Bill 36 Addresses Changes to Year-Round Schooling

                       

Recently, the BC government has made amendments to Bill 36 that may drastically alter the province’s system of education. The current standard school year calendar could be replaced by year round schooling as early as the fall of 2013. According to B.C Education Minister George Abbott, the change is a modest one, and will accommodate the needs of modern schooling. “We will be moving away from what has for over 100 years the standard school calendar,” he says. “The (standard school calendar) was established in a different age when children were needed during the summer months to help harvest crops, but what we now have is a pretty strong case that children learn better when they don’t have a long summer break, that short periods away from school is better.” Unlike its name suggests, the number of teaching days (193) and vacation days will not change. year round schooling will have short, frequent breaks dispersed throughout the year. Education Minister George Abbott has tabled legislation that would get rid of the standard school calendar beginning in the fall of 2013. Luckily, this calendar is not mandatory for all schools- schools that are uncomfortable with this new system can consult parents and students and seek permission from the ministry to establish its own calendar.  

Mixed responses have risen from teachers, students and parents regarding this matter. B.C. Teachers’ Federation president Susan Lambert says that “teachers need their summer break”, and that educators will be reluctant to give up their extended vacation. “It’s a very intense profession, where you are teaching for five hours a day, and then doing preparation and marking and evaluation” (Vancouver sun). Other teachers say that the long summer break hinders student learning- "While there are still obviously important agrarian elements in our society, some would say a 10-week break in the middle of summer may… not aid student learning” says Education ministry spokesperson Scott Sutherland to CBC. 

The idea of year round schooling has been around in Ontario for many years, but negative backlash from parents and teachers alike have prevented the system from taking effect. In BC however, a handful of private and public schools have already adopted year round schooling and have operated successfully for many years under the system. Personally I find the year round schooling system relatively acceptable. I am easily stressed, and more frequent breaks in the school year will help me manage my stress and workload more efficiently. It’s also true that during longer breaks students tend to forget about what they've learned, so shorter, more frequent breaks may result in more effective use of time and course review.

References:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1170354--b-c-opens-the-door-to-year-round-school
http://bctf.ca/publications/ResearchReports.aspx?id=5630
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/04/26/bc-school-calendar-eliminated.html
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120426/bc_school_year_legislation_120426/20120426/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome