Summer learning loss can cause worry for parents, families, and educators across the globe. Being out of the school setting and daily routines, students are at risk to experience the summer slide, a regression in academic proficiency due to summer break.
To support parents during the summer months, Roz Burt, founding principal at Center Line Preparatory Academy, researched and gathered 10 summer learning tips for parents and families to use while students are away from an academic setting to sustain and progress their academic skillsets!
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Studies indicate that students who don’t read or read infrequently during their summer vacation see their reading abilities stagnate or decline.” To support daily reading for your students, you can take them to a local library, listen to books on tape, find budget-friendly books at local stores, or even download books on a Kindle.
2. Get outside.
Be active for at least 60 minutes every day! Be creative and resourceful. Children need 60 minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day to grow up to a healthy weight.
3. Keep a summer journal.
Have your child write in their journal each day. This could be as simple as writing the date and what they did the day before. Parents can choose to go online and find topics for students to write about, for example selecting a topic for the day or week.
4. Do a good deed.
Motivate your child to do volunteer work. “Giving back is one of the major pieces of our high school,” shared Burt. Giving back ties to our Moral Focus curriculum, which aims to develop the whole student, heart and character included and infuses Moral Focus virtues like gratitude, compassion, and perseverance into their education. This practice is infused in the school culture. By getting involved students are also able to further develop emotional and social skills.
5. Keep a bedtime routine.
It may be difficult to keep a nighttime routine during the summer months, but even being on some type of routine during the week is extremely beneficial. This keeps students on track for when school opens back up and parents don't have to work as hard to get them back in a routine.
6. Find creative ways to practice math.
Making math fun may seem like a challenge, but there are plenty of ways parents can practice math with their child while school is out of session. For example, go to the store and have them tally up the grocery list. Then, give money to the cashier and have them tell you how much change they should get back.
7. Eat smart and eat healthily.
Make sure your child gets plenty of fruits and veggies. You can get creative and let them have a dipping sauce such as ranch or hummus!
8. Practice vocabulary.
Have your child learn a new word every week and try to pick a word that they typically wouldn’t utilize. This will allow your child to expand their knowledge and vocabulary.
9. Increase reading comprehension skills.
To increase your child’s reading comprehension, here are readily available resources!
- newsela.com is free and is an Instructional Content Platform that brings together engaging, accessible content with integrated assessments and insights to supercharge reading engagement and learning in every subject.
- Khan Academy has free online courses, lessons, and practice with the goal of creating a set of online tools that help educate students.
- For help in creating a daily schedule, visit keeplearning.khanacademy.org.
10. Talk to your child about social justice and racial equality.
While the conversations may be difficult, it’s important to have conversations with your child about social justice and racial equality in your home. Common Sense Media provides articles and a list of media recommendations to help parents have those conversations.
Happy summer learning! We look forward to kicking off Center Line’s first school year in the fall.
About Center Line Preparatory Academy
Center Line Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Center Line, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through 12th grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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