This is a persuasive essay I had to write for my English class, I posted a forum asking for opinions on addressing the reader. I know it's a dangerous thing to do, but I thought it would be okay to do here. Opinions are great, I would love to here anything you have to say. Also, if I made any mistakes (i.e. spelling, grammar, puncuation) please point them out so I can fix them, thanks:D
Do you remember that feeling you'd get on the last day of school? Remember how excited you'd be to finally get to do those summer things like ride bikes with your friends, stay up all night planning pranks, and chasing down the ice cream man after dinner? These are just a few of my favorite memories from those long summer days. Now picture this. It's a beautiful July day, perfect to spend a few lazy hours by the pool, but instead you'll be in school. Okay, sure you could come home and relax in the sun or take a walk with the kids next door. Think again, you'll have homework to do and tests to study for. But when will you have time to be a kid? That's what I'm questioning.
President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan both believe that the school year in America is not adequate enought for kids to catch up to students in other countries where the school year is significantly longer than ours. Last April, Duncan said, "...I think schools should be open six, seven days a week, eleven, twelve months a year." They want to deprive kids of their summer vacation and personally, I think it's an idea that will not only be very unpopular, but should not be put into effect.
When making such a big decision, many things must be put into consideration. One thing, I think, is important is the stress level of kids. I know, from personal experience, that between a seven hour school day, homework, projects, and tests to study for, kids get extremely stressed out. I'm sure everyone can relate to this. Effects of long-term stress on kids can be very harmful. One symptom in particular can be confused with being rebellious, a kid who "blows up" at nothing could be dealing with chronic stress. Other effects of stress include being nervous, jumpy, and having a lack in concentration. Stressed out kids may also stop eating and have sleeping problem. All of this could affect schoolwork, which would have the opposite effect of what the government wants to happen by eliminating summer vacation. That period of time where kids don't have to worry about tests, homework, and reports is when they are relieved of all that built up stress. Doing away with summer vacation would deny kids their time in a stress free world.
Also, the problem may not be the number of days or hours we're in school, it could be the quality of the school we're in. According to a brief written by Pilar Marin, M.P.P. and Brett Brown, Ph. D., kids who experience violence in their school are more likely to skip school which might explain low acadmic scores. Students who attend schools with dangerous or threatening environments are more likely to experience stress, which as I previously mentioned, can affect schoolwork. Maybe if we improved the school environments here in America, more kids would actually go to school. From there, we could work out way up, trying to improve test scores. Personally, I think the environment a student is in effects their ability and willingness to learn. If a kid feels unsafe, they might not even try to apply themselves in fear of being ridiculed or even physically bullied by other students. Before we blame summer vacation on poor academic showing, let's look at other possible causes. The U.S. could get rid of summer vacation, and make every student go to school 250 days a year, but problems like violence will still be present and could still cause America to rank below other countries academically.
Yes, it is probably true that over the twelve or so weeks we are away from school, we forget a lot of what was taught to us. Instead of taking away summer vacation altogether, or shortening it, maybe it would be more logical to just give students mandatory work to do over the break? I'm not talking about so much work that they're just sitting at home everyday doing homework. At the grade school I attended, we had to read two books and complete a fifty page workbook. It's not that much work for twelve weeks, but I did a little bit every night and it kept me thinking. The school had given us a list of approved books, we were required to read two of them, and when we returned in the fall, we would be tested on them. The workbook contained paged of math, science, english, and reading comprehension. Of course, not many of us were trilled with the idea of having homework over the summer, but I realized that I remembered more from the previous year when I had to read and do a little work over the break. If everyone had a small amount of work to fo over the summer, maybe test scores wouldn't be so behind compared to other countries,
On the other hand, I can understand how someone might think it is a good idea to elimate summer vacation. President Obama thinks the traditional school day and year is causing America to fall behind in academics. He wantes to add three hours to the school day, and only have a three to four week break instead of summer vacation. His argument is very convincing, but I think the reasons I previously stated definitely rebuke Obama's reasoning. Stress and violence are big issues that won't go away or even lessen due to the fact that kids will be going to school a lot more. We need to take into account that adding three more hours to the school day would make about a ten hour day for students, longer than an average adult's day at work. Then, kids would have homework to do, adding another couple hours to their day. How are kids supposed to keep all of their schoolwork under control with such a long day and no summer reprieve? At first, the idea of no summer vacation may seem like a smart idea, but in reality it will just add stress to kids' lives. President Obama may think this will help America's youth, but really it might just make a generation of stressed out little people who never had the chance to be kids.
I believe that summer vacation is a vital part of kids lives. During the summer months, they get to relax and enjot being kids. Adults are always telling us that we should enjoy being young, because it won't last forever. Yet, they want to take it away from us. As adults we will have plenty of time to get stressed out and work all day, so let us enjoy what time we have left as kids. Keep summer vacation.
Sources:
www.associatecontent.com
www.educationreview.com
www.childtrends.com
www.correspondents.theatlantic.com
Thanks for reading:D
Do you remember that feeling you'd get on the last day of school? Remember how excited you'd be to finally get to do those summer things like ride bikes with your friends, stay up all night planning pranks, and chasing down the ice cream man after dinner? These are just a few of my favorite memories from those long summer days. Now picture this. It's a beautiful July day, perfect to spend a few lazy hours by the pool, but instead you'll be in school. Okay, sure you could come home and relax in the sun or take a walk with the kids next door. Think again, you'll have homework to do and tests to study for. But when will you have time to be a kid? That's what I'm questioning.
President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan both believe that the school year in America is not adequate enought for kids to catch up to students in other countries where the school year is significantly longer than ours. Last April, Duncan said, "...I think schools should be open six, seven days a week, eleven, twelve months a year." They want to deprive kids of their summer vacation and personally, I think it's an idea that will not only be very unpopular, but should not be put into effect.
When making such a big decision, many things must be put into consideration. One thing, I think, is important is the stress level of kids. I know, from personal experience, that between a seven hour school day, homework, projects, and tests to study for, kids get extremely stressed out. I'm sure everyone can relate to this. Effects of long-term stress on kids can be very harmful. One symptom in particular can be confused with being rebellious, a kid who "blows up" at nothing could be dealing with chronic stress. Other effects of stress include being nervous, jumpy, and having a lack in concentration. Stressed out kids may also stop eating and have sleeping problem. All of this could affect schoolwork, which would have the opposite effect of what the government wants to happen by eliminating summer vacation. That period of time where kids don't have to worry about tests, homework, and reports is when they are relieved of all that built up stress. Doing away with summer vacation would deny kids their time in a stress free world.
Also, the problem may not be the number of days or hours we're in school, it could be the quality of the school we're in. According to a brief written by Pilar Marin, M.P.P. and Brett Brown, Ph. D., kids who experience violence in their school are more likely to skip school which might explain low acadmic scores. Students who attend schools with dangerous or threatening environments are more likely to experience stress, which as I previously mentioned, can affect schoolwork. Maybe if we improved the school environments here in America, more kids would actually go to school. From there, we could work out way up, trying to improve test scores. Personally, I think the environment a student is in effects their ability and willingness to learn. If a kid feels unsafe, they might not even try to apply themselves in fear of being ridiculed or even physically bullied by other students. Before we blame summer vacation on poor academic showing, let's look at other possible causes. The U.S. could get rid of summer vacation, and make every student go to school 250 days a year, but problems like violence will still be present and could still cause America to rank below other countries academically.
Yes, it is probably true that over the twelve or so weeks we are away from school, we forget a lot of what was taught to us. Instead of taking away summer vacation altogether, or shortening it, maybe it would be more logical to just give students mandatory work to do over the break? I'm not talking about so much work that they're just sitting at home everyday doing homework. At the grade school I attended, we had to read two books and complete a fifty page workbook. It's not that much work for twelve weeks, but I did a little bit every night and it kept me thinking. The school had given us a list of approved books, we were required to read two of them, and when we returned in the fall, we would be tested on them. The workbook contained paged of math, science, english, and reading comprehension. Of course, not many of us were trilled with the idea of having homework over the summer, but I realized that I remembered more from the previous year when I had to read and do a little work over the break. If everyone had a small amount of work to fo over the summer, maybe test scores wouldn't be so behind compared to other countries,
On the other hand, I can understand how someone might think it is a good idea to elimate summer vacation. President Obama thinks the traditional school day and year is causing America to fall behind in academics. He wantes to add three hours to the school day, and only have a three to four week break instead of summer vacation. His argument is very convincing, but I think the reasons I previously stated definitely rebuke Obama's reasoning. Stress and violence are big issues that won't go away or even lessen due to the fact that kids will be going to school a lot more. We need to take into account that adding three more hours to the school day would make about a ten hour day for students, longer than an average adult's day at work. Then, kids would have homework to do, adding another couple hours to their day. How are kids supposed to keep all of their schoolwork under control with such a long day and no summer reprieve? At first, the idea of no summer vacation may seem like a smart idea, but in reality it will just add stress to kids' lives. President Obama may think this will help America's youth, but really it might just make a generation of stressed out little people who never had the chance to be kids.
I believe that summer vacation is a vital part of kids lives. During the summer months, they get to relax and enjot being kids. Adults are always telling us that we should enjoy being young, because it won't last forever. Yet, they want to take it away from us. As adults we will have plenty of time to get stressed out and work all day, so let us enjoy what time we have left as kids. Keep summer vacation.
Sources:
www.associatecontent.com
www.educationreview.com
www.childtrends.com
www.correspondents.theatlantic.com
Thanks for reading:D
I hate you
But I just can’t seem to break you
Do I want you here?
Do I want you gone?
Everyone says your such a tease
But not to me
Are you real?
Are you fake?
Do I need to be
With this drama queen
You spout lies
No truth to be found
Why am I still
Trying to see the good in you?
Is it worth it?
Should I listen to them?
They tell me to go
Before I’m a victim
Of you mighty undoing
I won’t fall
I’ve made a promise
Can I keep it?
Will I leave?
Will I remain?
Promises
Sins
They all appear
The same
Lies
Sentences
Preach the
Difference
I’m listening to you
I can’t break you
I’m falling now
No one to catch me
Do I leave now
That I’ve fallen
Are you worth my time?
Am I worth this pain?
God, help me choose
For this is not my decision
Any longer
I’ve put my faith in my despair
Now show me the answer
Tell me what to do
Do I stay
Or do I leave you?
But I just can’t seem to break you
Do I want you here?
Do I want you gone?
Everyone says your such a tease
But not to me
Are you real?
Are you fake?
Do I need to be
With this drama queen
You spout lies
No truth to be found
Why am I still
Trying to see the good in you?
Is it worth it?
Should I listen to them?
They tell me to go
Before I’m a victim
Of you mighty undoing
I won’t fall
I’ve made a promise
Can I keep it?
Will I leave?
Will I remain?
Promises
Sins
They all appear
The same
Lies
Sentences
Preach the
Difference
I’m listening to you
I can’t break you
I’m falling now
No one to catch me
Do I leave now
That I’ve fallen
Are you worth my time?
Am I worth this pain?
God, help me choose
For this is not my decision
Any longer
I’ve put my faith in my despair
Now show me the answer
Tell me what to do
Do I stay
Or do I leave you?
inch by inch
bringing me closer
to my doom
butterflies of
anticipation
flutter nervously
in my stomach
knuckles whiten
jaws clench
what have I
gotten myself into
the suspense
is killing me
I'm going to hate it
I'm going to love it
I might lose my lunch
but I don't care
heaven help me
here it comes...
...
I hold my breath...
...
and then
I scream
my stomach
drops
my breath
is stolen
my heart
is pounding
adrenaline
courses
through
my veins
amid screams
of sweet terror
I fling up
my hands
and ride on
the wings
of Thrill!