Winter break a balance between fun and catch-up with studies

Dubai - Private schools across the UAE are off for the winter holidays starting December 16.

Chilly weather, festive lights, Christmas trees and camping in the desert... Winter is here and school holidays are coming up next week.
It's when most families get the opportunity to spend some quality time together before they get back to business as usual after the New Year. While some students are going to use the period to fully relax and recharge themselves, others want to ensure they don't forget what they've learned in the first semester.
Krista Fidelia, a Grade 10 student at Al Diyafah High School, said there needs to be a balance between leisure and studies.
"Almost all students, including myself, can't wait for the winter break and finally enjoy the days without homework. However, as much as having fun is important, we, as students, need to set aside time for catching up with our schoolwork. This way, when we get back to school, we won't feel clueless and may even get ahead in our studies," she said.
A student at DPS Sharjah, Hritika Tripathi, also believes pupils need to strike a balance during the holidays. She said time management can help students get the best of both worlds. "Winter holidays should be utilised wisely. It's time for relaxation but, at the same time, it shouldn't be an excuse for us to forget everything we learned in school. The break gives us a chance to brush up our knowledge. I always complete my winter homework early, so I can have time to do extracurricular activities that I normally pass up on during school days," Tripathi said.
Trisha Sayani, a Grade 5 student at Gems Our Own English High School, said pupils need to keep both their minds and bodies healthy over the holidays, which means engaging in recreational activities and studying.
However, she said students shouldn't "overdo" it and tire themselves out reviewing their lessons. Sayani said: "I think that doing both is very important because school holidays are given as a break to rejuvenate and rediscover oneself, but along with it comes an opportunity to improve in terms of studies. While recreation keeps the body active, studying keeps the brain active."
Another student at Gems Our Own English High School, Hurairah Faatimah Muzammil, said winter holidays can help pupils perform better in school.
"The winter break is a time to de-stress and gear up for the upcoming months. However, with a tight schedule awaiting us and a planner filled with exams and schoolwork, we have to prioritise and plan the holidays wisely," she said.
"Besides finishing up our homework, we should work towards achieving a well-defined study pattern. This prepares us for the exams so we can prevent the last-minute stress and get good scores. We need to make most of the break, yet have fun. After all, 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'."
Private schools across the UAE are off for the winter holidays starting December 16 and classes will resume on January 6, 2019.
Teachers get time to take a relaxing vacation, too
Students may have their own plans for their three-week-long winter break, but teachers have a word of advice to share on being productive over the holidays.
Latha Narasimhan, a teacher at Sharjah Indian School, said the break is a good time to catch up on "extra studying", but also to spend some quality family time.
"Holidays are synonymous with relaxation, rejuvenation and revival of hobbies and interests. The wonderful winter season provides everyone with a lot of opportunities for outdoor games and fun - activities that we cannot possibly do in this part of the world during summer. Family time and get-togethers find their place, too," Narasimhan said.
"However, a few hours can be dedicated to academic improvement, too, as during a regular school day, tight schedules don't usually allow students to focus on in-depth studies and consolidation of concepts. Going beyond the syllabus and stepping to the application level all happen during the holidays when the mind is more relaxed.
"Spending a few hours of study during the winter holidays may be more fruitful than studying on school days. The pressure and anxiety that students experience due to exam stress can be eased to a certain extent because they won't have to cram anymore."
An innovation activator at Gems Dubai American Academy Cheryl Haney, has some suggestions for other teachers.
She said these breaks allow teachers to take care of themselves for them to return to classrooms refreshed and ready to take on new students, the curriculum and the New Year.
"Dive into a good book. This is a great time to read that professional article or a book your principal or co-worker recommended. Do something new that you wouldn't normally do; see a movie by yourself; hike a mountain; or take a spa day. Take time learn something new, sign up for Apple Teacher or Microsoft Innovative Educator. These are great ways to elevate your classroom," Haney said.
"Unplug, put your phone and electronics away, and spend time with friends and family. School breaks are a great time to do something new, download the app 1SE and take a one-second video or photo of your day and upload it - at the end of the year, you will have a lovely video of your life to look back on."
Holiday homeworks are still a bone of contention
(Duglas Joseph, social science faculty, Gems Our Own English School Fujairah)
Students get almost 25 days of winter break. However, the billion-dollar question is whether students should be engaged during the winter vacation with holiday homeworks or allowed to take a break from their studies. Gone are the days when kids could enjoy holiday breaks homework-free.
Holiday homework has been a bone of contention for years and it's a topic that divides teachers, parents and pupils.
First of all, winter holidays coincide with Christmas and New Year celebrations. During the winter holidays, many families plan for recreational trips to local as well as foreign destinations. Holiday time is that time of the year when some people travel to their homelands and visit their families. Students should be allowed to enjoy the time with their families, reconnect with their grandparents and cousins, and enjoy the festivities that are crucial for their social development. All might agree that carrying hoards of books is really burdensome.
Secondly, the holidays provide a relief from the hectic academic and co-curricular activities. School classes, extra classes, tuition classes, music, dance or badminton coaching, students' life is often too exhausting. With many family outings and vacations during the holidays, they will have less time to complete homework. If students are allowed to have homework-free holidays, they will come back to school refreshed and smart.
In addition to this, family time is more important during the holidays. Assigning homework over the holidays is usually unpopular among parents and students because working days in a semester or a term span over six months. Students spend most of their days in school while their parents are at work. Winter holidays provide them with an opportunity to spend more time together and relax, forgetting their work or studies. 
Like a coin has two sides, holiday homework has pros and cons. Many schools schedule their term exam after the winter holidays. It means students return after the winter off to sit for the exam. Being out of touch with studies for almost a month would be detrimental to their grades. Therefore, completely neglecting studies is not advisable. Students can spend some time reviewing their lessons.
Teachers should understand that learning takes place not only by reading or writing but also by observation, travelling, social interaction and exploration. Instead of giving more written works and complicated projects, teachers can assign 'open projects' where students can enjoy learning by exploring the things around them. For example, English teachers, instead of giving numerous grammar and comprehension worksheets, can ask students to write a travelogue about their visit to various places. During the last winter vacation, I assigned my students to make a photo album or a travel video about their trips - and no surprise, students responded overwhelmingly.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
 

• UAE