Summer Learning: Educational Back to School Resources
Research shows that kids who have intellectual or educational experiences over the summer return to school better prepared for the year ahead. The reason is simple: Kids (and us grown-ups, too, for that matter) retain more of what we learn and are ready to absorb more when we’re continuously engaged in learning. The benefits accrue when we think, experiment and apply — whether we’re using back to school resources or trying to master a new sport or hobby.
“The key factor to evaluate is whether the activity provides an opportunity to think, collaborate, meet new people or engage in projects that offer lots of choice,” says Oona Abrams, an English teacher in Bergen County, NJ.
Pediatric occupational therapist Molly Harris agrees. “The first — and easiest — trick to getting kids engaged in summer learning activities without making them feel like they’re back in school is to keep things fun and adventurous,” advises the New York consultant and mom.
Back to School Resources for Reading
“Kids who read for pleasure keep their brains functional,” says Kevin Daugherty, a high school teacher in Springfield, MO. Encourage leisure reading with magazines, graphic novels and books on topics your kids like. “High-interest texts allow personal connections while sneaking in comprehension, vocabulary, prediction and theme skills.” But he advises against using the summer to get a jump on school-year reading. “Too often kids who pre-read materials pretend that a re-read or deeper study of said materials is unnecessary during the semester.”
Andrea McIlwain’s daughter loves to read in school and out. “We encourage that habit with trips to the library throughout the summer and a generous subsidy of book purchases for her e-reader,” the Des Moines mother notes.
Back to School Resources for Writing
Writing is probably the best academic brain workout kids can get, because it requires all the skills of reading and some of the logical skills of math and science. “Encourage kids to journal in a notebook or diary for 15 to 20 minutes a day about whatever’s on their minds,” says Steve Peha, founder of Teaching That Makes Sense in Carrboro, NC. “If you’re taking a trip, suggest keeping a travelogue and writing postcards and letters to friends and family.”
Don’t think your kids will write? “Here’s a simple trick that works like magic: You write first,” Peha suggests. “When kids see their parents writing regularly to real people for real reasons that really matter, they almost always want to write, too.”
Back to School Resources for Arithmetic
It’s unlikely you’ll get your kids doing fractions and long division during the summer — unless you sneak it in. Glenn Kessinger, a middle school instructional facilitator in Yakima, WA, says the key is to “stay in the learning zone. Instill in your kids that learning is something we do all the time. It’s not just a school thing.” Embed math into other activities. Have your child build a budget to buy a toy or activity she really wants. Engage him in planning and making meals. Ask kids to help you plot the route for a family vacation or excursion on a map or app.
When her kids were younger, McIlwain purchased back to school resources like math workbooks for practicing. “We do use educational apps throughout the school year,” she says. “My daughter learned her multiplication table using Multiplication and Times Tables Quiz.”
Downtime
While teachers obviously want kids to be learning and growing all the time, they also recognize the importance of time off. So don’t feel you need to push your children too hard. “Most kids’ school days are very calculated and planned,” Harris says. “That’s why it important to balance learning experiences with good amount of downtime, too.”
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