Did you know that over the course of the summer the average student forgets nearly 60% of the math, reading and writing skills learned during the school year? For weaker students, in particular, a two-month vacation from learning can be an enormous setback.
A wise parent will make sure that learning comes high on the checklist of things to accomplish over the summer break. Learning doesn’t need to take a vacation just because school is out.
Of course if your child is away at camp for most of the summer, his or her learning opportunities are restricted. But for those who are home for even half a summer, the rewards to be gained from a summer learning program cannot be overestimated.
Most children can use reinforcement in one or more of the basic skills. Whether it is reading, writing or math skills that have not gelled, or social dynamics that have bred unhappiness and frustration, the problems will inevitably resurface in September—sometimes with a vengeance.
A summer of fun combined with sensible learning strategies that ensure scholastic growth, however, can put a struggling child right over the top. Such a summer can pave the way for a school year of happiness and success.
By utilizing summer’s potential to the fullest, parents can literally reverse a child’s academic and social standing. And by seeking out available learning programs, they can do all this in ways that are stimulating, fun and immensely productive.
Staying Afloat With Lifejackets
“Lifejackets” is our customized approach to summer learning in a relaxed but goal-oriented atmosphere. We enable children not only to stay “afloat” with the skills they have acquired during the school year, but to achieve greater proficiency in areas in which they need strengthening.
Tailored to individual needs, “Lifejackets,” a branch of our S.O.S. program, not only prevents the automatic backsliding that affects children over the summer; the learning program, open to children from first to eighth grade, in small groups or on a one-to-one basis, targets specific reading, writing and math deficits that have been impeding a child’s scholastic progress.
Our goal is to get children back on track and restore their zest for learning. We locate the “point of departure”—where the child became academically derailed—and over a period of days or weeks, depending on the need, concentrate on building up the child’s skills to an appropriate level.
Lifejackets taps into a child’s sense of fun and desire to succeed, using carefully selected motivational tools and strong incentives. We realize how precious summer freedom is, but we know, too, how stimulating and rewarding the taste of success can be for children who have been struggling.
Tips for Summer Learning
For those children who do not require a structured remedial program, the following are suggestions for informal learning that will aid you in keeping summer learning alive.
Make sure to set aside time each day for reading. Be careful to supervise the selection of books at the library to weed out those with undesirable content. Buy puzzle books with crosswords and word search puzzles at the grocery or discount store, then sit down together and solve a puzzle!
Plan a vacation together. Find out all you can about the place you plan to visit. Read maps and guidebooks. List the places you want to see along the way. Plan a budget for the trip as well. A fifth- or sixth-grade child can even help calculate gas mileage every time you fill the tank!
Make a scrapbook of photos and mementos when you return from your trip. Purchase or put together a journal that kids can use to record their vacation experiences. Have your child write out captions below each item and encourage your children to write postcards to friends and relatives while they are away.
Plant a garden. If you don’t have much room, plant a couple of flowers in pots. Give your child some responsibility for these growing plants, like watering and weeding.
Save loose change and decide whether to get a hamster or goldfish. Have your children write up an agreement about taking care of the animal, cleaning its cage or tank, feeding, etc.
Visit museums, art galleries, theme parks, zoos, aquariums, cultural centers and historical sites to create learning experiences for the whole family.
Visit forests, ravines, waterfalls, rivers, lakes and ‘natural’ wonders such as caves and mountains to pave the way for informative discussions about nifla’os haBoreh (the wonders of creation).
Whether you opt for unstructured, informal learning for your child, or a corrective, skill-building program like Lifejackets, don’t let the summer fly by without reaping the benefits of a summer learning program.
Make sure your child is given enough input to re-enter school in the fall in a new mode of confidence, eager and ready for whatever challenges are in store.
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Mrs. Rifka Schonfeld founded and directs the widely acclaimed educational program, S.O.S., servicing all grade levels in secular as well as Hebrew studies. She is a well-known and highly regarded educator, having served the community for close to 30 years.
