Whether your child has already started summer break or school will end in the next few weeks, you may be thinking, now what? Is there anything my child should do this summer after this crazy school year?
First off, teachers will be prepared to deal with deficits in learning as a result of this school year. They know that many students struggled with remote learning, hybrid learning, asynchronous lessons, and all the various combinations of instruction.
Even so, you still may be worried if he or she will be ready for the next grade.
Take a deep breath and read about some things kids can do this summer.
Rest and Relaxation
I believe rest and relaxation should be the number one way kids spend their time over the summer. Especially this summer.
For more than a year, students have faced disruptions to routines, remote learning, and social isolation. Some kids have dealt with the devastating effects of the virus when family members became sick or passed away. Or they have worried that their loved ones would get sick.
As a result, just like adults, kids have increased levels of cortisol - the stress hormone - which can affect health now and in the future. It’s important to find ways to bring cortisol levels back to normal.
Kids should be given time to relax and recharge after this really stressful school year. They need to be outside enjoying nature, playing games, swimming, getting together with friends, etc.
Then they can start the new school year on a positive note.
Summer School
Some states are requiring schools to offer summer school but parents have a choice whether to send their kids.
I am not in favor of kids going to summer school for an entire month or two. I can see sending kids for a couple of weeks but only if there will be actual teaching happening. If kids will be using computer programs to catch up, that’s no better than when they were doing virtual school.
ELA and Math are usually the subjects offered at the expense of Social Studies, Science, and the Arts. ELA and Math activities could - and should - include Social Studies and Science topics. Kids can read and write about their home state, ancient Greece or the Industrial Revolution. They can practice reading by following directions to complete a science experiment and then write about their findings.
Science experiments have a natural tie in to math - measurement, elapsed time, computation, graphing, and interpreting data.
All the core subjects can be explored through the lens of the arts. Not only do studies show arts education improves achievement across the board, using the arts makes learning less mundane.
We shouldn’t look at summer school as punishment. It is an opportunity to catch students up, but it is also a chance to get kids more interested in subjects they may not have been all that interested in during the school year.
Tutoring
Tutoring can help kids keep skills sharp and avoid the summer slide. If students meet with a tutor one-on-one, specific skill gaps can be addressed. Those skills can be explored more deeply and filled more quickly than if your child is in a classroom with other students who may have different needs.
Online tutoring makes the process more convenient and less time-consuming for parents and students. A session can be completed and students can get right back to whatever they were doing before the session. Students can stay at home where they feel comfortable. Parents don’t have to drive back and forth to a learning center, the library, or a coffee shop.
If you think your child can benefit from online tutoring, Success Tutoring is here to help. You can learn more about us at www.successtutoring.org.