While there are always exceptions to this rule, teachers often find that at the beginning of a new school year, their students don't seem to be quite where they had been before summer vacation began. With a little TLC, this can be easily fixed, but it can also be prevented. Here are some tips I've gathered to help combat that pesky "Summer Slide"!
1. READ, READ, READ. Did I mention read? Some research shows that reading 6 books over the course of the summer can keep a student from regressing. This might seem like a lot, but if you're choosing the right books, I think it's do-able! Ask last year's teacher for book suggestions or visit your local library. Definitely keep your kiddo involved in the book choosing process--if anyone knows what books will keep them interested and engaged, it's them!
To help meet this 6 book goal, set aside reading time every day. 20-30 minutes of sustained reading tends to work well for readers at the upper elementary levels. Make sure these books are around your child's reading level in order for them to be most effective. Reading a book series or a collection of books by your child's favorite author might also keep their nose in a book. Once they get hooked on book one, I bet they'll want to keep going through the whole series!
2. HAVE WRITTEN CONVERSATIONS. Leave notes around the house, especially ones that ask open-ended questions. Make sure that when your child responds, they include questions, too. These could be as simple as asking what they would like to spend time doing this summer or as deep as asking their opinion on a current event topic. Activities like this allow your child to do some critical thinking and also keeps them writing--an activity that doesn't happen too often during the summer months. And BONUS! This will also keep you connected and in-the-know with what's going on with your child, even those who are more reluctant to talk about some things.
3. UNPLUG. Make sure that "screen time" is kept to a minimum. Some say that 1 part "screen time" to 2 parts outdoor or academic activities does the trick. This means that even if your kiddo doesn't want to go outside or the weather is a bit crummy, they can read, draw, have a friend over, write, or (dare I say it?) clean their room! Use your best judgement when it comes to academic activities that require the computer or mobile device to complete. Will that count as "screen time" in your house?
4. READ OUT LOUD. Reading out loud is something that we do aaaaall the time in our classrooms these days! If you read out loud, this gives your child the ability to build listening comprehension skills. It also helps to discuss what you've read after--talk about what you think will come next, how you feel about what happened during this reading, etc. When you're the one reading, it's also okay to read books that are above your child's reading level, since they will just be listening and thinking about what they hear.
Make sure that your child also takes time to read out loud. This helps with reading fluency, even with struggling readers. In this case, it's important that the book is at or very near your child's reading level. Some kids don't like reading out loud to other people, but having your child read to themselves in their room, to a mirror, or to a stuffed animal or pet will allow them an "audience" to read fluently and expressively for without the stress or pressure to get it "right". Or, if your child is comfortable reading in front of you, try trading off pages or chapters. (HINT: I LOVE using poems for 2 voices (i.e. Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman) or short plays in my classroom for partner reading. They're so fun to read and it's easier to get into character/read expressively that way!)
5. PLAY WORD GAMES! This is a clever way for kids to work with vocabulary without even knowing that what they're doing is educational. Apples to Apples is a great game for vocabulary, funny history, and learning a couple types of parts of speech. Bananagrams and Scrabble are fantastic for spelling and expanding vocabulary. You can also turn a game of Horse into a game that spells sight words (or a word they often struggle to spell correctly). Mad Libs are hilarious and a huge hit with the kids, not to mention they are great at helping with parts of speech. There's a whole section dedicated to Mad Libs in the kid's section of Barnes & Noble, or you can do some online or on the Mad Libs app for iPads.
6. COOK WITH YOUR KIDDO. Cooking and baking are fantastic ways to integrate math into every day life, not to mention they're practical life skills to have! For younger students or kids who struggle with math, keep the recipes fairly simple. If your child is older or has a knack for numbers, change the recipes up--make a double or a half batch instead of a whole one. Have a pad of paper and a pencil on hand and get ready to guide them, especially for those tricky mixed numbers! To top it off, cooking requires kids to read recipes and follow directions closely, both of which are great things to work on.
7. MATH FLASH CARDS. Having basic math facts at the front of your brain never hurts. Help your kiddo remember their basic facts (addition and subtraction for younger kids or those that struggle, and multiplication for those that are older or more advanced). You can get packs of math flash cards pretty much anywhere--WalMart, the dollar store, Barnes & Noble...or you can make some by hand using index cards or torn up scrap paper. There are also great websites that allow you to make, print and cut your own flash cards for math and other subjects.
8. TAKE TRIPS! This doesn't even mean that you need to take a big family vacation. Take a look at all of the things that home has to offer you! Visit local museums, aquariums, hiking trails, beaches, zoos, concerts--all of these things are enjoyable and they provide great educational opportunities. (Budget friendly tip: visit your local library or city hall--these places often have passes or discount cards to local attractions that they give to people who can prove they're from that area, so take your ID with you!) If you do have a full-blown vacation in the books, have your child do some research for you! Have them figure out the best places visit, eat, and sleep. This gives them the opportunity to look at the area's history, compare prices of different hotels, or read reviews of popular attractions. And think of how awesome they'll feel having made such a big contribution to planning a fun trip for your family!
9. EAT RIGHT, EAT BRIGHT! Summer is a fantastic time to develop healthy eating habits. Fruits and vegetables are fresh and beautiful, and probably local. Starting eating habits that will carry on through the rest of the year is a great way to keep your kiddo's mind (and yours) sharp, fueled and ready to go. Talk with your child about the importance of healthy eating and staying active for another way to enhance this tip. Do you have the space in your yard for a garden, planter, or flower box? These are great options to help get your child involved and invested in the food choices they make. Plus, gardens are a great way to teach responsibility and are another way to encourage your kid to put down the electronics and get out into the sunshine! This provides educational opportunities, good food, and a great sense of satisfaction.
10. KEEP THE NIGHTTIME ROUTINE. It's so easy (and so much more fun) to throw the bedtime routine out the window during the summer! The drive-ins are open, the sun sets later, it's nicer outside...the list goes on! Who wants to spend these precious few weeks in bed?! I know I certainly don't. But, that being said, once the summer starts winding down and the school year approaches, it's helpful to get back to those nightly routines. Transitioning back to earlier bedtimes can be long a difficult, so make sure to establish these routines about 1-2 weeks before school starts back up again. That way, when it becomes absolutely necessary to go to bed and wake up early on school nights, it's not so hard. It also doesn't hurt that we won't have sleepy kids in our classrooms as we're trying to get back into the swing of things. And hey, it's no secret what a good 8 hours of sleep can do!
I hope these tips for preventing that dreaded "Summer Slide" are helpful. These are meant to be both educational and fun (and budget friendly!) I know that the school year is long and sometimes it means being indoors when we really, really, really just want to go out and play. Take this time to do that. I guess BONUS TIP #11 would be to take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and soak up that rare vitamin D that we seem to get none of 8 months out of the year.
Enjoy your summer, my friends! Take advantage of all of this time we have to get things done, see people we've been meaning to see, and re-energize ourselves for the year ahead.
1. READ, READ, READ. Did I mention read? Some research shows that reading 6 books over the course of the summer can keep a student from regressing. This might seem like a lot, but if you're choosing the right books, I think it's do-able! Ask last year's teacher for book suggestions or visit your local library. Definitely keep your kiddo involved in the book choosing process--if anyone knows what books will keep them interested and engaged, it's them!
To help meet this 6 book goal, set aside reading time every day. 20-30 minutes of sustained reading tends to work well for readers at the upper elementary levels. Make sure these books are around your child's reading level in order for them to be most effective. Reading a book series or a collection of books by your child's favorite author might also keep their nose in a book. Once they get hooked on book one, I bet they'll want to keep going through the whole series!
2. HAVE WRITTEN CONVERSATIONS. Leave notes around the house, especially ones that ask open-ended questions. Make sure that when your child responds, they include questions, too. These could be as simple as asking what they would like to spend time doing this summer or as deep as asking their opinion on a current event topic. Activities like this allow your child to do some critical thinking and also keeps them writing--an activity that doesn't happen too often during the summer months. And BONUS! This will also keep you connected and in-the-know with what's going on with your child, even those who are more reluctant to talk about some things.
3. UNPLUG. Make sure that "screen time" is kept to a minimum. Some say that 1 part "screen time" to 2 parts outdoor or academic activities does the trick. This means that even if your kiddo doesn't want to go outside or the weather is a bit crummy, they can read, draw, have a friend over, write, or (dare I say it?) clean their room! Use your best judgement when it comes to academic activities that require the computer or mobile device to complete. Will that count as "screen time" in your house?
4. READ OUT LOUD. Reading out loud is something that we do aaaaall the time in our classrooms these days! If you read out loud, this gives your child the ability to build listening comprehension skills. It also helps to discuss what you've read after--talk about what you think will come next, how you feel about what happened during this reading, etc. When you're the one reading, it's also okay to read books that are above your child's reading level, since they will just be listening and thinking about what they hear.
Make sure that your child also takes time to read out loud. This helps with reading fluency, even with struggling readers. In this case, it's important that the book is at or very near your child's reading level. Some kids don't like reading out loud to other people, but having your child read to themselves in their room, to a mirror, or to a stuffed animal or pet will allow them an "audience" to read fluently and expressively for without the stress or pressure to get it "right". Or, if your child is comfortable reading in front of you, try trading off pages or chapters. (HINT: I LOVE using poems for 2 voices (i.e. Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman) or short plays in my classroom for partner reading. They're so fun to read and it's easier to get into character/read expressively that way!)
5. PLAY WORD GAMES! This is a clever way for kids to work with vocabulary without even knowing that what they're doing is educational. Apples to Apples is a great game for vocabulary, funny history, and learning a couple types of parts of speech. Bananagrams and Scrabble are fantastic for spelling and expanding vocabulary. You can also turn a game of Horse into a game that spells sight words (or a word they often struggle to spell correctly). Mad Libs are hilarious and a huge hit with the kids, not to mention they are great at helping with parts of speech. There's a whole section dedicated to Mad Libs in the kid's section of Barnes & Noble, or you can do some online or on the Mad Libs app for iPads.
6. COOK WITH YOUR KIDDO. Cooking and baking are fantastic ways to integrate math into every day life, not to mention they're practical life skills to have! For younger students or kids who struggle with math, keep the recipes fairly simple. If your child is older or has a knack for numbers, change the recipes up--make a double or a half batch instead of a whole one. Have a pad of paper and a pencil on hand and get ready to guide them, especially for those tricky mixed numbers! To top it off, cooking requires kids to read recipes and follow directions closely, both of which are great things to work on.
7. MATH FLASH CARDS. Having basic math facts at the front of your brain never hurts. Help your kiddo remember their basic facts (addition and subtraction for younger kids or those that struggle, and multiplication for those that are older or more advanced). You can get packs of math flash cards pretty much anywhere--WalMart, the dollar store, Barnes & Noble...or you can make some by hand using index cards or torn up scrap paper. There are also great websites that allow you to make, print and cut your own flash cards for math and other subjects.
8. TAKE TRIPS! This doesn't even mean that you need to take a big family vacation. Take a look at all of the things that home has to offer you! Visit local museums, aquariums, hiking trails, beaches, zoos, concerts--all of these things are enjoyable and they provide great educational opportunities. (Budget friendly tip: visit your local library or city hall--these places often have passes or discount cards to local attractions that they give to people who can prove they're from that area, so take your ID with you!) If you do have a full-blown vacation in the books, have your child do some research for you! Have them figure out the best places visit, eat, and sleep. This gives them the opportunity to look at the area's history, compare prices of different hotels, or read reviews of popular attractions. And think of how awesome they'll feel having made such a big contribution to planning a fun trip for your family!
9. EAT RIGHT, EAT BRIGHT! Summer is a fantastic time to develop healthy eating habits. Fruits and vegetables are fresh and beautiful, and probably local. Starting eating habits that will carry on through the rest of the year is a great way to keep your kiddo's mind (and yours) sharp, fueled and ready to go. Talk with your child about the importance of healthy eating and staying active for another way to enhance this tip. Do you have the space in your yard for a garden, planter, or flower box? These are great options to help get your child involved and invested in the food choices they make. Plus, gardens are a great way to teach responsibility and are another way to encourage your kid to put down the electronics and get out into the sunshine! This provides educational opportunities, good food, and a great sense of satisfaction.
10. KEEP THE NIGHTTIME ROUTINE. It's so easy (and so much more fun) to throw the bedtime routine out the window during the summer! The drive-ins are open, the sun sets later, it's nicer outside...the list goes on! Who wants to spend these precious few weeks in bed?! I know I certainly don't. But, that being said, once the summer starts winding down and the school year approaches, it's helpful to get back to those nightly routines. Transitioning back to earlier bedtimes can be long a difficult, so make sure to establish these routines about 1-2 weeks before school starts back up again. That way, when it becomes absolutely necessary to go to bed and wake up early on school nights, it's not so hard. It also doesn't hurt that we won't have sleepy kids in our classrooms as we're trying to get back into the swing of things. And hey, it's no secret what a good 8 hours of sleep can do!
I hope these tips for preventing that dreaded "Summer Slide" are helpful. These are meant to be both educational and fun (and budget friendly!) I know that the school year is long and sometimes it means being indoors when we really, really, really just want to go out and play. Take this time to do that. I guess BONUS TIP #11 would be to take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and soak up that rare vitamin D that we seem to get none of 8 months out of the year.
Enjoy your summer, my friends! Take advantage of all of this time we have to get things done, see people we've been meaning to see, and re-energize ourselves for the year ahead.