Getting the experience to study abroad has been a lifetime dream of mine. Growing up in Sunnyside,where the resources and educational opportunities are limited, I never would have imagined it would be possible to travel to another country. I’m a daughter of immigrant parents and because of their undocumented status, I’ve never had the opportunity to travel outside the United States without the fear or risk of never coming back to the place we call home. I come from a low income household and because of that I focus on providing for myself and my family.
Unlike most kids my age, I did not have the typical summer vacation. Even though the idea of sleeping in, enjoying the hot sun, and watching TV all day seemed desirable, I always knew that was not my reality. Every summer since the age of 7, I worked in the fields with my parents. I would wake up at 4 am, pack my lunch, and help my mom get my younger siblings ready for the day. To this day, my family and I pick various fruits from apples, cherries, pears, blueberries, and grapes in the scorching sun. As farmworkers, we know our job is only temporary during harvest, so my family and I work multiple jobs during the summer to ensure efficient income during the winter. Now that my sister is also attending college I try and work as much as I can so my parents can focus on helping her and my younger brother. This summer was the first time I went to school and worked two jobs in order to have money for fall quarter. Even though the Rome Enrichment Program is not a vacation, but rather an educational opportunity, I believe this would give me a break from work and textbooks to learn through a first-hand experience.
Being a farmworker from a young age made me become aware of the importan...
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...our small town, state, and even our country. The apartment complex my family lives in is only for families who have kids and work in the fields. When I do visit my family many of the children ask me a lot of questions about college, if it’s hard, what am I learning, and what do I do. I enjoy talking to the kids about my college experience because I hope it inspires them to go to college and experience life outside of a small town. To be able to share my experience in Rome with these children and my younger siblings would inspire them to continue going to school. When I do go back to Sunnyside, I enjoy talking to the kids in my community about my college experience. Without this opportunity I could financially afford to leave the country to experience another culture. I strive to be a good role model not only to my younger siblings, but to the children in my community.
Family vacations, pool memberships, and corn de-tasseling; these have been the experiences of traditional Midwestern summers. For centuries young American children have attended school during the winter months, during farming off seasons when their families could afford to be without them. Families have grown accustomed to a traditional school calendar that provides time for bonding throughout the year. Students have grown accustomed to an eight week break during the summer months where they are allowed to refresh their minds before returning for a new school year. Unfortunately, these traditional experiences and practices are now in jeopardy. In today’s race to improve student achievement, traditional school calendars have become a point of contention. Today more and more school districts and parents alike have begun to debate the pros and cons of an alternative school calendar.
Of essence, language barrier and cultural differences are incapable of deterring international students from success but anxiety can. Anxiety makes us retrogressive and restrains us from challenges, eventual progress and success.
The summertime is when kids play outside and do whatever they want. Some kids even go to day care or their friends’ house to do something different, “Many children go to summer camps where they learn many of important skills not covered in school” (Cooper 3). Doing work in the summer that does not interest them will make kids despise summer. It also will not let the kids do want they want to do in peace, because they will worry about the huge assignment they still have to finish, “…the backbreaking obligation to read Charles Dickens blighted June, ravaged July obliterated August” (Queenan,1). Some might argue that the long summer will make the children forget what they learned, but if the students cannot relearn what they already knew in a month or less, that means that they are not being taught correctly. In general, summer reading makes a students' summer into more school time, which is not helpful to them.
Back in the olden days, schools were originally put on a schedule in which students would spend the majority of the year in school, and 2-3 months off for summer break. The purpose of this was so that children could be home for the summer to help their parents run family farms. Today, due to progressive industrialization of farming, modernized farming equipment, and decrease in family farms, the need for children to be home during the summer to help run family farms is minute if not obsolete; because of this many schools across the United States have transitioned to year-round schooling (“Summer”). Contrary to belief, year round schooling does not usually mean more school days. Currently most year-round schools adhere to the 180 day school year. Instead of the traditional lengthy summer vacation, year-round schools distribute the 180 days throughout the entire year while allowing for shorter breaks. Common scheduling for year-round schools includes cycles of 2-3 months in school followed by 2-3 week breaks (“Research Spotlight...
The summer vacation students on a traditional schedule receive could be very beneficial since summer gives time for the students to attend camps or other activities that would allow them to learn. The camp may not be like the learning in school, but students would be able to get a different style of education while having fun. Lynn-nore Chittom and Jeff Klassen, two authors who wrote about year-round vs. traditional schooling say, “Critics also cite year-round school as an obstacle to summer enrichment programs such as youth camps, and note that the balanced calendar model can hurt students and industries dependent on short-term summer employment” (Chittom). If students are going to school all year with only some short breaks, when would they have time to go to camp? Even if their camp is during one of their breaks, the students would have homework to complete, thus eliminating the educational effects of the camp on the student. Also, teen...
Summer vacation. For most children and teens, the phrase conjures up images of hot, sunny days and vacations with the whole family to far-off places. We all envision lazy afternoons relaxing on the beach, playing in water parks, and going on picnics. But what happens when summer ends and the reality of another year of school sinks in?
Summer is known as the time where one can relax and escape from the hard work they have accomplished from the school year that has just past them. However, it is now being debated whether a “year-round” model would be a more appropriate choice for schooling. The year-round model allows students to have breaks more often, just for a shorter period of time; this meaning that the two-month long summer break would shorten and spread throughout the course of the year. Several just do not see the positive impact this change could have on them. The year-round model should be put into effect as it increases the student’s academic knowledge, it allows for students/ teachers to “recharge” and finally it makes transitions through school easier.
Shortly, we became more industrialized and had more advanced technology which made the summer vacation that was so crucial to the survival of the family now purposeless. With these long summer breaks, it can affect a child’s learning in so many ways. According to the benefits of year-round education article,”As of the 2006-2007 school year, nearly 2,800 U.S. schools were classified as year round.” One essential problem with long summer breaks is lack of retention of learned material and can lead to the student not being able to make progress with their learning in the next school year. In year-round schools, kids don’t waste time on review as opposed to traditional schools who take about three weeks reviewing the information they learned in the
Learning about new cultures is my favorite thing to do. I interact well with others and enjoy networking with new people. I have found that my ability to meet new people is a trait that makes every visit I have taken to different countries an enjoyable visit. I wish to participate in this program because it has always been a goal of mine to study abroad. By participating in this program I hope to learn about another culture, make international contacts, and gain valuable international business skills.
One of the first reasons we should have year-round schooling is because of summer. Summer is the part of the year that every student looks forward to. Why? Because summer is the time of the year where kids can slack off and have fun. But, during this
When certain texts are read, different messages can be taken from it. Also, more arguments and ideas can be branched off of that one particular theme. The poem of “Summer” by Walter Dean Myers plays out a very happy scene of the overall joy of summer. This poem shares all the happiness that occurs and can occur throughout and during summer. Memories come rushing back to many who read this and reflect back on their childhood summer days. Yet, one issue that could be branched of this poem and could be noted is the increasing problem of children now days not having such an enjoyable and memorable summer. Kids all over spend their time differently and have many reasons why they do not play outside during summer more often than a few years back. It makes those who have good summer memories of being outside sad that children now aren’t enjoying summer outdoors as much as they could. In “Summer” by Walter Dean Myers, an argument that could be talked about would be that which of children not playing outside in summer as much as before and the main problems that led to this occurring is that technology is a huge distraction, some environments are scary to be in, and just pure laziness.
“Children hate summer vacation, they just love school so much,” said no one ever. Summer vacations are notorious for a time to relax, unwind, and have fun. Children look forward to no school and playing outside. “Currently the summer holiday is viewed by many Americans as the backbone of our country’s school system” (Pedersen, n.d.). Having no school and doing whatever a child desires may sound good, but in the course of summer vacation, it effects their memory. The regular school year calendar disturbs children’s learning ability (Ballinger, 2008). Students lose 2.6 months of lessons over the summer (Bennecke, 2012).Schools ought to change their school year because it would benefit the children and teachers.
Whether it’s a summer camp that is away from home or one that is a day camp, both offer children learning opportunities. Summer camps keep the children physically active. Hiking, running, swimming, climbing are just a few activities that will keep them busy. Too many children spend most of their time these days inside sitting down in front of a TV either watching movies or playing video games. One big advantage for summer camps is that it lets kids be kids. According to Rock Brook Camp, it is important for kids to “have free time for unstructured play – Free from the overly-structured, overly-scheduled routines of home and school, life at camp gives children much needed free time to just play. Camp is a slice of carefree living where kids can relax, laugh, and be silly all day long.”(Rock Brook2) Summer camps help build life-long skills and make a child more confident in themselves. Camps can provide the right equipment and facilities for children to enhance their sports abilities and their musical talents. Summer camps also offer a variety of activities that makes it easy for kids to discover what they may like to do. Without parents and teachers guiding their every move, children can learn to make decision for themselves; build self-confidence and self-esteem. Finally, summer camps help children learn social skills, make new friends and reconnect with the
Industries such as business and medicine depend on extreme methods and forward thinking ideas. To be a successful enterprise, one must be willing to take risks and try new things. Within the last century, education has attempted to take a leap of faith by completely flipping the traditional school schedule and idea of summer vacation upside down. Just as with any idea, there are advantages and disadvantages as well as supporters and opponents. Each district must look at their own individual needs and evaluate the trials from schools that have gone before them to decide if year-round schooling would benefit their school.
Studying abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences in a college’s students career. For many colleges, having their students can mean an increase in tuition, higher application rates, and overall better reviews by their students. According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, by Scott Olsen, “The Wall Street Journal reported last month that several small colleges are requiring students to pay full tuition even if the programs cost less, setting caps on the amount of financial aid sent abroad, and limiting how many students can participate”(5). Also, Olsen tells us “In the 2003-2004 school year, 7,208 students from Indiana universities went on study-abroad programs, according to the most recent statistics available from the Institute