Summer Learning
Summer Learning
Find a list of schoolsWritten by Garth Nichols, Assistant Director of Personalized Learning at Greenwood College School and founder of Cohort 21. Read more
Written by Garth Nichols, Assistant Director of Personalized Learning at Greenwood College School and founder of Cohort 21. Read more
"Prestige School offers individualized programs from pre-school to grade twelve in Richmond Hill with an average class size of twelve students.
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"Our Beyond the Books approach provides opportunities for success in class & beyond; nurturing the growth of students' confidence & self-esteem, to take risks when learning, to reach their personal & academic potential.
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"Prestige School offers programs from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Toronto. Its average class size is 10 to 18 students.
—From the school
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"Crescent School is a Toronto independent day school for boys in Grades 3 to 12. Our relational learning environment develops students' characters through academics, arts, athletics, business, outreach and robotics.
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"Focussed on Community First, Outdoors Every Day, and Authentic Learning, LCS offers a world-class, individualized, day/boarding program (Grades 9 -12) designed for students to be leaders who care, connect and contribute.
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"The Country Day School offers a challenging post-secondary preparatory program for students in JK-12 where all are welcome. Our 100-acre campus is located north of Toronto in King.
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"Our goal is for SCS students to understand learning as an outcome in and of itself. Learning that doesn't follow a straight path. And if it gets messy, that's okay, because at SCS it's safe to explore and be who you are.
—From the school
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"At TCS, an excellent education means students remain open to learning throughout life and doing something positive with what they have learned.
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"As a Cambridge School, we teach a curriculum that sets the global standard for education designed to help students develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.
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"La Citadelle's Excellence in Bilingual Education and academically advanced curriculum develop successful global citizens through IB & AP programs and a holistic approach where students achieve their highest potential.
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"Bayview Glen is co-ed, multi-denominational and diverse. Our student, faculty and staff community mirror the diversity of Toronto. Our culture is one of balance and openness, and embraces different perspectives.
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Victoria, British Columbia "GNS is an independent JK-12 International Baccalaureate boarding and day school in Victoria, BC, that empowers and supports each of our students to do their best through truth and courage in learning and in life." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario York Mills/Leslie "Learning is not one to many. It's many to one. From the teachers to the principal to the coaches and beyond, learning at WillowWood is a team approach." —From the school
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Burlington, Ontario Hwy 6/Dundas Street "Our belief is “Forward Learning. Transforming People.” We focus on STEAM collaborative project learning, 21st-century skills, and inquiry-based thinking to prepare students with global competencies." —From the school
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Montreal, Quebec Rue Sherbrooke/Ave Connaught "College Prep International, a traditional private school in Montreal, offers English instruction with partial French immersion, for grades five to twelve. Its average class size range from 12 to 18 Students." —From the school
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Mississauga, Ontario "At Blyth Academy Mississauga, we know each of our students and through our individualized approach, we can meet their needs and make school a great place to be. We're one of eight Blyth Academy campuses in Ontario." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Yonge St/Sheppard Ave "Ontario Virtual School is an Ontario Ministry-inspected credit-granting institution offering Grades 7-12 courses in an interactive online format. Students can start anytime with 24/7 access." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Spadina/St Clair Ave W "The Bishop Strachan School is a leading independent JK-Grade 12 day & boarding school for girls. Students build the academic skills to thrive at university and beyond. Over $2 million available in financial assistance." —From the school
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Mississauga, Ontario Erin Mills Parkway/Argentia Rd "We are different! As a leading IB World School and university preparatory school with a focus on student life, SJA students are inspired to confidently make their mark in the world." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario York Mills/DVP "Crestwood Preparatory College offers a university preparatory program for students in grades 7 to 12. Crestwood always strive to Inspire Excellence and to Nurture the Individual." —From the school
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Stratford, Ontario Ontario Street/Waterloo Street South "Private Secondary School in Stratford, Ontario dedicated to providing a holistic education that values happiness, academic excellence, personal growth, and social responsibility." —From the school
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King City, Ontario Keele St./King Rd. "Villanova College is York Region's only independent Catholic school offering Grades 4 to 12 in King City, Ontario. Average class size is 18 students. Specialty programs include STEM, AP and Domestic ESL." —From the school
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Ottawa, Ontario Buena Vista Road/Springfield Road "Elmwood School is Ottawa's pre-eminent school for girls from PreK to Gr. 12. Our high academic standards, small class sizes and safe, supportive environment ensure that each girl is inspired to reach her full potential." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Yonge/Eglinton "We go beyond curriculum expectations to provide opportunities for students to earn admission into their university of choice using our AP accreditation, staff expertise and individualized goals in small classes." —From the school
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Calgary, Alberta "Our Academy (in-person) and Studio (online) personalized programs are designed for students with a diagnosed learning disability to achieve their potential through outstanding support within and outside the classroom." —From the school
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Fort Erie, Ontario Townline Rd./Niagara Parkway "Niagara Christian Collegiate offers both middle school and secondary school programs from Grades 6-12. Graduating students achieve top university placements around the world. We accept both day and boarding students." —From the school
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Vancouver, British Columbia Dunsmuir/Seymour "Alexander Academy is a private high school offering the BC Dogwood High School Diploma and a unique University Transfer Program in a culturally rich and academically challenging environment." —From the school
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Mississauga, Ontario Derry/HWY 27 "Uniquely nestled in 100 acres of green space, Newton’s Grove offers a 45-year legacy of providing the perfect learning environment with exceptional academic, arts, and athletic programming, and a signature music program." —From the school
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Ottawa, Ontario "Heritage Academy provides a multisensory learning environment and supports students with Dyslexia, ADD, ADHD, and Anxiety in Grades 1 -12." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Yonge St/King St "Keystone students become internationally-minded inquirers, who ask questions and seek their own answers through both local and global perspectives. By nurturing students’ natural curiosity, we foster a love for learning." —From the school
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Ottawa, Ontario Carling Avenue/Broadview Avenue "Edelweiss Private Academy offers elementary education to students with ASD and other exceptionalities, maintaining small teacher to student ratios. We promote strong academic, physical and social-emotional development." —From the school
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Etobicoke, Ontario Bloor St./Jane St. "Blyth Academy Etobicoke, located in Toronto's west end, focuses on personalized education, small class sizes, and experiential learning." —From the school
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Surrey, British Columbia 152 Street/Highway 10 "We understand the importance of developing a well-rounded individual. Our Art and Sports Expert Streams are integrated with the Academic curriculum to amplify our students’ growth into capable and confident adults." —From the school
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Brantford, Ontario Colborne/Clarence "At Haven, we equip our students with critical thinking skills, a global perspective, and a respect for core values of honesty, loyalty, perseverance, and compassion." —From the school
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Okotoks, Alberta Range Road 12/306 Ave W "Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School is an independent, private coeducational, continuum IB (primary, middle, and diploma programme) day school for Kindergarten - Grade 12, located just outside of Calgary, AB." —From the school
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Aurora, Ontario St. John Sideroad/Yonge St. "Aurora Montessori offers an enriched Montessori program for students, Toddler to Grade 8, with an option of an OSSD credit in Grade 9 Math. A unique Mindfulness and Technology program develops key 21st-century skills!" —From the school
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Whitby, Ontario Garden Street/Hwy. 2 "Trafalgar Castle offers AP programming and an academically challenging environment rooted in future-ready competencies that prepare students for a world yet to be imagined." —From the school
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North York, Ontario Bathurst/Wilson "Magnificent Minds Inc. caters to students whose needs are not being met in traditional school environments, pursuing personal best through a balanced approach to education." —From the school
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London, Ontario Wellington Street/Central Avenue "Sycamore School offers grades 8-12 personalized education in an alternative programs that address the needs of secondary school students who may thrive in a small community of learners working toward graduation." —From the school
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Markham, Ontario Denison/Warden "Our curriculum are designed to build essential skills and concepts that help with the cognitive, social, creative, emotional, and physical development of your child with the aim to be a successful learner for life!" —From the school
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Markham, Ontario "Markham, Ontario; IB School; OSSD; OSSD online credit course; NOIC ACADEMY’s annual university enrolment rate is 100% and more than 85% of graduates are admitted by University of Toronto." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario St. Clair Ave West/Avenue Road "Founded on the science of neuroplasticity, Arrowsmith Program provides students with the skills necessary to overcome their learning disabilities and transform their academic, cognitive, emotional and social lives." —From the school
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Richmond Hill, Ontario "A place where every learner is seen, heard and empowered to make an impact in their communities. An unparalleled online learning experience, providing academic excellence, experiential learning and personalized support." —From the school
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Edmonton, Alberta Groat Road/107 Avenue "Progressive Academy's programs inspire students from preschool to grade 12 in Edmonton, Alberta. Wonderful faculty, wide range of experiential opportunities and high expectations ignite a desire to learn." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Bathurst St./St. Clair West "Canada’s only independent, Catholic school for boys in Grades 7-12, taught in the Basilian tradition of forming the mind, body, and soul. Since 1852, we have educated students in goodness, discipline, and knowledge." —From the school
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Etobicoke, Ontario "Oak Learners inspires meaningful learning every day for students in Kindergarten through Grade Eight. Passionate teachers nurture children’s natural curiosity about their world with hands-on experiences." —From the school
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Belleville, Ontario "At Albert College, every student is an 'A' student. From Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12, our students experience all 5 of the Albert 'A’ s: Academics, Arts, Athletics, Active citizenship and Adventure programming." —From the school
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Concord, Ontario "Rotman School: Educating children to empower them for positive contributions to Canadian society. Fostering independence, creativity, and self-esteem through exploration of unique skill sets." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Leslie Street/York Mills Road "The Giles School has small class sizes, leadership programs and intensive STEAM learning that support both immersion and introductory language programming in English, French and Mandarin." —From the school
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Montreal, Quebec De Maisonneuve West/Park Row West "At Kells, flexibility is the key. We develop programs allowing students to work within their comfort zone, which may be above, below or at grade level. The result is students who outperform even their own expectations." —From the school
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Aurora, Ontario St. John's Sideroad/Yonge Street "With a tradition dating back to 1899, St. Andrew's remains the single largest all-boys boarding school in Canada. Our 126-acre campus provides our students with an ideal setting for learning and growth." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Yonge St/Davisville Ave "2E Learners, differentiated profiles AP, Reach Ahead classes, and enrichment Academic focus on inquiry and critical analysis Collaborative and feedback-rich environment Unique and robust clubs/extra curriculars" —From the school
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Hamilton, Ontario Main St. W./Longwood Rd. S. "Columbia International College is Canada’s largest private boarding school, offering Grade 9 to 12 programs. #1 in scholarships awarded by universities. The University of Toronto's official Global Partner School." —From the school
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Ottawa, Ontario Mariposa Avenue/Springfield "This traditional private school in Ottawa, Ontario offers Grades 4 to 12 with 100 boarding and 600 day school students. Tuition is from $33,720 to $76,830." —From the school
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St. Catharines, Ontario Ontario St./Welland Ave. "Heuristic & autodidactic, inspired by Sudbury & democratic models. Students are self-directed, and holistically empowered. Voluntary attendance, year-round calendar, agency, & consent inspire free learning. Also Forest" —From the school
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Sherbrooke, Quebec "Bishop's College School is an English boarding and day school for students in grades 7 through 12. Small in size and culturally diverse, BCS is an IB World School offering the IB Diploma Programme and Canadian curricula." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Yonge St/Lawrence Ave "Blyth Academy Lawrence Park is one of nine Blyth Academy campuses in Ontario. Our campus located in midtown Toronto provides the warmth and community of a neighbourhood school." —From the school
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Ottawa, Ontario Bank St./Wilton Cres. "Blyth Academy The Glebe focuses on personalized education, small class sizes, and strong student support for Grades 7-12. Big experience in a small school! Part of community of eight Blyth Academy campuses in Ontario." —From the school
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North York, Ontario Yonge/Sheppard "Wise Owl fosters a safe, enriching environment, celebrating uniqueness, inspiring resilience, emotional well-being, and responsibility, nurturing students into respectful global citizens." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Finch Avenue/Islington Avenue "Nile Academy offers small class sizes and a low student-to-teacher ratio, while also following the Ontario Curriculum, ensuring our students are well prepared for the rest of their educational pursuits here in Canada." —From the school
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Rothesay, New Brunswick Rothesay Rd/College Hill Rd "Our unique, daily Advisor Program ensures every student is surrounded by a strong network of highly qualified, dedicated faculty and staff whose mission is to provide academic, emotional, and social guidance and support." —From the school
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Etobicoke, Ontario "Quo Vadis, through a Polish-English bilingual program, aims to assist in the formation of well-rounded, responsible individuals, promotes academic excellence and encourages self-esteem within a Catholic environment." —From the school
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Thetford, Vermont(USA) "TA’s award-winning faculty are recognized for their innovative teaching practices, learners are engaged, and diversity is celebrated. TA students work collaboratively and independently to reach their full potential." —From the school
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St. Catharines, Ontario Ridley Road/Henrietta Street "Ridley College is an acclaimed co-educational IB boarding and day school that prepares meaningful and flourishing lives by teaching the habits of mind, body and spirit, and the values needed to lead in a global society." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Avenue Road/St. Clair Ave. "De La Salle College is a Catholic, co-educational, university preparatory school in Toronto from Grade 5 to 12, with an average class size of 20 students and tuition at $16,300 - $16,900." —From the school
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Vaughan, Ontario "At Vaughan College instructions are embedded with strategies appropriate to the students' unique needs. We develop students' confidence and their urge to do better, which results in a high university acceptance rate." —From the school
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Bracebridge, Ontario "Dewey’s educational goals follow the philosophies of John Dewey, preparing students through “student-centred learning" and "learning by doing", while emphasizing the cultivation of the "three New Liberal Arts"." —From the school
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West Vancouver, British Columbia "Collingwood’s personalized and inclusive approach fosters academic excellence and well-being as our students explore opportunities across the four strands--academics, athletics, arts and service learning." —From the school
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North York, Ontario Avenue Road/Lawrence Avenue "Through our dynamic individual education plans, mentorship, and therapeutic counselling we ensure all students feel comfortable, respected and cared for, so they stay actively engaged in their educational journey." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Yonge/Sheppard "A STEM-oriented private high school in North York, catering to local and international students both in-person and virtual classes. We take pride in our students' impressive university placement achievements." —From the school
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Milton, Ontario "At Oxford Learning Academy, our teachers will use the proven scientific approach of Cognitive Development to teach our students new ways of thinking and understanding what they are learning and how they are learning." —From the school
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North York, Ontario Leslie Street/401 "Webtree Academy offers individualized education programs which fully support students' academic needs, and helps them achieve educational and personal goals. Small class sizes are designed to inspire and engage students." —From the school
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Toronto, Ontario Don Mills Rd/York Mills Rd "Building on internationally acclaimed preschool reading success, SLI has grown into a hub for ground-breaking student achievement in literary, STEM, and artistic achievement across Pre-K - Gr 6 (offered on site/ online)" —From the school
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Summerland, British Columbia "Looking for an education that's out of the ordinary? Unisus School is a Pre - K to Grade 12 day and boarding school in Canada's Okanagan, offering the International Baccalaureate program + the B.C. Diploma (Dogwood)." —From the school
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The summer provides an excellent respite from the direct, intense learning during the academic year, and one that is essential for both students and teachers alike. I have written before about the importance of learning over the summer, and have written about incredible programs, like Toronto Brigantine, that expose kids to different types of learning, but I haven't really written about the wherefore and whys of what this type of learning can look like. I was inspired by Harris Cooper's statement that, "We need to dispense with romanticized notions associated with the traditional summer break, look at what's really going on, and consider the consequences. Lots of kids get bored over summer."1
What does summer learning mean?
Harris Cooper, Professor at the University of Michigan-Columbia, states that "We found that kids do forget over the summer. Across the board, all kids lose some math skills."2 To this end, educators talk about summer learning as a less direct, less intense style of learning that is child-centered, more emergent (based on their interests) but still supports the basic academic skills of reading, writing, math and science.
Summer Learning is self or parent monitored. The parents' role is to encourage, inspire, create opportunities, and/or interact with their child(ren) throughout the summer months, but leave the learning to them. There is no marking, no assessment, just good conversation and reflection. The summer learner can track their learning through blogging, tweeting, or writing in a journal.
Why is summer learning important?
It is important for a few reasons. Firstly, in the minds of parents, it is to prevent a plateau or decline of hard earned knowledge and skills. Students work in a learning cycle where their intake of knowledge and skills is practiced, assessed, reinforced and then evaluated. The results of this can diminish over time once this cycle has stopped for the summer. Active learning and practice of reading, writing, math and science can help decrease this effect.
For our students on summer break, we want to instill the habits and disposition that learning is a life-long pursuit, and something that is possible at any and all times. Consider these two important research findings from Today: Parenting: "On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills during the summer months. Research shows that teachers typically spend between 4 to 6 weeks re-teaching material that students have forgotten over the summer."3
When and where does it happen?
Summer learning can happen anywhere in the real world, or digital world. It can happen day, night, or over the period of the week. It is really about setting up these opportunities. Summer camps, like Kilcoo, offer unique, single-sex experiences ranging from two weeks to a month for almost any age group. There are excellent camps in cities as well, that utilize parks, paths and streams. Or, you can take part in a Jane's walk, or visit places of historical interest.
Want to keep your child busy and their mind engaged this summer? Find summer education camps and programs near you. →
How can you make it happen?
There are many ways that parents and kids make learning happen over the summer. Here's a list that I've created using the scale of simple to more complex:
|
READING |
WRITING |
MATH |
SCIENCE |
Simple: |
Read aloud to your child(ren) and ask them comprehension questions. Don't forget, reading doesn't mean just a book: blogs, newspapers, pamphlets, magazines are all valuable sources of reading material. |
Write a postcard to your teacher about what you've read or where you've been. |
Play "concentration" or simple card games like "Go Fish", or use a deck of cards like flash cards. Don't forget that math is a lot about pattern recognition, so look for those throughout your day. |
Pose questions about the world around you: "Why do sunflowers change positions?" or simply open a bottle of pop and ask why it explodes! |
Moderate: |
Read a book and then add it to or comment on it on goodreads.com |
Help them capture moments and create a story using scrapbooking, or the mobile app Flipagram Keep a journal where they answer a question a day that they, or you, pose. |
Take your kids grocery shopping and count apples, total costs, and more! On your way to a destination, use the highway markers to calculate distance to go, and even time to destination. Make a calculator a necessary road trip item! |
Visit Super Simple Science5 and create a tornado, or a soft-shelled egg that you can eat! Make dinner, and teach them the principles of cooking, boiling, and baking. |
Complex: Requires much pre-planning, time and materials |
Make a mini-novel. Take their favourite book and help them rewrite it into a mini-version: 1) Use blank pieces of paper that are folded into four. Do this 3 times, and place each folded piece inside the next |
Plan a field trip with them. This can be a more expensive endeavor, so help them plan the trip in advance by writing an itinerary. Then, follow up with photos taken during the trip, and then write a review on the destination's website, or on a related trip website like Yelp. |
Get them interested in sports. If they play, get them to tell you what happened in the game by the numbers - teammates numbers, number of passes they made, shots they took, etc… Or, if they don't play, check out how to read a baseball box score6. |
Plant a garden and monitor the water, environment and temperature in a journal, and predict your findings. Read "Barthlolmew and the Oobleck" by Dr. Suess and then create your own. It's a story about climate change that is great for asking and answering questions about the environment. To make Oobleck, just Google it! Here is the Youtube7 and here is a great lesson with questions included8. |
I believe that regardless of the nature of what you choose to do, whether simple or complex, or somewhere in between, it is important that the summer learner is given time to reflect on what they've accomplished. In their paper entitled "Learning by Thinking: How Reflection Aids Performance," a team of researchers from HEC Paris, Harvard Business School, and the University of North Carolina state that when a student reflects by "taking time after a lesson to synthesize, abstract, or articulate the important points…It truly is possible, they conclude, to learn "smarter, not harder"—teachers, trainers, and tutors just have to add a little reflection to their lessons"4. That means that those discussions over dinner, or on the road trip can be some of the most valuable times for family bonding, and for thinking and reflecting.
The research shows that the summer slide in skills and content knowledge is a real thing. I've tried to give you some ideas of how to reduce its effect; however, it is ultimately about creating a life-long love of learning. Parents shouldn't be looking to constantly challenge their children, nor should they let them explore aimlessly. It is about establishing a balance of relaxation and fun, with learning. The most important question that parents can ask themselves as they get ready for summer is along the lines of 'How can I keep my child curious and asking questions?'
If you have any questions or other ideas, please connect with Garth Nichols @Think_Teach or www.cohort21.com
Happy summer learning!
Works cited
1"More than a Hunch: Kids Lose Learning Skills over Summer Months." National Summer Learning Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014.
2 Ibid.
3 "Stanch Your Kid's Summer Learning Loss." TODAY.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014.
4 "Study: You Really Can 'Work Smarter, Not Harder'" The Atlantic. Web. 19 May 2014.
5 "Kidz Zone Super Simple Science Section'" Web. 28 May 2014.
6 "Baseball Line Score'" Sport Spectator. Web. 28 May 2014.
7 "Dancing Ooblek'" YouTube. Web. 28 May 2014.
8 Thiesen, Cheryle. "Investigating Matter, Solid or Liquid: Barthlowmew and the Ooblek'" Minnesota Science Teachers Education Project. Web. 23 May 2014.