We are asking the Office of Clinical Experiences and School of Education to show support and concern for our mental health and wellbeing and allow those of us who will not be receiving a spring break in our placements, to give us the time allotted for spring break by St. Cloud State to rest, recover, and to heal before stepping into our student teaching. 

Due to the scheduling and rules made by the Office of Clinical Experiences and the School of Education at St. Cloud State University, some of us are unfairly losing our spring break. From January 11th through March 5th, students are at their placements every Monday and spend the rest of the week in synchronous Zoom classes. Because our classes are set up in this format, many of us have midterms, finals, or larger projects due the week of March 1st. Starting March 8th, we are to follow the calendar of our school district. For many of us, this means that we go directly from finals to full time student teaching. 

March 8th-12th is marked in the SCSU calendar as spring break. Since the majority of school districts do not have their spring break the same week that SCSU designates as spring break, this leaves the majority of students in their field experience and student teaching, without a spring break. We believe that this is the unfair and unjust treatment for these reasons: 

1. Students who will not be getting a spring break will be student teaching for more time than those who will receive a spring break through their district. If OCE were to grant those who will not receive a spring break during their full time student teaching the week that SCSU declares spring break, these students would still be receiving the same amount of student teaching time as those who do get a spring break. Under this logic, we are asking that only those who do not have a spring break while full-time in the field are allowed to take SCSU spring break so that one group does not get two spring breaks, one with the university and another under their district.

2. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are experiencing negative mental health effects. According to a study done by Journal of Medical Internet Research, 71% of college students are experiencing increased stress and anxiety because of the pandemic. Many of us are struggling with all online courses and are concerned more than ever about our school performance. On top of that, many of us Elementary Education students have been directly exposed to COVID-19 or even gotten COVID-19 directly because of our placement in the schools during this time, without any compensation or pay, and now maybe without even a spring break. It goes without saying that being a senior in college who is in K-12 schools, potentially exposing themselves and loved ones to COVID-19, is incredibly stressful. Compiled with the stress of being in college during this time, we are experiencing the additional stress of being in person in schools at this time as a student-teacher. Because of this stress, we believe we deserve a spring break along with the rest of the SCSU students. 

3. We need rest and recovery to be the most effective we can possibly be in our placements. As students going into education, we have been taught by the School of Education that if our students do not feel safe, if they are hungry, if they do not have their hierarchy of needs met, they can not learn. This is true for college students as well. We need our needs met before we can go out and be successful student teachers. Student teaching is stressful and it is the culminating event of our college careers, something we are excited for, nervous about, and eager to do. We want to learn and we are so excited to have these opportunities. But with the stress of the pandemic, we need more than ever, time to take a rest, time for us to meet our mental health needs. As mentioned before, the week before SCSU spring break, many of us are finishing the largest projects for our classes and then going directly into student teaching full time until May. Without a spring break, we are deeply concerned about burnout, deteriorating mental health, and our ability to be the absolute best we can be under these circumstances. 

For all of these reasons, we are asking the Office of Clinical Experiences and School of Education to show support and concern for our mental health and allow those of us who will not be receiving a spring break in our placements, to give us the time allotted by St. Cloud State to rest, recover, and to heal before stepping into our student teaching. 

Sources 

Sources and Studies Regarding COVID-19 Pandemic and College Student Mental Health

https://www.jmir.org/2020/9/e21279/ Effects of COVID-19 on College Students’ Mental Health

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/spring-break-cancellations-spark-mental-health-concerns-college-students-n1250064 Concern for Students not Recieving Spring Break

https://tcnjsignal.net/2020/11/11/spring-break-is-necessary-for-students-mental-health/ Why Spring Break is Essential for Mental Health