Published
June 07, 2013
Summer learning loss is a concern for parents and teachers alike, as research further documents the reality of this trend. The
National Summer Learning Association cites research spanning 100 years that consistently shows students score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on those same examinations before summer break begins. Evidence also points to the fact that summer learning loss contributes significantly to the widening achievement gap between low-income and middle-income students as they progress through the school years. What can parents do to prevent this trend with their own children? Check out these 10 summer options to keep your kids learning all summer long.
Talk to Your Child’s Teacher
A report at
Today advises parents to
talk to their child’s teacher prior to the end of the school year, to get recommendations on material to cover over the summer. The teacher can alert you to potential gaps in your child’s learning that you can work to fill during the break. Some teachers will even have reading lists or workbook selections that would be most beneficial to your child’s summer learning program.
The Summer Reading Adventure
Local libraries are a boon to parents and kids over the summer months. Many have summer reading programs, complete with enticing prizes if kids read a certain number of books or log a particular number of reading hours over the vacation months. In addition, regular trips to the library stimulate a child’s love of reading, by showing...
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Published
June 07, 2013
Summer school may be a requirement if your child did not pass one of his classes during the school year. It might also be a choice for a student that wants to get ahead for the upcoming academic year. No matter what the reason might be behind the summer school choice, it can be challenging to hit the books when everyone else is enjoying vacation time. Check out these 10 tips to help your child survive and succeed in his summer school efforts.
Avoid Learning Loss
Is summer school the right choice for your child, or would a break from the stress and strain of class be more beneficial? According to a 2003 study cited at
GreatSchools.org,
summer learning loss can be a concern for parents of struggling students. The study found students lost up to one month of learning by the time they headed back to school in the fall. This gap may be even higher for students who traditionally struggle with academics.
Choose the Right Class
Some summer classes may be filled with remedial students or students with severe learning disabilities that do not serve to motivate your own student to success. When searching for a summer class, consider the environment your student will be working in, to ensure it will breed success. The right class will be well worth the cost if your student is able to succeed.
Online or Classroom Choice
Today’s summer student has the choice between online and in-person classes. According to the
Wisconsin Journal...
Published
January 20, 2013
The
long and lazy days of summer may become significantly shorter for some students across the country, if proponents of longer school years get their way. More schools are examining how to add days to the school year, either by
lengthening the current school day or shortening summer vacation. Those in favor of more school time say the change is necessary to avoid the
academic slide many school children face during the long summer months. Opponents argue that reducing summer vacation strips children of the needed respite from the academic grind and the opportunity for more in-depth learning opportunities. While both sides may have a legitimate point to make, the debate may be won by those that have the most educational and political clout.
Education Secretary Leads the Charge
One of the biggest proponents for more school time is
Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Duncan told the
Washington Times it should be no surprise that American students are falling behind their counterparts across that globe that are going to school in countries not bound by a 180-day school year. Duncan noted in the
New York Times that the original 180-day school year was based on the agrarian economy, where children were expected to help in the fields during the summer months. That model is no longer accurate for today’s educational environment or the future workforce.
“If we’re serious about closing achievement gaps – we can’t keep doing business as usual,” Duncan was reported as saying in the...
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Published
December 16, 2012
Nearly 20,000 students across the United States are about to see their
classroom time get significantly longer. Five states are participating in a new project to improve the state of education in the U.S. At the core of the project is 300 additional hours of school time each year, which will be designed to improve learning outcomes and provide students with a wealth of supplemental learning opportunities. While many are hopeful the additional class time will bring U.S. students up to par with students across the globe, others are skeptical that simply extending the time students spend in school will really bring the quality of instruction and learning to the next level.
About the Time Collaborative
The new program, dubbed the “Time Collaborative,” is indeed a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Education, the Ford Foundation and the National Center for Time and Learning. According to
CNN, the three-year initiative will involve 40 schools in the states of Colorado, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Tennessee. Each school will be responsible for adding the additional 300 hours in daily classroom time and number of days on the school calendar. For a school on a typical 180-day calendar, 300 hours breaks down to around 90 minutes of additional classroom time daily.
Reuters reports that funding for the new project will come from a variety of sources, including federal and state government. The National Center on Time and Learning and the Ford Foundation have also pledged around $3 million in grant funding over...
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Published
October 04, 2012
While every parent hopes for academic success for their children, most are unsure how to go about nurturing and guiding their children to that success. Students that are successful in the classroom often exhibit similar characteristics, no matter what their age, gender or cultural background. By identifying the characteristics common to successful students, parents can go to work helping their kids develop those traits that will reap the greatest benefit for them in school.
Eagerness to Learn
Children who perform best in school have a natural eagerness to learn new things. According to
Education.com, much of that eagerness stems from parents and others in the child’s life that have offered a world of interesting things to discover. When children are exposed to many different environments at a young age, they quickly learn that the world is a big, interesting place just waiting for them to explore. However, parents that work this concept too hard may burn a child out on the learning process before school even begins. It is also important for kids to have plenty of free time both with other children and alone to create and play.
Love of Reading
The
U.S. Department of Education states that the most important things parents can do to ensure their children’s success in school is to
nurture a love of reading. This process begins while your child is still an infant. Although a baby may not understand the story at this young age, he will quickly learn to enjoy the act...
Recent Public School Articles:
Published
June 07, 2013
Summer loss is a real phenomenon that can be easily avoided, as long as children keep their minds sharp in the warm months. Use these 10 tips to help your student retain all they learned through the year.
10 Tips for Surviving Summer School
For students who must make up classes in summer school, or simply want to get ahead of the game, there are simple ways to make the class time easier to handle. Check out these survival tips if you are summer school bound.
Tuition-free Online High Schools
Learn how you can attend a tuition-free online high school accredited by your state.
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