Summer Study Tips!
The sun will come out eventually . . . but until then, it’s natural want to help the young ones fight summer brain drain, or summer learning loss, as it’s more officially called. Here are some tips from our Manager of Educational Opportunities, Dennis Norris II, to get you through without taking all the fun out of summer.
- For kids in elementary school: If there are any trips on the horizon, have your child write and send postcards to friends and family members. This is a great way to reinforce the importance of written communication, penmanship, ability to recall facts, and ability to analyze lived experiences. Do everything you can to keep the process of writing and reflecting pain-free, and fun-filled.
- For middle school students: At this age, relevancy is so important to learning for students. If they have experienced something, they are far better able to understand it. So experiential learning is crucial here. Visit a museum, a memorial, go see a play. Social learning is critical at this age.
- For high school students: Given the stress surrounding the college admissions process, it can be essential that high school students get a break during the summer so they return to school eager to learn. This doesn’t mean that learning can’t happen though! Start a family book club, or go to an outdoor film festival. Have family chats or journal together reflecting on lessons learned from these shared experiences.
There are more tips and ideas that are divided and sorted based on age and what is appropriate for every developmental stage in this article in the Washington Post. But in general, it’s important to remember that students also need a break, and that not all learning has to look like classroom learning!
learn more: Summer Learning Statistics!