4 Ways to Help Your Kids Beat the Summer Slump

Rockville Centre, NY, June 23, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Summer is finally here. This is the time of year when kids happily retire their books and backpacks, in exchange for flip flops and bathing suits. But parents know how short-lived that excitement can be. Summer’s freedom can turn quickly to boredom, mindless video games and unimaginative television watching. As that stack of Summer Reading waits on their shelf, as that math packet gathers dust, kids assert their right to laze about and “be kids.” And so they should. But how can we, as parents, find the right balance? How do we harness their innate curiosity, and get them motivated to get off the couch, while finding activities that fall within their “summer zone?”

The summer’s learning lapse (ie: “slump”) can negatively impact your child’s academic retention and preparedness for the following school year. In fact, one research study collected by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Summer Learning shows some stark findings:

· Children’s test scores are at least one month lower when they return to school in the fall than the scores were when they left in the spring.
· Summer learning loss is more pronounced in math. On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in computation skills over the summer months.
· Teachers spend the first 6-8 weeks of a new school year re-teaching material to students that was lost during the summer months. That’s almost two months of new learning, lost.
· A summer learning loss of 3 months in the elementary grades becomes a gap of 18 months by the end of 6th grade.
· By middle school, this is a loss of 2 or more years in reading achievement.

John Russo, of Club Z! k-12 Tutoring in Nassau, says there are proactive steps a parent can take to decrease the impact of summer learning loss on their child.

These steps include:

Gear Up on Learning Materials such as books, games, flash cards, art supplies and writing materials. Commit to working, reading and playing with your child. Thirty minutes a day makes a world of difference.

Make Summer Activities a Learning Experience.

Practice vocabulary and measuring skills while cooking or cleaning the house. Take advantage of those in-between moments. Is your child learning a new language? Now’s the perfect time to connect their vocabulary with what you’re doing. (“Mangiamo.”)

Engage your child in planning a summer vacation. Driving to Washington D.C.? Cruising to Alaska? Trekking to Montauk? Have your child help with mapping, researching the city and learning the history of various people who’ve lived there.

Encourage your child to read the daily newspaper with you each morning or even once a week. Is there something you follow? Share your interest. Talking about why we like certain things helps our kids connect reading and learning with the rest of their life.

Enroll Your Child in an Educational Program. This will provide positive reinforcement to help build confidence and meet the needs of students who have a history of struggling in school. If your child just barely passed algebra, or a language, or science, they’re going to need that same material at the start of the next year. Head that problem off now. Give them the chance to hit the ground running.

Take Your Child on “Field Trips” in Your Community. Visits to the library, museum, parks and even the beach can provide a host of learning opportunities.

John is available if you would like to speak with him about additional summertime learning activities that are fun and educational at the same time. Please email or call if you would like to set up an interview.

You can join the conversation about summer learning at:
www.facebook.com/club.z.advantage

Find out more about Club Z! discount summer tutoring packages, at:
www.clubz.com/advantage

Or call for a free, no-risk consultation: 516-390-0400