Summer is here, which in a regular year, means two or three months of holidays. That’s 1/6 of the year. This past school year has been exceptional as students have lost three months of learning due to the spread of COVID-19, plus they have an additional two months of vacation time. That is almost ½ of the year, and for some students it is even more time which has impacted student academics and development. What are you doing to keep, or bring up your child to the standards set before COVID-19?
Studies show that during a regular year, over the summer, students lose up to 20% of what they’ve learned over the school year. These losses are especially evident in math and reading. In addition, other studies have shown that students may end the school year at the same academic levels, but there is a widening of the levels each year, and much of this happens during the summer holidays. The Covid time “off” is expected to have exaggerated this phenomenon. In other words, those students who were able to keep up their studies during the Covid time will return to school at a much higher level than other students, and the gap between students will be even bigger. What is done during the rest of the summer vacation will make a significant impact on a student’s academic success.
The following are some suggestions to maximize this time.
- Use the summer time to apply knowledge by visiting sites and places that relate to the knowledge they learned at school. (E.g. the drive-in zoo or safari, fruit picking, a forest.)
- Students have developed new mental skills during the year – don’t forget to keep up these skills! Just 10 to 20 minutes a day can make a significant difference. It is the consistency and self-discipline that creates huge advantages.
- Have a look at the work your child/teenager did during the year. Was there an area that they struggled with? Now is the time to help them catch up and properly learn that material, so that they are prepared for the next grade. There are so many resources online: find those that will help them understand the concepts and strengthen their skills.
- If you are very ambitious, you may want to find out what will be taught the following school year, and start to teach that content during the summer. This is especially important if your student had difficulties the year before.
- Remember, also, to have very distinct learning times and times to have lots of fun! Your child needs to have fun with others their own age too. Find their friends and have small gatherings – while keeping safe.
Keeping your child’s mind challenged during the next couple of months doesn’t need to be a challenge. As little as 20 minutes a day can make all the difference and can provide fun quality time with your kids.
Looking for an Online or In-Class summer camp?
When it comes to making your child’s summer count, a Spirit of Math Summer Camp is a fantastic way to keep them engaged in learning and help prepare them for the upcoming school year! Our carefully tailored Online & In-Class Camps offer a wide range of topics for students entering grades 2-9 including problem solving, shape counting, numeracy, golden ratio, financial literacy, and more!
Click here to learn about Spirit of Math’s camp offerings and register online today!