From getting ahead on credits to exploring potential careers, summer school provides so many opportunities to kids. Yet, the majority of kids do not engage in formal schooling over the summer. According to a 2021 survey conducted by NWEA, the average student loses 17–35% of the prior year’s learning during summer break. And while nearly 41% of high school students take summer school courses, this does not account for kids in grades K–8 or the other 59% do not, and K-8 students are generally off in the summer.
Post-pandemic, some districts are using federal funds to pay for summer school for students, which equates to free access to credit-bearing courses. The benefits of summer school are many—early graduation, early release senior year, and more time in their schedule to pursue extracurricular activities. The crux is to move beyond the negative connotation of summer school; it’s only for remediation, punishment, to make up failed classes, etc…
The Future of School is one where “school” will not be synonyms with a place, time, or modality. It’s all about learning, anywhere, anytime.
If we normalize “learning” in the summer to younger children, it will be more appealing when they get to high school. How do we do that? It’s not about formal summer school programs (though those can be wildly beneficial). Instead, it is about a shift in our mindset about what “summer school” was, is and ultimately, can be. We asked a few parents how they engage the minds of their kids over summer, and here’s a few ideas they shared the following suggestions with us:
- Find a high-quality online or blended program in your state select a course that your child is interested in and see if your district or school has funding available for it. If not, consider paying the course access fee if possible.
- Create a “book club” in your home with your child(ren). Let them pick one book, you pick the other. Consider integrating an audio book to diversify the way in which you follow the plot.
- Engage in open conversations with middle school kids about the benefits and advantages of high school summer coursework. Talk to your teen about summer school as an excellent way of taking advantage of earning credits and being exposed to new, exciting content. More and more schools are offering online courses over the summer, making it even easier to travel, vacation, and still complete a course or two.
- Find a camp that reflects your child’s areas of interest, maybe at a local community college or four-year university. Tap into high school counselors or the registrar to find out if outside, summer coursework could counts as an independent study class that would be credit-bearing.
- Seek out courses that promote study skills, time management, and other life skills. Core content is one way to promote learning, but there are other disciplines available, too; explore what is available in the way of personal growth and development content (in-person and/or online).
Summer school, a.k.a. learning over the summer, provides many positive opportunities for kids of any age. A combination of research, creativity, and knowing what a child is interested in can help shift from a negative, to a more positive, impression of summer school. Digital tools and resources have expanded the breadth and depth of summer school, making it even easier to integrate into a life-on-the-go. In sum, right now we are presented with the chance to reframe the power and potential of learning to support students, on break from school over the summer, so they remain actively engaged all year long.
With gratitude,
Amy
CEO, Future of School
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OUT IN THE WORLD
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ON THE PODCAST
In Future of School: The Podcast, we feature diverse perspectives from learners sharing how their experiences in school, and their lifelong trajectories, have been transformed by taking positive advantage of online and blended learning programs.
These diverse perspectives from learners share how their experiences in school and their lifelong trajectories have been transformed by the choices they made for their learning pathways.
Check out S3E7 featuring Courtney Stevens, who recently completed her first year at Front Range Community College, talks about the benefits of the flexibility that her online classes afforded her during the pandemic. Courtney was able to expand her skills, learn more about content she was interested in, and, experienced significant improvements to her writing, all because of the versatility built into her online school and courses.
Courtney shares how having more flexibility with when she was doing her schooling led to an expansion of skills and interests as well as significant improvements to her writing.
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RESOURCES
Did you know….
NASA invites you to join their Virtual Guest List?
https://www.nasa.gov/specials/virtualguest/
Microsoft offers a variety of free online summer resources for expanded learning?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/remote-resource-center/virtual-summer-camps?r=1
Virtual Summer Camps
https://www.kcedventures.com/blog/free-online-summer-camps-workshops-for-kids-teens
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