That is the age-old question: Should my children attend summer school? It is usually followed by a qualifier...,
- He is struggling in so many subjects...
- She is excelling; will summer school get her farther ahead?...
- I have to work, can't afford child care, and don't want them to stay home alone...
There are as many answers as there are qualifiers...and children...to this question. Here is some food for thought:
- More of the same isn't better. Make sure their summer experience enriches and accelerates rather than simply being a repeat of what they have done all year.
- As a general rule, children need a break from school, but not from learning. In fact, you can't keep them from learning. Make sure their summer experiences are rich.
- If your children are behind grade level in any subject, they need to catch up over the summer.
- If your children are not scheduled for math Algebra I or higher by 9th grade, they need to accelerate over the summer.
- Summer school or not, reading every day is a must! Children lose 2 months' reading skills, on average, over the summer. If they are struggling readers, choral read with them 15 minutes a day, every day.
- If you want to enrich their learning, look to something they don't have time for during the school year...sports, music lessons, field trips,
For more detail on this topic and ideas for alternative learning experiences, please check out our YouTube Video: Amp Up for Summer!
