Parent of a 11th-grader here. Curious to hear from any of you who can weigh in about your student’s homework load during breaks. We’ve just learned that our son (who is not a procrastinator, for what it’s worth) will have a considerable amount of work during the winter holidays–primary research, long paper, etc. We are accustomed to his bringing home a moderate amount of work during fall, Thanksgiving, and spring breaks, but this is the first time we’ve encountered the entire year.
Is anyone willing to share your own student’s experience? We are crystal clear about the level of rigor demanded of these students but wonder if the school is an outlier in terms of the expectations during breaks away from campus.
Our son’s not complaining, so maybe his dad and I will just have to get over it.
Our school had trimesters, and the winter break was in the middle of one of them, so this was the norm.
Just as with summer work, it took real time, but it wasn’t all-consuming. But yes, there always seemed to be something, and junior year, I recall spring break involving a first draft of a major paper.
Our school had IB and noted that BS had dramatically fewer days than its global counterparts to get though the same material so breaks were part of the way that was addressed. I suspect that even without IB, many schools feel the year is short.
I can’t recall ChoatieKid ever doing homework on any break. He never brought any books home. If he did do any school work, we weren’t aware of it. He never did the summer reading either. Sigh. He’s now a junior in college, same MO.
My kids never had assigned work on a break. I’m sure some overachievers might have done some to get ahead or whatnot but my kids didn’t fit that label.
I’m pretty sure it was school policy that breaks were supposed to be breaks - a time to refresh and renew and a time to spend quality time with loved ones. Things might have changed but I don’t remember them having assignments.
Breaks were spent on fun reading if a book was picked up.
Might be a good question for prospective families to ask, IMO.
I think we can assume the @ChoatieMom is cut from the same cloth as skiparents. You notice that she never asked ChoatieKid if he has HW to do over break. >:)
My Choate students also did not have significant work over school breaks. Seems they always timed mid terms, finals and “assessments” to happen right before break.
Andover has trimesters. When S started they moved fall semester finals to before Thanksgiving. Winter finals were before spring break. They were not supposed to have homework over breaks. One year he had PE homework over winter break (technically due a few days after winter break). But they only have 2 weeks of classes between Thanksgiving and Winter break. No summer homework - suggested reading but nothing assigned.
I’m a high school teacher, though not in a boarding school. This year I have 5 precalculus classes.
I firmly believe that Thanksgiving/ Yom Kippur/ Christmas/Easter and the like are family holidays-- times when you should prioritize family time.
Sorry, we have 180 days to teach. I’m fine with homework on weekends even on the “February Break” we still get on Long Island. If you can’t get the material taught in those 180 days, you’re doing something wrong. Plan accordingly, and let kids have the family time that’s in such short supply these days… perhaps even moreso for kids in boarding school.
If you insist on having a project due after a holiday, then assign it well enough in advance that kids can get it done ahead of time if they so choose.
I think my kids (at Mercersburg) have had work on some breaks (winter break is during the winter term), never anything very demanding, as far as I could tell. I am another neglectful parent who doesn’t pay much attention. If they have work, they do it. They had a lot of summer work this year in preparation for AP language classes. Summer reading is encouraged but I think only 1 book is required, often in association with a speaker coming in the fall.
Am preparing for meeting w admin. If anyone has screenshots of policies or links to them, please message me. Probably fruitless, but feel that it’s a duty to those who come behind us. Thx for this community.
I believe my son said that Groton also has the no work over break rule. He’s a sixth former this year and I can’t remember ever seeing him doing any work at home. That being said, he’s the exact opposite of an anxious kid. His laid back attitude actually makes me anxious at times! I can remember one parent here telling me that he would be stressed out as he got into the higher grades, but that hasn’t changed at all!
