should students be allowed to go to the kantina or library during tutorials?

Layla C.

Every student is familiar to the dreaded feeling of procrastination. Too many distractions can make it tough to focus! However, everyone should be able to learn how to choose proper work spaces, and how to study independently. What happens when a crowded class gets too noisy, or students don’t have any spare work to catch up on? Comfortable, casual places like the Kantina and the library are a welcoming presence in those cases! Middle schoolers should be allowed to go to the library or the Kantina during their tutorials.

Allowing students to go to the library or the Kantina during tutorials helps people who wish to study with non-classmates. Nate Umstead, an 8th grader, agreed, and argued that it “helps that you can work with people you don’t have classes with.” Allowing students to go to the library or Kantina during tutorials also allows siblings to meet up with each other, and gives students who don't have a lot of close friends in their classes other options for working in a close group. This way, an average middle schooler will have a larger range of peers outside of their classes to work with, thus providing a more social way of learning. 

Second, the larger range of work space helps students to learn time management skills and get over procrastination. Tutorials can be full of people simply looking for a way to chat with friends, or play Tetris in the corner. Lily Lee, an 8th grader, stated: “Sometimes tutorials are filled with people. There are also people who just talk while I want to work alone in peace.” Limiting countless distractions while a student is working can help them to have a more efficient review of the day’s work. By giving students who simply want to spend time with friends or gaming a place to do so will separate those who wish to spend their tutorials differently and make sure that each group can make their own choices without bothering others! Middle schoolers will have a better academic experience in high school if they learn the skills of choosing what is best for their work and learning sooner rather than later.

Finally, studies show that taking a break from studying increases blood flow to the muscles and reduces the activity of stress hormones. The stress of the day can sometimes be too much for students to handle, and unwinding at the end of the day by getting some food, catching up with friends, sometimes even just sitting in a beanbag in the fresh aircon can be just what people need. Furthermore, taking some time to calm down and refresh our minds can help us learn better, rather than forcing our overworked brains to function and making several mistakes in our studying. The Kantina and the library will help provide an entirely new atmosphere from the stress from classes that will help people’s mental health!

The library and Kantina will provide multiple opportunities for students, ranging from health benefits to proper time management. A larger range of people to work with, learning the skill of getting over procrastination, and the access to somewhere where students can simply unwind can help middle school students have a much more enriching experience in school.

Reyn B.

I understand that there are some middle school students who don’t need to catch up on work during tutorials. They might want to go somewhere quiet and peaceful like the library or go someplace where they could grab some food like the Kantina. But is that really a good idea? I don’t think so. Middle schoolers should not be allowed to go to the library or Kantina during tutorials.

Some may say allowing middle schoolers more freedom during tutorial time could help them build independence. Some students may argue that they don’t like that they have to go to their Advisory if they have nowhere else to go to during tutorials, and some students might find the library to be a peaceful place to work and the Kantina as a place where they could relax and grab a bite to eat. I’ve surveyed students and examined the information, and believe me when I say that even with those reasons, going to the library or Kantina during tutorials still shouldn’t be allowed for middle schoolers, and here’s why.

Middle Schoolers easily get off-task, and many struggle to be productive. A few years back, eighth graders were allowed to use the library as their workplace during tutorials. Unfortunately, they ended up only chatting with friends and not getting any work done, which is why the middle school stopped the policy of allowing middle schoolers to go to the library during tutorials. At this age, teenagers feel the need to socialize, fit in, and have fun. Middle schoolers, in general, may not be prepared to make good choices and prioritize productivity over socialization. 

There are many benefits in attending tutorials. Students get to receive one-on-one attention from their teacher, which helps improve their performance on the subject they’re attending tutorials in. Tutorials are also a time for students to approach their teacher to help them study for upcoming assessments, work on performance tasks, and take any retakes. Tutorials are very crucial; students shouldn’t take those 30 minutes for granted. If they don’t require assistance from a teacher, they can go to their Advisory and grab a book to read. 

The library and the Kantina won’t be of much help in making sure middle schoolers get a chance to catch up on their upcoming due dates and tasks. If all middle schoolers are allowed to go to the library during tutorials, a lot of students may enter the library and loiter. It will be hard to focus with the noise created by the students who are just talking. The Kantina won’t do much either in terms of making sure middle schoolers use their time productively, since it may already be noisy in the first place, and the environment is distracting. 

The library or Kantina shouldn’t be a workplace for middle schoolers during tutorials. Allowing middle school students to use the library or Kantina just has too many disadvantages. 30 minutes. 30 minutes of your time to ask a teacher for help or to simply read. The cons outweigh the pros and I don’t think we should risk putting the productivity of  our fellow middle schoolers at stake.