilized world, a month is standard and two months is not out of the ordinary. I think vacation is a good thing, though I believe it’s better taken in small pieces — no more than a week or so at a time — with an extended sabbatical every few years. But in the US because of the capitalist work ethic we squeeze every last working day out of our employees — oh, except for teachers.
Mainly I think it’s interesting to question things like this that we take for granted. According to Bill Gates in this morning’s LA Times, up to fourth grade our students are far better than world average; then by twelfth grade they’re far worse. Wouldn’t we do better if we put our kids in school all the time? (I acknowledge this is a convenient argument for someone who wants to sell more software to school districts. But he has a certain point.)