Secrets from the Classroom: Avoiding Summer Learning Loss -

Home
>
Parenting
>
Secrets from the Classroom: Avoiding Summer Learning Loss

Secrets from the Classroom: Avoiding Summer Learning Loss

In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as they packed up their bags for the final time, and began a much awaited summer vacation. For many this two-month academic hiatus is cause for celebration. However, it can also be a factor in a long standing, yet little publicized, childhood affliction: Summer Learning Loss (SLL).

In 1996, in a synthesis of 39 separate studies, researchers found that the average student, returning to school in September has lost the equivalent of 1.0 to 2.6 months of previous learning-in effect, erasing this amount of learning from their mind. According to the report, the biggest losses occur in the areas of spelling and computational math (multiplication, addition, etc.).

The good news for both parents and students is that this "academic atrophy" can be reduced and even eliminated. While traditional workbooks and review methods work well, why not look for natural opportunities in your day for your children to grow as learners. Here are a few for your consideration:

Kids in the Kitchen. Cooking touches on so many academic skills for kids. The kitchen provides a fun hands-on environment to learn about fractions, measurement, multiplication, division, nutrition, hygiene, and artistic presentation of food. As well, reading cookbooks not only develops literacy skills but can entice reluctant readers to dive in. Get kids involved in measuring and doubling recipes. Learning never tasted so good!

Shopping. Clothes? Food? Tools? It doesn't matter. Younger children can count or add the number of items in your cart, while older ones can keep a running total of the cost. In the store or using fliers at your house, have your kids estimate the differences in prices. Which brands are better deals? Use a calculator, or do "mental math". Shopping in any store also is also a great time to practice handling money skills such as counting change.

Family Trips. Going on a vacation? Have your kids read brochures or go online to learn about things to see or do (reading). Using pen and paper or even a spreadsheet, give them a budget and see if they can plan meals, activities and lodgings for one of the days (math & problem solving). Designate one of your children the trip mapmaker (art, math) or map reader (math). Still others could be in charge of creating a family journal or scrapbook (writing, art). The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Have a Family Games Night. Traditional board games give so many opportunities to reinforcing acedemic skills-reading cards, adding dice together, counting spaces, and using money. Games such as Scrabble, Spill & Spell, Scattergories, and Balderdash are not only fun but also strengthen reading skills.

Start with a Hobby. Use your child's current hobby or interest as a starting point. Sports abound with numbers and statistics. Track personal or family stats, or those of famous players. Pick up books or magazines from the library on a favourite topic. Consider a family field trip to a park or museum. He/she doesn't have a hobby? Pick a topic that interests both of you and learn something together.

Combating Summer Learning Loss doesn't have to be complicated or boring-all it takes is a focused effort to find the educational opportunities in what you are already doing. Not only will they be keeping their brains active, they will likely be having so much fun, they won't even know that they are learning!

Award-winning educator, author & parent coach, Rob Stringer is currently working on his first book, Parenting with Intention, and has launched a free monthly newsletter by the same name. Visit http://www.ParentingWithIntention.ca to subscribe, access resources, or learn more about PWI's parent coaching services.

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.indystar.com/article/20081122/LOCAL18/81122001cid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNHCLVL6_PDrmRCDrmLJmV_F9lhVdwExpo conference on bparenting/b draws 350/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIndianapolis Star,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By William J. Booher About 350 people attended today’s bParent/b Empowerment Conference held by Indiana Black Expo. Talks, workshops and booths provided b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112102807.htmlcid=1273140708ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNHIMUhb02IlUGhX-7-KDr_f_3ordgGetting Tough on Bullying/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWashington Post,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And as mounting research shows the negative effects on both the bully and the victim, mental-health professionals, schools, bparents/b and even kids themselves b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Monday-Coldplaycid=1271797112ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNHBoFY8MwnTZ15Bp6uz9z1CmbD1vwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=GYQyxreckWcJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/phplAo7oVPM.jpg width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Monday-Coldplaycid=1271797112ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNHBoFY8MwnTZ15Bp6uz9z1CmbD1vw(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Sherrill Fulghum, New York Music Examiner When artists record an album there is often more songs written and recorded than make it onto the album. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1243-DC-Metro-Area-Parenting-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Safe-Haven-Child-Abandonmentcid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNE4OedjQ3t06Ecc-pbV5LaxVWMKzwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=DwTvEEwTn98Jimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/phpi71mYJAM.jpg width=53 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1243-DC-Metro-Area-Parenting-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Safe-Haven-Child-Abandonmentcid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNE4OedjQ3t06Ecc-pbV5LaxVWMKzw(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Michelle Flannigan, DC Metro Area bParenting/b Examiner Last month, a mother abandoned a newborn girl in a garbage sack in Tacoma Park. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1505-Chicago-Special-Needs-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Holiday-leftoverscid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNFIocRCPWqvozoVuLkHh1j9WWREcQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=10EPqcEdldgJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/Jake_Liefer__photo_by.jpg width=80 height=41 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1505-Chicago-Special-Needs-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Holiday-leftoverscid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNFIocRCPWqvozoVuLkHh1j9WWREcQ(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Kathleen Milazzo, Chicago Special Needs Examiner We all know how great holiday leftovers can be, however these leftovers do not consist of food not eaten b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-1051-Independent-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Cultures-of-Murdercid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNGW31A6q2Z2QTJLAbjRYInt5WANyQ(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Brian Trent, Independent Examiner While his mother screamed and begged for mercy, a 15-year-old Indian boy was beaten, his scalp shaved, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.lawrentian.com/home/news/2008/11/21/Features/Queer.Parenting.More.Than.Cute.Baby.Photos-3552084.shtmlcid=1273050426ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNFW64R7cGyCLqXsD6erF7d9wRkOtQQueer bparenting/b: more than cute baby photos/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLawrentian (subscription),nbsp;WInbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-113 four Lawrence University faculty members shared four unique versions of what it is like to be a queer bparent/b in Appleton. While each tale differed in b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Live-Earth-20008cid=1272528345ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNHLQ5X6oVnA4VU33TAIq6wh2HG6nAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=zjLuTuh7oRUJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/phpYFp10BPM.jpg width=80 height=66 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.com/x-746-New-York-Music-Examiner~y2008m11d21-Live-Earth-20008cid=1272528345ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNHLQ5X6oVnA4VU33TAIq6wh2HG6nA(ie San Francisco hiking, San Francisco bparenting/b)/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Sherrill Fulghum, New York Music Examiner In 2007 former Vice-President Al Gore launched a campaign for awareness of Global Warming. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-faithhealingamplaw,0,3467888.storycid=1273000725ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNEdiTM7xE09i1dUE2G_Fokc0MFNKAChild deaths test faith-healing exemption/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fChicago Tribune,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;We can#39;t legislate good bparenting/b, but at least we shouldn#39;t have laws allowing bad bparenting/b,quot; said Swan, who now heads the advocacy group Children#39;s b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.greatdad.com/tertiary/358/3354/mark-wahlberg-shares-parenting-advice.htmlcid=0ei=faMoSYCZBaCQ6AOR-_hAusg=AFQjCNES29F2XgF4-JmSoF6LwPDz-20mQAMark Wahlberg shares bparenting/b advice/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGreat Dad,nbsp;Californianbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Fatherhood can be a wild ride, whether you are an average dad or a high-profile star who is balancing bparenting/b skills with the pressures of the celebrity b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

parenting - Google News