| |
|
|
|
|
Five ways to avoid summer learning
loss
By Todd Pristas and Joel Sweda
If you are like most Virginia parents, you are focusing on improving
your child’s grades, planning summer activities and wondering how to
combat summer learning losses.
Did you know that over the two-month summer break, your child’s test
scores can be reduced by one month? Taken over the entire period
from kindergarten to 12th grade, summer learning loss can equal a
full year or more of education. Dr. Harris Cooper, PhD Social
Psychology, Duke University, estimates that losses in mathematical
computation skills over the summer months can be approximately 2.6
months of grade equivalency.
Here are 5 Tips to keep learning going:
1. Stock Up on Learning Materials
Books are a great way to reinforce academic learning and develop
basic reading skills. Ask your child’s teacher or school librarian
for summer reading lists appropriate for your child’s age and
ability. Make reading fun by taking a blanket outside under a tree
or make a reading nook inside with pillows and a basket of books.
Writing should be an important element in your child’s daily
routine. Have paper, pencils and crayons handy. Encourage your child
to write about day trips, summer vacations, museum visits and sports
events. Even making a “to do” list or shopping list provides
experience with spelling. Children can describe current news or
summarize, contrast and compare their daily or weekly events.
Creating a family or neighborhood newsletter is a great project and
a memorable keepsake.
Games and flash cards are great learning enhancers. Not only are
games good to pass the time but they help children develop strategic
thinking. Flash cards can be an excellent way to continuously review
basic math facts, states and capitals, vocabulary, and other facts.
If your children have a flare for art, read them a story or attend
an event together. Afterwards, encourage them to illustrate the main
idea by drawing or painting.
2. Make Household Routines a Learning Experience
Involve your children in the planning and performing of annual jobs
such as organizing the garage or basement. They learn the names of
tools and other items in the garage or basement, how to divide and
conquer a large task and have the satisfaction of seeing the results
of their hard work.
Have your children run errands and do small jobs around the house.
They learn new skills and the importance of completing tasks. If you
pay them, your children can earn some money and learn how to become
responsible by creating a savings and budget plan.
Plan your vacation together as a family and involve your children in
the research. Once you select a destination, ask your children to
develop ideas for activities. Without using Internet map programs,
ask them to calculate the shortest distance between two sights,
determine the most scenic route, etc.
Finally take a little extra time at the dinner table to discuss
local news, festivals, sporting events and art shows. Your children
will learn more about their community as well as becoming aware of
regional and national issues.
3. Calculate Math Into the Equation
Math should be part of everyday life. We can do a lot to strengthen
our childrens’ skills by asking them to keep a journal of money they
spend. Other ideas for continuous math learning include plotting the
daily temperatures and comparing them to the previous year, cooking
and measuring ingredients, and having your child estimate grocery
costs; keeping records of their cost over the summer. Various
counting exercises can be done to continuously remind your children
of counting as well as other computations.
4. Enroll Your Child in an Educational Program
Avoid summer learning losses by continuously learning in the summer
months. Your child can get a head start on next year while obtaining
positive feedback and instant success, all critical for building
confidence. If your child has some weaknesses, which have been
identified based on their report card, now is time to address them
by enrollment at a reputable learning center. Just a few hours a
week of personalized tutoring can correct deficiencies and provide a
continuous learning structure over the summer months. Enrichment
programs can reinforce basic reading and math skills or challenge
your child with new concepts.
5. Dive Into Your Community
Your community has many great resources, especially the local
library. Librarians can provide suitable book lists and help you get
involved summer reading programs and special events.
Scan the Internet and newspapers for museums, parks and zoos to
learn more about our heritage and culture. Whether it is a day at
one of the DC museums or a short journey toward the mountains, make
your trip an educational experience. With your children, make a list
of the plants or animals you saw during the day. Have your child
write a story about the trip and summarize their observations and
conclusions. Ask your children to write a letter to the museum
curator or zookeeper describing what they observed or enjoyed most
about the visit. Together create a brochure on how to advertise the
park, museum or zoo.
By implementing these 5 Action Steps for Summer Learning, your child
can go back to school in the fall prepared for their lessons and
well ahead of the curve. Plus, your child can enjoy learning during
the summer. Utilize the resources available in your community, and
show enthusiasm for the learning process. Learning shouldn’t stop
because summer is here!
Todd Pristas and Joel Sweda are the Directors of Learning at
Woodbridge West KnowlegePoints, and Manassas KnowledgePoints Leaning
Centers. They provide a personalized approach to basic tutoring in
reading, math and study skills all year round. The KnowledgePoints
program consists of a diagnostic skills assessment, individualized
instruction, and an effective motivational system that helps
children build skills and helps them gain desire and confidence to
succeed. For further information, please visit their website,
www.knowledgepoints.com
, or call 703-986-3723 (Woodbridge) or 703-331-4778 (Manassas). |
|
|
