Why Students Should Engage In Summer Learning
By Brandi Goodman
Just because school is out for the summer doesn't mean students shouldn't still be learning. You don't need to attend a summer school to do it, either. Learning can take place in numerous ways -- at home or elsewhere. Your students should be engaged in learning opportunities all summer long.
Retaining Information
Some schools send home learning packets that have students working on problems they've already seen. This is a great way to help them retain information. Many return to school in the fall without remembering everything they learned the year prior. It usually takes a period of recovery to get that information back in the brain. Working on some stuff at home throughout the summer can help your student better retain the information they learned before and make good use of it once they return to school again. If the school didn't send anything, look up free online worksheets or purchase some workbooks from the store for your child's grade level.
Academic Growth
Your child can make large strides in their academic growth when you keep them learning new things throughout the summer. Don't let them sit on video games all season long. Make sure they're attending a camp, visiting a museum, or even just cooking in the kitchen with you. All of these opportunities provide the chance to learn something new and expand their minds.
Social Growth
Staying at home all summer long and remaining within your own family -- or even by yourself -- does not help much with social skills. Your child shouldn't be surrounded by classmates and friends throughout the rest of the year and stay isolated during summer. Social growth will only continue and evolve when your child is around others. He or she needs to spend time with peers and engage in activities with them. Take your kid and their friend to the park. Let them play in the yard. Allow them to ride bikes together down the road and back. If face-to-face opportunities are not possible, then at least allow the friends to video chat or talk on the phone. Social growth is important for mental health and well-being.
Summertime learning is great for your child's overall well-being. Not only does it help them retain some of the information they've already learned previously, but it can help them gain new knowledge and skills they otherwise wouldn't have just from a school setting. Keep your kids engaged and learning all year long.
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