| The Summer Vacation - Optimal Time For Acceleration The highly cherished summer vacation - a season that evokes images of blissful idleness in the minds of young average students yet conjures opportunities to "get ahead" for spirited over-achievers. If you are hoping beyond hope to influence your child's thinking early on in the ways of the latter group, best to establish a routine before the kindergarten years during - the period many experts has come to label the "window of opportunity". However, if your child is well past that stage and have already relaxed into the mode of "brain is out to lunch" during the summer months then perhaps you might want to ease into a light regiment - beginning with a few minutes at a time. Generally, once parents come to realize the immeasurable benefit that comes along with picking up a few concepts over the summer - the temptation to start this venture like gangbusters and begin an intense schedule becomes highly inviting. But, that would be the LAST thing you would want to do! Not only will reaching any academic objective be a challenge - with that wall of resistance (from your children) that will be there to greet you - but you will violate the long-term intention of creating lovers of lifelong learning. So just relax into this and follow the good teaching principles that have been laid out so plainly by good educators alike. You can also take heart in the fact that you have an unsuspecting ally. Many school districts have taken to sending home worksheets for the summer. Professional educators have recognized the need to keep the minds of children engaged in some level of academics and fresh with concepts acquired over the previous school year. Experience has revealed that kids tend to lose a lot of information during the summer months. I personally suggest taking it a bit further (of course I would right?) and not only review past concepts but cover as much of the upcoming curriculum as possible. Particularly subject matter in which you anticipate your child experiencing a bit of difficulty. For parents of high-schoolers, let me share a nifty little secret I've learned from my experience in parental "war-rooms"- high school students are taking classes in subjects such as Pre-Calculus or Calculus during the summer for better performance, (i.e. a better grade) before enrolling in them again in the fall. This actually helps to maintain a strong grade-point-average and protects their eligibility status for college scholarships. Now that's dedication! Below are some helpful tips to maximizing summer learning! • Adopt this as a family mantra while helping your children to understand that if ten or more hours can be devoted to play each day, perhaps they can devote or better yet, invest one of those hours toward their future; i.e. academics. This became a family mantra that ruled my family's summers. • Obtain a copy of the school's curriculum reflecting the grade level for the upcoming school year. Begin gathering and presenting worksheets, workbooks, and other complimentary materials that teach the concepts. • Great time to work distance learning courses from gifted programs or better yet, participate in on-campus summer activities. Be sure to check the due dates and apply accordingly. These should be completed well before the arrival of summer vacation. • Have your child begin work for the next grade level of the next school year. Review material covered in the past school year as needed. • If he/she is in high-school, use this time to take CLEP exams for college credit. • To prevent burnout - try to allow one to two weeks of time off to align energy for the new school year. These are just a few suggestions to help you to maximize your child's summer vacations to get them the edge they deserve or at the very least, gain a solid footing on weak concepts. Remember, all things in moderation and above all - have fun with it! by Michelle Brown-Stafford March 2009 Ezine.com |
