Summer Education Checklist for Parents
Summer is here! How are your students going to spend it? Summer break may be some students’ favorite time while for others, it may be a more stressful time. One way parents can support students is by continuing the excitement of learning year-round. This checklist is the perfect resource for allowing students to rest, have fun, and learn a thing or two over the break.
Much controversy surrounds the idea of the “summer slide.” Do students actually lose their skills from the previous year? Some research proves it does, especially for lower-income families. Other professionals claim this research was poorly executed. Nevertheless, the summer is used as a time for rest and recuperation after months of hard academic work, both for students and educators. This controversy doesn’t hinder our desire to support student learning during the next few months.
Despite the controversy, summer breaks are the perfect time to develop skills that aren’t taught as much in the classroom, such as social skills. Taking an intentional break can also reduce stress in students and greatly improve mental health. Though this break has many critical benefits, helping students stay connected to material learned in the previous year is a must.
Keeping students engaged and academically challenged gives students and educators a head starts in the start of the school year so they do not have to repeat as much older material. Some research proves that being proactive against the summer slide in a student’s early years can have benefits later in their academic career.
Mobile Ed has a few ways parents and families can support student learning while having an amazing summer:
- Read! Read! Read! Reading is one of the best ways to support a student’s cognitive development. Reading builds vocabulary, self-expression, and knowledge of the world. And though some students may enjoy reading more than others, reading a book they love doesn’t feel like schoolwork; it’s just fun! Most local libraries have accessible summer reading challenges for students and adults. Completing a challenge or reading books on your own are wonderful ways to keep students’ minds active.
- Consider Summer School. Summer school programs are typically short, and they help many students get ahead in their education. A few benefits of summer school include academic advancement, social development, and maintaining a routine. Some families may consider participating in one for a variety of reasons, including academic support.
- Get Outside. Summer allows for activities that may not be available in other months of the year. Getting students outside to play or explore can help students see the science all around them. Spending quality time outdoors teaches students to appreciate the environment and apply their previous school lessons to the world around them.
- Create Something. Creativity is an important function of the brain and helps to support cognitive development, curiosity, imagination, and memory. Challenge your students’ creativity by creating something new. Find a DIY project, start a garden, build with LEGOs, or find some paints. This may be a perfect time to learn a new artistic or technical skill not taught during classes or experiment with new projects and materials.
- Take a Field Trip. Learning doesn’t just happen inside a classroom; there are plenty of other places to explore! Easily find a nature trail, a petting farm, a zoo, an aquarium, a park, or a nature center near you. Use the summertime as a way to take students to exciting places that cultivate new knowledge while having a great time.
- Volunteer. Have your students had positive volunteer experiences? Now might be the perfect time to get involved in the community to make it a better, brighter place. Volunteering teaches students the effects of being generous with their time as well as provides experience in learning empathy, teamwork, and leadership skills.
- Attend a Family Night. Family nights are happening all the time and are typically hosted by schools, cities, and community centers. Find a family night to attend to create some fun memories while also building social skills. You can find family night ideas here.
- Try Something New. What’s something your students have never done before? Tried a certain food? Experienced a local museum? Cooked their favorite dish? Take this summer as an opportunity to do something new with your students. Providing new experiences to students is part of the learning process and can be both exciting and informative.
Need more ways to make learning fun and accessible for all students? Our blog has weekly tips to make education engaging and exciting at home and in the classroom.
