Teaching must be one of the stress-free professions. Teachers get to instill knowledge in their students, give advice to those who need it, and mold students to become useful people of the society. Moreover, they get to have holidays when school is out of session during times like spring break, long holidays, and summer. Unlike other jobs, teachers do not have to stay at work late or over the weekends if they do not have to. Thus the question, does the teaching profession deserve long holidays? Can they do anything to improve the curriculum and their teaching methods instead of taking long breaks when the students are not around?
Teachers deserve a break from school despite the flexible hours and other privileges that come with the job. Their job can be stressful, especially for schools that have a high teacher to student ratio. Teachers consistently hear the same things from their students: “can I add you on social media“, “can you help me with this maths problem” or that chemistry equation. In such cases, the teachers have to ensure that all their students obtain a quality education. The profession involves more than just learning. Teaching includes providing an advisory role to the students, molding them to meet their potential, and offer assistance to the students who need it. A teacher is a mentor to the student. The society expects a certain standard from teachers since they spend a lot of time with their children. Therefore, teachers deserve an extended holiday to relax and enjoy themselves outside their profession.
Lack of long holidays can lead to burn out. A teacher’s routine is similar term after term, year after year. They teach the same things to different students every year. Their job is more or less the same every school period. The long breaks give teachers a chance to recuperate. They need the breaks to relax after achieving their teaching objectives and meeting the curricular goals. They need time to themselves where they can focus on their hobbies and interests away from school.
The breaks are good since they get to come up with need teaching ideas away from the monotonous routines. Some schools use the holidays to conduct team building exercises, training, and revamping the curriculum and school routines. In a way, long holidays for teachers are beneficial to the teachers and students. The students obtain quality service after the teachers have taken time off. The teachers go back to school reenergized to face a new academic year or term. The breaks enable them to reconnect with the students and provide the best service.
Therefore, it is wrong to question whether teachers deserve long breaks. They deserve the holidays. Why should teachers remain in school when the students have closed? Stating that teachers should stay in school during the holidays after accomplishing the teaching objectives is unfair and pointless. The breaks benefit the teachers, students, and the society. The students get to learn from a well rested and rejuvenated faculty thus obtaining a quality education. Additionally, the breaks give the teachers a chance to invest in themselves. Long holidays is part of the job description thus should be embraced as such.