Summer is a time for fun--a time to take a break and slow down. It's also a time when children can lose valuable academic skills that they have built up throughout the school year. Duke University researchers conducted a review of studies that show that students' achievement score do indeed decline between spring and fall, and that this loss of skills is greater for math than it is in reading.
The good news is that there are steps that families can take to limit the loss of skills their children experience over the summer, while still having fun! You can also get help with this through the use of a teacher or tutor. Consider these ideas when thinking about how you'll encourage your child to learn this summer:
- Find teaching opportunities in everyday life. Reinforce math concepts by cooking with your child, building a birdhouse, or setting up a lemonade stand. Watch the news or read the newspaper together and discuss current events. Summer is a great time to encourage reading! Allow your child to find reading material that complements his interests: wildlife or sports magazines, mystery novels, comics and graphic novels are all great ways to foster a love of literacy. Develop writing skills by writing letters to family members or encouraging your child to keep a journal.
- Take educational field trips/vacations. Trying to plan a fun family get away? Consider adding an educational stop to your itinerary. Museums, aquariums, and zoos can be a fun and often inexpensive addition to a child's summer learning experience.
Visit the library. Public libraries have all kinds of summer programs planned. In addition, many public school libraries are open for limited hours during the summer (check with your child's school). - Take time to reinforce skills they've struggled with. Summer is a great time for reflection. Reflect on the past school year with your child and identify areas for improvement. Use the summer as an opportunity to build up those skills. Find a teacher or tutor in the area who can help you identify best ways to improve these areas over the summer.
- Take time to get ahead/Use a tutor to reinforce skills needed. Summer is also a great time to prepare for the upcoming school year. Find out what skills your child will need for the next school year. For instance, if your student is in North Carolina, check out this Parent Resources page for links to NC Standard Course of Study and objectives for specific subjects by grade level) and work on those skills. The best way to keep specific skills sharp is to find a tutor that you feel can consistently reinforce these skills. Most parents make the mistake of only pursuing a tutor when the student is already struggling during the school year. Finding a highly qualified tutor in preparation for the school year will ensure success for the upcoming year and beyond.
- Keep it fun! After all, it is summer. Your kids most likely don't want to sit and do worksheets or review flashcards any more than you do. They want to go swimming, ride their bikes, and play baseball--and they should! Physical activity is important for developing well-rounded kids. It contributes to their overall health as well as their ability to focus.
Setting your student up for educational success is a year long activity, not just something reserved for the ten months of the school year. However, learning over the summer does not have to be something that is stressful or laborious. Make learning a part of everyday life and relate it to the most enjoyable aspects of your child's life. Enlist the help of a tutor who can make learning fun in a one-on-one interactive environment. This ensures a consistent educational enrichment and prevents the loss of skills that were hard earned the previous school year.
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