Embracing Summer Vacation
- Tavia Young, M.Ed.
- Mar 8, 2016
- 3 min read
Summer will be here before we know it! Beach trips, camps, pool days, swim team, and fun in the sun are all on our list for summer vacation. Summer is a time for your children to relax, unwind, and take some time to themselves after a long school year. They've worked tirelessly in school from morning until evening for 180 days and deserve a break!
Although summer may be perceived as a time of no school work, it actually can create some major setbacks in your child's academic future. Mark Griffin, Founding Headmaster at Eagle Hill School says that "summer learning loss can set a break and time to recharge their batteries, but summer is a critical time for students to review taught information, preview new skills, and brush up on known weaknesses. I've tutored students year round for years now and can see a drastic difference in their ability to grasp and apply new information during the summer months versus the school year. Students are rested and do not have any other stressors on their mind when working with a tutor during the summer. They're not thinking of the plethora of information they've received during the school day, upcoming tests, and looming homework to complete.
What Can Parents Do to Help?
- "A good tutor may be the single best way to maintain and perhaps increase your child's skills over the summer. Talk with your child about when and where to schedule these tutoring sessions during a summer of fun. And look for a tutor who is skilled in helping kids with learning and attention issues." (www.understood.org) Give your child the freedom of their schedule during the summer. Let them help make the decisions so that they'll take ownership in their leaning. Make it fun!
- Take advantage of enriching summer experiences such as visiting the library, local museums, parks, or encourage your child to research shells, animals, or other things you've seen on vacation.
- Encourage your child to keep a summer journal by letting him/her freely write about experiences. Use these journals to motivate your child to add more details to their writings and illustrations, and to edit for spelling/grammar mistakes. Writing personal narratives are a very important skill students practice with their teachers throughout the school year, so get a step ahead!
- Read, read, read! There are no boundaries on reading during the summer, so take advantage of this gift. Share this experience with your child by taking turns reading aloud, have your child simply listen to you as you read aloud, read the same book as your child and have a "book club" where you compare opinions on the book, recreate book covers after you've read the book by using art materials.
- "Cooking is a great way to work on reading, writing and math. Ask your child to write the grocery list, find items in the store and read the recipe aloud during cooking time. Measuring ingredients can also help keep math skills from getting rusty. Plus you'll get to eat the recipe at the end!" (www.understood.org)
- Look into summer academic camps in your community. Many private schools and local organizations have some fun summer camps and are academically focused. This would be a great opportunity to sign up with a friend, have fun, and learn at the same time!
Visit the following site for more information regarding summer learning loss:
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