Give Students a Break :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Give Students a Break Students at Tech, and indeed at most colleges, eagerly anticipate holidays because they provide a welcome break from classes. Although some may say that breaks only take away valuable class time from students, they fail to see the educational benefits that breaks afford. Tech's sparse holiday offerings take little advantage of these benefits. Tech is harming students, who could greatly benefit from the time breaks offer for relaxation, family interaction, and studying. Despite criticism, breaks do not necessarily have to adversely affect students' education by taking away important class time. There are many ways Tech could integrate breaks into its semester schedules without loosing any class time at all. For instance, classes could begin a few days early or end a few days late, allowing breaks to be added into the semesters. Alternatively, Tech could shorten its overly-long twenty-eight day Christmas break and use those days for breaks during the semesters. Careful planning of the breaks already offered would even help. During the fall semester, Tech currently offers one of its five breaks less than a week after classes begin and three more of its breaks less than three weeks before Christmas break begins. This poor scheduling leaves large gaps during the semester with no breaks at all. Why, though, are breaks important from an educational standpoint? One reason is that they lightens students' stress loads. College is stressful enough with breaks; without them, students have no way to recuperate from the stress of classes. During Montana Tech's fall semester, there are over two months of straight classes that contain no breaks at all. During the spring semester, there are two more large gaps between breaks, one of which is also over two months long. Although weekends do help, these are often used for studying and homework and do little to ease the students' stress. Many students begin to dislike their classes because of the stress they cause, and as a result, some put less effort into their studying. Breaks allow students some time off from their classes to relax so that they can come back refreshed. Another reason breaks are important is that they give students time to spend with their families. It is very important to develop social skills during college and, it is also important to become more independent. Both of these will aid the student when starting a new life after graduation. But family relationships are still very important for students.