The Dreaded Summer Slide

I can’t believe that we’re in our last month of the school year. The last two years have felt like both a week and 10 years at the same time - the only way I can describe it is: time warp. As we enter the end of the school year, we begin to think about the summer and our classes for next year.
 
We love seeing kids return in the fall! Some have grown a foot over the summer, some have matured, and most have wonderful stories to tell about their summer experiences. It’s fun to see what the summer months bring. One of the many things I love about our school is that we get to watch the kids grow up academically year over year. As many of our teachers teach students multiple years, we know where they were in May and where they should be in September. It is always interesting to see who comes back academically after the summer.  
 
The “summer slide” is a term we use to describe academic loss students experience over the summer. Curricula that build on itself (e.g., math) is written so that the first unit is a review from the prior year. It is fascinating to watch how every child is different. Some return having learned new skills, others return where we left off, and yet others return having lost a month or two of skills. I do believe that summers are a great time to explore and relax, but also a time to do more than play video games. What kids are able to do depends on many factors, including where they are emotionally, after the last two years. If you’re at a loss for what to do and you and your child have time on your hands, read on. 
 
I like to leave time for exploration and fun, so these are recommendations to pick up in the fall where you left off in June and understanding that there are only so many hours in a week, I like to focus on the areas of most impact.
 
Reading: This activity helps kids across the board in humanities, English, science, and math classes with reading comprehension and reading fluency. Whether by Kindle, audiobook, or old-fashioned paperback, there can never be enough reading books that your child is interested in trying. See if they will stretch themselves a little with more challenging books. I like these reading lists. 

• Suggestions from the American Library Association:
  • K-2nd
  • 3rd-5th
  • 6th-8th
• The Mensa Excellence in Reading program also has a set of reading lists by grades:
  • K-3rd
  • 4th-6th
  • 7th-8th
  • 9th-12th
• The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) also has reading lists with recommendations.

 
Math: The Northern Virginia area can be pretty competitive when it comes to math. I am a fan of developing problem solving skills rather than advancing through math curriculum at a pace faster than a child is ready. For problem solving practice I like the following:

• 1st - 3rd grades: 
  • Beast Academy by Art of Problem Solving - either the online or workbook versions
  • Puzzles and Thinkfun-type games
• 4th - 8th grades: 
  • MOEMS practice problems (E for 4th-6th and M for 7th-8th) - work on one weekly for 30 minutes
  • Puzzles and Thinkfun-type games
  • If your child is in 6th - 8th grades and still struggles with the multiplication tables, this may be an area to work on over the summer.
• High School: High school is different for math since kids start driving and there may be SAT/ACT prep that they’re already doing.

Project or activity of your child’s choosing: Whether it’s a list of documentaries to watch, trails to hike, helping out, learning how to cook, tinkering or coding, or picking up a new sport, ask your child if there is anything he/she wants to learn. This activity is about being creative and exploring. 
 
Summer is for fun, and I hope that your kids find enjoyment in books and in problem solving this summer!

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