"Maximizing Summer Learning: Preventing the Slide and Reaping the Benefits"

One of the greatest misconceptions in education (especially among children) is that learning only occurs during 9 months of the year in the space of 4 walls. This is absolutely not true! Learning is a lifelong, yearlong journey- that in my opinion one should always be on. There should never be a time that you're not learning, because there's never a time in life where you've learned everything you need to know. Life is always changing, there's always something new that's being discovered, and there are many areas in which we may need to simply relearn.

With that being said, there's a concept that I want to address as students head into summer break- 'Summer Slide', or 'Summer Learning Loss'. Many education experts state that during the summer months, many students tend to lose information they've learned from the previous school year due to lack of educational engament during summer break. As a former educator, I can say that one of the biggest hurdles of the new year was having to go back and re-teach skills from the previous year (which was only a couple of months prior) before teaching any new material, which of course would take us off 'schedule'. Although summer is seen as a time for children to relax, there are benefits to keeping children academically engaged. And there are fun ways to do so! Below I will discuss both.

Benefits of Summer Learning Engagement:

1. Address any gaps- If there were any areas in which your child did not excel, or meet expectations, the summer is a great opportunity to review those areas. Your child can focus directly just on those particular areas without being inundated with many different new skills to learn. It's a great time to also pinpoint any further gaps that may not have been addressed during the school year.

2. Prepare for upcoming school year- If your child did not have any issues during the school year, academically, that's great! The summer is a time for them to be challenged and begin to become familiar with topics that will be learned in the next grade. Getting a head start on new skills can help your child to be confident, and also allow for wiggle room in case any issues to arise.

3. Review previous material- Even if you don't want your child to learn any new material, it's still a good idea for him or her to review what's already been learned. When we don't engage with something for a certain amount of time, we tend to forget. That happens in education as well. So, it's a good idea to help keep some of this information at the forefront of your child's mind.

Ways to Foster Summer Learning:

1. Read, Read, Read!!!- One of the best ways to grow in literacy skills is to read everyday. The amount of time to read is based on the child's age; although 20-30 minutes a day is a good start. Get the entire family engaged by going to your local library or bookstore and choosing books to read together and have discussions as you read. Struggling or younger readers can use an audiobook and follow along for extra support as well.

2. Practice math skills- The summer is a great time for math drills. Time your child on skills such as multiplication facts and offer some type prize when goals are reached. Prizes that don't require money could include later bed time, extra screen time, etc...

3. Play educational games- There are many educational games that help children practice math, reading, writing skills and much more. It's best to research what's age appropriate and best fits your child's needs. If you're looking for free games, it may be best to ask your local library what they offer with a library account- some you can have access to at home, but many you have to actually go to the library.

4. Field trips - This is one of my personal favorite ways to learn outside of the classroom! This will take some research as well, but there are many opportunities for field trips. Local museums, libraries, parks, nature centers, national parks, etc... all offer learning experiences.

5. Real life experiences- There are so many ways for children to learn and apply what they've learned in the classroom to real life scenarios. A trip to the grocery store can become lessons in rounding, adding, unit rates, percentages (sales tax), etc... You can have your child calculate the tip when you eat at a restaurant. At home you can conduct fun science experiments. You can also make a meal together or bake, which practices reading, science, and math skills.

6. Summer Enrichment Programs- If you have the opportunity to enroll your child in a summer program, look for those who focus on the following: literacy, STEM, art, music, and of course physical activities. Make sure that these programs don't look or feel like school, because that can turn your child off.

7. Hire a tutor- A tutor would be a great addition to what you're practicing at home. Tutors can focus on the gaps in learning and bring children up to speed. They can also help in preparing your child with the necessary skills needed for the upcoming school year. And the benefit is that it can be an hour or less per session!

Hopefully the biggest takeaway from this article is that it's important in your child's academic journey to not look at learning as something that's only done in school. Learning is year round and most importantly, learning can be fun! If you need help figuring out ways to keep your child engaged this summer, or would like to hire a tutor, feel free to contact us for a Free consultation at info@bridginggapstutoring.com . We are also offering some math boot camps, so click on the Services tab to learn more.