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Message board > Earlier school start in Spain
Earlier school start in Spain
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colibrita
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Earlier school start in Spain
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Hi Everyone
Those of you in Spain, what do you think about the changes to the academic year? - starting a week earlier in September and having a week off in February/March. I think I read that in Madrid they �ve scrapped the changes due to pressure from parents and teachers.
Is it really such a big upheaval? Speaking as a parent I actually like it as I think the summer holidays here are way too long (even though the weather can make teaching conditions hard. Could always start the teaching day earlier. ). Plus it gives the kids a little more of a break between January and June. I can understand it means organising care for that extra break in Spring for your child if you �re working but is it that different from organising it in September? Just wondering.
Anyway, I �d love to hear your views why you think it �s a good or bad idea.
Thanks
Colibrita
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6 Sep 2010
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Nuria08
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Hi Colibrita!
The only problem with the changes in the academic year is that we, teachers, have very little time to prepare the course. One week is not enough! For example, in my school, we are introducing digital materials (every student will have their own computer and books will be digital) and we are still learning how to use them. Therefore, we only have one week to prepare all the curricular material we have to prepare every course, and we also have to introduce the new materials and learn how to use them in class. It �s a lot of work and we really do not have the time.
I think it is a good idea for students to have a week off in February because the second term is always long and they are tired. However, we also need our time at the beginning of the course to prepare lessons. So, our government should find a better distribution of the academic year. One which benefits both students and teachers.
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6 Sep 2010
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manonski (f)
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Hi
Where I work, in Quebec (Canada), we usually have 4 days to get the schoolyear ready. We start late August to be able to have 2 weeks at Christmas and a week off late February or early March. I would not want to start my schoolyear later and lose that week off. It is a much needed break for both students, teachers and parents. |
6 Sep 2010
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yolprica
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In my opinion, the problem is the weather. You can �t teach properly when the classes are so hot because in those conditions neither students nor teacher can do our best but of course I would like to have a week off in February better.
Yolanda |
6 Sep 2010
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navarrovizcaino
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I work in the south of Spain and the classes in June are awful!!! we can reach 35 or 40 degrees and you cant teach in those conditions. we dont have air conditioning (only heating) so the students lose concentration, dont feel like doing anything and although we finish earlier that month ( only because we are a private school) the temperature in unbearable!!! we need such a long break here in the south!! |
6 Sep 2010
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colibrita
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Thanks for responding folks. It �s been interesting to hear your views. I had hoped more people would chime in, but it is a bit of a controversial topic.
First of all I must say, yeah, I do really sympathise about the terrifically hot weather. It does make conditions (I just wrote conditionals!!) abominable at times for both learning and teaching. I wonder how other countries in the same situation deal with this problem.
As for enough preparation time however, that must be an organizational problem, of the system I mean. Other countries manage to cope with far less vacations. Why can �t Spain? I �m just asking, I �m not trying to tread on anyone �s toes here. I �m trying to better understand the difficulties faced.
All the best
Colibrita
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8 Sep 2010
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