Waking up to a fresh blanket of snow is one of the most magical moments. Nothing quite matches the feeling of seeing your school’s name flash across the bottom of the television screen, announcing that you will be staying home for the day.
On these special days, children immediately grab their boots and mittens, and spend their morning helping shovel snow from their driveways and sidewalks. They make snowmen and snow angels, and have snowball fights until their fingers are blue and numb from the cold and their socks are wet with melted snow. Once inside, they make a large cup of hot chocolate and warm up with a hot shower or sit by a toasty fire in the fireplace.
In 2020, the global pandemic meant that students were unable to come into school. As a result, schools went online. Children learned from the comfort of their homes and were acclimated to their schedule. Though in this time learning through Canvas and other online resources benefited students tremendously, it is unnecessary in today’s education system, and shouldn’t replace our days off.
Snow days shouldn’t be replaced by e-learning because these days off are beneficial to people’s happiness and mental health, as well as even boosting productivity in the long run. Not only can e-learning days be stressful and problematic if not handled correctly, but they also take away from enjoying the beauty of a snowy day.
Taking a break from school or work is important to one’s mental health, and it can even help people work harder. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Learning Center says, “When you are working or studying hard, your brain has to resist distractions in order to focus on the task at hand. Your prefrontal cortex is mostly responsible for this kind of ‘think-work’ as it plays a major role in your ability to concentrate, think logically, and resist impulses.” They argue, “This level of concentration gets harder by the minute as your brain expends energy! At some point, you will need to recharge in order to replenish after working so hard.”
Breaks from working are a necessity. They help you find distance from thinking about school and work topics, boosting creativity and thoughtfulness. “While it may seem counterintuitive,” The Learning Center says, “taking regular breaks can actually help you be more productive than working without stopping. Effective breaks can help to reduce your stress levels so that you’re ready to refocus when you return to your work. Taking breaks while studying can even improve recall!”
On the other hand, e-learning isn’t as beneficial as it may seem. Because these days have little to no warning and teachers are already so busy with in-person classes, it can be difficult to set up engaging and productive lessons that actually give students the support and enrichment they need.
Assignments on e-learning days are oftentimes “busy work” and don’t actually improve students’ understanding. Technology and WiFi access also presents problems that make e-learning a difficult practice. Communication can be more difficult through a screen and it’s not guaranteed to always work.
Through Microsoft Teams meetings and informal Canvas messages, students are expected to learn and complete their assignments in a timely manner, but in reality this is more difficult than it may seem. Most of the students’ work is disconnected from the normal curriculum and it causes difficulty in understanding and completions.
The lack of productivity that comes with e-learning days is an issue that has not been well thought out. Teachers often need to spend the next class period addressing the problematic assignment, simply wasting more of our time.
Another major issue is that some students are more reliant on teachers and structure. The University of Illinois in Springfield writes, “While an online method of education can be a highly effective alternative medium of education for the mature, self-disciplined student, it is an inappropriate learning environment for more dependent learners… online education is not appropriate for younger students (i.e. elementary or secondary school age) and other students who are dependent learners and have difficulty assuming responsibilities required by the online paradigm.”
Though asynchronous and online learning can be beneficial in many scenarios, it can’t be expected of everyone. Students and families can’t be expected to have reliable internet access and technology and it can’t be assumed that everyone can participate. The equity issue that comes up is far too important to ignore.
Most importantly, snow days are a source of happiness, and being outside and getting physically active helps people produce dopamine. Winter can sometimes bring seasonal blues that leave people feeling like they need to hide inside. A snow day can bring so much joy!
It’s inconsiderate to keep children inside behind a screen when they have the opportunity to play in the snow. The nostalgia of snow days is unforgettable and they give the chance to enjoy natural beauty without the expectations of school and work.
Playing outside in the snow brings families and friends together, while also teaching children that happiness does not depend on perfect weather. The exercise that comes with it, as well as the release from daily stress can benefit people so greatly.
Though e-learning effectively makes our summer breaks longer, helping us fill the required 180 school days, everyone needs a break every once in a while to relax. Snow days are such an important part of how people look back on their childhood and they are great opportunities to release from the stress of life. Schools should bring the magic of snow days back.
