School’s out –Learning Isn’t

For many students and teachers across the country the school year has ended. For many others who are making up snow days from a brutal winter, the end of the academic year will arrive soon. Yet for students, teachers and parents an annual dilemma exists. How can we prevent a loss of knowledge during the next two months so that time is not wasted during the first part of the next school in re-teaching the prior year’s material? There is a need for ongoing stimulation and creativity during the summer months to help students along. Here are some suggestions to help parents and students make the most of summer.

1)      Take children to the library.  While number public libraries have summer programs, a trip to the local library where students can choose books that interest them is a convenient and low cost way to keep students in the education loop.

2)      Family field trip. When planning summer vacations, try to include educational activities. Most major cities have history and art museums and many have science museums as well. Many battlefields are also parks where families can combine education activities with fun activities and picnics.

3)      Flash cards and work books. Inexpensive student workbooks and flash cards are available at most bookstores and other retail outlets. Students can spend an hour or two a day working in m their books before heading to the ball field or the beach.

4)      Virtual field trip. The internet can be a vast resource for activities during the summer. The web site eschoolnews.com has a section of its ten best virtual field trips. The most recommended adventure is to Colonial Williamsburg (http://www.history.org/history/teaching/eft/index.cfm). Other sites include a trip to the Louvre Museum in Paris and The Hershey Chocolate Factory.  You can even take a tour of the White House or travel to Mt. Everest. Another site fieldtripzoom.com. Offers activities for classes and does charge for their services.

5)       Create a blog. Allow a student to be creative and start his or her own on line “newspaper” reporting on their summer educational activities. Google makes it fast and easy to set up a basic no cost blog. 

Note to teachers. Please take an opportunity to look at the web site of Education World (http://www.educationworld.com/holidays/archives/summer.shtml). If your students haven’t left yet or if you stay in contact with the through the summer, you will find useful ideas and activities from this site.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

c.2014 J. Margolis