The school year is in full swing; MEA break is over and Thanksgiving Break is just around the corner. With work piling up between classes, I often find myself looking forward to breaks as an opportunity to rest and catch up on things I’ve missed in my home life. However, this is difficult to do when my breaks are obstructed by increased homework, and lots of tests and projects scheduled right when the break ends. Why are breaks scheduled right before tests? Why do teachers give more homework right before a break?
In the days just before MEA break, every teacher assigned large homework assignments. My to-do list became full of assigned readings, notes, and essays, all due the day we got back from break. Over break, I was stressed about getting my work done so that I could rest and spend quality time with my family. Not only did I have to finish the homework assigned to me, but I also had to study for midterms scheduled the week we got back from break. Furthermore, Christmas Break also ends right before finals week—when we have more important tests. If I’m traveling to see family, I can’t even enjoy Christmas without worrying about how I’m going to study for tests.
Not only does school dominate the majority of my time during the week, but it also takes up most of my weekends. It’s not wrong to believe that a break from school should not include extra schoolwork. I end up with little to no time for myself, and I’m always two steps away from complete burnout. I do not want to be stuck in a relentless cycle of work and school with barely enough time to get eight hours of sleep each night.
Breaks are meant to balance the long weeks of school and give students and teachers alike an opportunity to unwind. If students aren’t getting enough time to rest, they are unable to keep up with large amounts of homework, and inevitably, their performance declines. I end up learning less and taking more time to finish my homework outside of school; consequently, my test scores begin to drop. Teachers who assign more homework also have more to grade, which means less time to rest themselves. These insane standards of work do not benefit anyone—I would rather add on a few days of school if it means having less work over breaks. There should be no more assigning excessive amounts of homework and scheduling tests right after breaks.