As the end of the semester gets closer and students start to wrap up their assignments, tests, and projects, many look forward to a relaxing two weeks off. This winter break allows for students to catch up on sleep, take their minds away from school, and unwind.
While this break is well-needed and certainly well-deserved, it should not be the only break students and teachers are focused on during the last two weeks of school. To make the next few weeks less stressful, Campo classes need to implement breaks during block periods.
Many students would agree that 90 minute class sessions are tiresome. While the content may be interesting, focusing for that long is nearly impossible. Because of this, some teachers have offered short breaks during class periods.
AP Psychology and Intro to Ethnic Studies teacher Diane Bessette said, “sitting that long can affect focus and energy levels…I feel that if I give them the opportunity to move around for a minute or two…it will increase their ability to learn.”
Bessette added that since implementing such breaks, “I feel like I have a pretty high engagement all throughout class.”
Junior Lauren Ji does exactly what Bessette intends for her students to do while on breaks. During breaks, she likes “to walk around” because it makes her “feel less tired.”
Ji mentioned that, “If I’m forced to sit in a lecture and listen to someone talk for an hour, I need to give my brain a break.” Ji says the consequence of not taking a break is that she “won’t be able to focus.”
While Bessette and others have started to give breaks in block periods, not all teachers have, despite a clear desire from students. Sophomore Rachel Levin said “I feel like it’s important to have breaks. It resets your mind.” Levin adds that it allows for her to “go back into class and learn better.”
Levin isn’t the only student to feel this way. Junior Adison Schoemehl shares similar sentiments. Schoemehl said, “An hour or so into class, the energy starts to wear down. Teachers notice that and try to give breaks.” In addition to bringing back energy levels into class, she believes that breaks are “a good way to separate [topics]…You learn about this thing, and then you learn about another thing.”
While it’s clear that students would greatly appreciate breaks, teachers may fear the misuse or abuse of break time. To manage this, Bessette makes sure that students know “the break is two minutes, and I try to enforce it by restarting class in two minutes.” Bessette adds that “there are students who sometimes take longer than that.” Her fix to this problem is to “speak to them or tell them they can’t have the privilege [of breaks] any more.”
By setting distinct boundaries, teachers can provide a balance that permits students who put in the work during class time to be granted the “privilege” of breaks. Because there is clearly a need for these brain breaks given the amount of content Campo’s rigorous classes go over, teachers, in turn, should offer these opportunities to reset while simultaneously carrying the same rules as Bessette.
Finals season can be a stressful time for both students and teachers, so taking a break or two throughout the week can alleviate some of the pressures from school. While many people might not want to be on campus in the final weeks of the semester, short pauses can make school more digestible and, and less exhausting.
