Thursday, August 20, 2015

Classroom or Beach?

[Woman's Home Companion August 1943]

Aren't they darling?

I wonder if they're getting ready for school?

The children today are already back at school.

I just hate that.

Do they really learn anymore than if they started after Labor Day?

I complained about that last year, HERE,

so this year I'll just say that all children should be doing this in August...



instead of sitting in a classroom. 

What do you think?

Classroom or beach?


Classroom or beach?


 Classroom or beach?




 

32 comments:

  1. The beach is tempting, isn't it? But as a teacher I always loved the start of school. The smell of a clean school, the excitement in those darling little faces. And the thrill of knowing that you wee responsible for a whole year of knowledge to be opened into their minds. It was new routines after a relaxing summer. It was greeting new school peers and starting new programs. It was lesson plans and studying new techniques. It was a fresh and exciting time. I've been retired since 2002. But I still miss it.

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  2. BEACH!!!!

    Happily, our schools do not start till the Wed. after Labor Day!

    Tessa

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  3. oh those fresh tiny faces! playing in the ocean! they are adorable dewena.
    and their mommy! who'd have thought she just had a baby!!!

    i totally agree with you on the starting back of school sessions.
    when i grew up we could always count on every state starting the day after labor day. it was just a given. and for military families or government families whose father had to transfer so much like mine ... it gave a certain stability.
    now i don't know how those children cope! every state seems to have different starting times now. the marine's two grandsons started back on AUGUST 2nd!
    and...
    dewena...
    you could just post a picture from one of your beautiful vintage magazines EVERY day for years and years and i would love it! seriously.
    you wouldn't even have to write a word! LOLOL. but i always love what you write along with them. what an absolute treasure trove! as are YOU.
    XOXOXOXO♥
    that's what cindi came up with.
    it's when you want to hug somebody so much ... a simple XO won't do! LOLOL!

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  4. Dewena,
    I agree with you! The beach wins hands down! School starts next week for our town. Summer has been so short around here due to last winter's snow cancellations. I say we should go back to the way it used to be.....school should start after Labor Day! It's just too hot and humid to think!
    xo
    Linda
    ps hope you are staying cool!

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  5. Dewena, I saw the school buses today, and couldn't believe school has started already. Yes, It seems like school is starting earlier every year. Your sweet grandchildren are precious, and I can't wait to have a few of my own. :~)

    love, ~Sheri

    I felt the breeze in the air this morning telling me that Fall is on its way. I have to say, it's my favorite season.

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  6. I'm so glad our kids are off 'til Labor Day..definitely the Beach!!!

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  7. Beach! Oh, if only we lived close to an ocean!

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  8. Classroom or beach? Beach or classroom? Hmm. Is this a trick question, I wonder, since the obvious answer, the LOGICAL answer, the ONLY answer is BEACH! And by the looks of it, your 'models' would agree, as I believe, anyone would! Oh, those little 'beach babes' are adorable; what an adventure the water must be for them, and what a refreshing escape for the adults. Belonging to the second group, how I miss the mist over the magical Aegean!

    xoxo
    Poppy

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  9. No contest Dewena! Thank goodness our grandkids still start after Labor Day (NY). I could not imagine having to go back to school in August! Who's hairbrained idea was that?!

    The first picture is indeed darling, as are your beautiful and precious grandchildren. Yes, THAT'S what summer is all about...NOT classrooms for heaven's sake!

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  10. So so wonderful, Dewena !!
    I adore little children, all of them, from anywhere.
    Beautiful post.
    xx's

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  11. well my young teenage grandson is doing "minecraft" on the laptop and finally got his back to school haircut and clothes this week - now his grandpa and he are at the district office paying for his bus pass. yea we have to pay for school bus out here - don't know if u do. Cute photos! But yeah - they should all be playing and having fun .

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  12. I think school started today in my county; awful! In NC, children are going to school 2 weeks, off 2 weeks and get from Thanksgiving to New Year's off. Crazy schedule...I'd stay confused!

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  13. School doesn't begin until after Labour Day here, so it's still beach, beach, beach! Love the photos.

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  14. I agree 100% Dewena! I am an educator in Wisconsin and my kids come back the week before Labor Day - not much learning going on that week, lol. When I grew up, school ended the Friday before Memorial Day and started the Tuesday after Labor Day. Wish it was still that way. Thanks for stopping and commenting on my blog. I'm looking forward to following you and reading all of your posts. Jane

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  15. Beach! We never started back before Labor Day, and some kids here in our
    area have been in school for two weeks already!

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  16. Beach! We never started back before Labor Day, and some kids here in our
    area have been in school for two weeks already!

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  17. Definitely beach! I agree that school shouldn't start until after the Labour Day Weekend. School starts here on August 31st...makes no sense to me.

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  18. Here in PA they traditionally start at the end of August or right after Labor Day Some are starting on the 24th...I think it gives them a week for adjustment, then the kids have a long weekend, etc. They have to build in for snow days. Last year some districts didn't build in and the kids were in school until the middle of June to make up for them.

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  19. Dewena,
    My sweet little grands start school on Monday, and it is still hot here, in the 90's.
    They most positively should be at the beach!!
    Hugs,
    Jemma

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  20. BEACH!!!
    I think institutional learning was crazy enough before this insane schedule, so you can only imagine how I feel about it now.
    Gotta love those pictures. BEAUTIFUL!. <3

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  21. Considering that in France most people take their vacations in August, schools start in September (when I went to school in France we started on October 1st.). Summer vacations are usually from the beginning of July to the beginning of September, but then the kids stay in class longer hours than in the US. They go to school from 8:30 to 4:30 with an elective for study time until 5:45 pm. Here in Georgia, the school near our house has a long line of cars waiting for kids at 2:30 pm – that is way too early I think. When my children were little I gave them extra home work because I thought they did not get enough in GA schools. I wanted to send them to Paris to stay with my mother and go to school there for a year or so, but coming from the US, the French schools required them to do 2 years or remedial so they did not go. As you say, I think kids should enjoy their summer and have fun in August.

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  22. Definitely the beach! I just don't understand these crazy school schedules. I know they talked about year-round school, but they threw that away long ago! I think they deserve the beach and to start to school after Labor Day! They are just so precious!!

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  23. I vote for the beach!!! You know, when I was in school, I never went back before Labor day. Things have changed so much. Oh well, have a wonderful weekend... :)

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  24. In Michigan, they passed a law a few years ago -- no school until after Labor Day. I really think it was to help the tourism industry, but I think it's great for the children, too.

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  25. Beach. I've been complaining about this since my oldest was in school. I've heard from a few teachers that they've raised the date because the kids have to be in there for a certain amount of days for the school to get paid and it's even earlier for states that get snow. Why on earth they do it in Phoenix, when it's 112, is beyond me, but my nephews started two weeks ago.

    Your grand babies are adorable :)

    xo,
    rue

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  26. Hello Dewena, yes, school has started for the little darlings. My, how time flies by. The beach is definitely more fun. School is so different than when we went.
    All of the kids practically have a computer. Have a great weekend. xo

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  27. Here in BC most schools begin in September after labour day weekend. But there are a few exceptions. There is so much opportunity for learning at the beach, park, or even a backyard especially when the weather is so warm and it is so comfortable to be outside so it seems to me like a natural classroom.

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  28. Funny you ask this, as we are at the beach right now! School is starting for us before Labor Day, which used to be unheard of. I agree with you - I vote beach (and I know my son would second that, in a heartbeat)!

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  29. I vote for the beach! I have many happy childhood memories of long summers spent on the beach, riding my horse, building tree forts.... I'm so glad I was a kid back before they started inflicting short summer breaks and over-packed schedules on kids.

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  30. The beach, or anywhere else outdoors. Nature is a wonderful classroom. You have a beautiful family, Dewena.

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  31. Are these family pictures, Dewena? if so, I can definitely see why you would prefer the beach! :)

    I never liked the earlier start with school as we always took our summer vacation in August when work was slower for my husband. Then we had to rush home to do the school supply shopping.

    As a child growing up in the middle of the Illinois prairie, I secretly loved going back to school---time to see friends again and I just loved to read, write and learn. I don't know if any child feels like that now!

    Hope you are having a fab weekend!

    Jane x

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