Tutor's Tips to Avoid Summer Slide - Guest Blog by Mary Kerwin of Confident Kids Now
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Once upon a time, this was the only summer slide we thought about.
Fun. Cool. Refreshing.
Just enough of a challenge to get the adrenaline flowing.
The "summer slide" everyone talks about now is the loss of learning that takes place between the day kids start summer vacation and the day they go back to school.
Call it brain drain, summer set-back, or summer slide - summer learning loss is real. Numerous studies show that there is a significant slide in knowledge from the end of school in June until it’s start-up after break. An average of a full two months is lost! (One 2009-2012 study using data from over half a million students in grades 2-9 found that students, on average, lost between 25 – 30 percent of their school-year learning over the summer.)
Teachers and students feel its pains when school resumes after summer vacation. What, exactly, does that mean? Students who were given the exact same standardized test at the end of one school year, then the beginning of the next scored an average of two months behind where they were before vacation.
This loss becomes increasingly problematic in today’s educational settings, where everything is accelerated, and the emphasis is on test grades. It's even more problematic to those who are struggling to keep up with often unrealistic standards.
The flip side is that studies also show that our brains need a "vacation" to function optimally. Forcing kids to do workbook drills over the summer is not the answer. And, students who go to "academic" camps do not necessarily fair better at the start of school. Their brains are fatigued.
There are some general ways to combat summer slide. All involve experiential activities that are fun for kids and adults alike; that cause them to think; that ARE NOT drills or quizzes.
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1. READ
Read to your kids, with your kid, around your kid. It doesn't really matter what kids read - just do it. It doesn't matter if it's not on grade level. It doesn't matter if the back of a cereal box. Do it for the pleasure of reading.
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2. COOK
Make it an interactive experience. Throw out the need for perfectionism and neatness. Allow your kids to get down and dirty and messy. Messy can be cleaned. The experience should be relaxed and fun. Two easy recipes are ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS and, if you're really daring, FRITTATA (and let the kids crack the eggs. Just make sure you have extra.)https://www.confidentkidsnow.com/services-coaching-group-parent-supp What's digging out a couple of shells compared to the sense of accomplishment, learning, and bonding that will come out of a positive experience?
3. ST(R)E(A)M EXPERIMENTS
STEM with reading, writing, and the arts added. Sounds complicated but it's as easy as one, two, three.
1. Make predictions. Make sure to write down your hypothesis.
2. Perform the experiment, following the sequence of directions.
3. Record your results. Was the hypothesis proven, or disproven? (There is no right or wrong - just proven or not). Discuss your results - Why you got the results you did. What could you do to change the results?
Keep it fun.
Click here for a quick, easy, no special equipment needed, experiment to do together.
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4. LEARN A NEW SKILL
Code, knit, paint, learn a new sport, or whatever creative passion they might have. Tap into it. Something “new” can be something “fun” if it aligns with existing interests.
They will maintain a learning mindset, and absorb additional, valuable skills they might not have a chance to learn elsewhere.
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5. GET OUTSIDE
Oxygen is one of the best ways to wake up the brain. Spend time outside.
Keep learning. Keep moving. Keep reading.
Go to the head of the class when the school year starts.
Be on the list to be in the know on all things parenting. Best practices from those who've done it.
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MARY KERWIN is an expert in helping kids to develop the confidence and self-esteem skills that they need to thrive now, and grow into happy, confident, successful adults. Her more than 40 years in education, along with her training as a coach and practical experience gained from raising her own 4 children, give her an understanding of the needs of each child, as well as the needs of a parent. This makes her uniquely qualified to help children, support parents, and nurture tomorrow’s leaders. Her programs provide hands-on experiences for children allowing them to explore and grow while building skills and having fun.
To learn more about her, go to confidentkidsnow.com.
Click here to schedule a complimentary telephone consultation for your child or family’s needs.
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