Happy summer, friends!
If you’re a parent or caregiver, summer for you may mean that you get to make a ton of fun memories with your family. But of course, it also means that the kids are likely (okay, almost definitely) engaging in fewer educational activities.
Honestly, this is often a breath of fresh air for both parties. For the kids, it means no more agonizing on a nightly basis about impossible calculus homework. For parents, it means no more witnessing the agonizing.
And having a break from homework can be great — and even healthy! But, at the same time, it’s important for kids to not fall victim to summer slide.
What is summer slide?
As the school year comes to a close, students eagerly anticipate the freedom of summer break. However, this time away from the classroom can lead to what is known as the “summer slide” – the loss of academic skills and knowledge gained during the school year.
This learning loss disproportionately affects students from low-income families, and can have long-lasting effects on their educational journey.
For instance, research has found that over half of the reading achievement gap in reading scores among low- and middle-income students could be attributed to differences in summer learning.
A well-known study, The Beginning School Study, found that unequal summer learning loss between low- and middle-income students in elementary school explained more than two thirds of the achievement gap in 8th grade.
As parents, teachers, and educators, it’s crucial to understand the impact of the summer slide and subsequently implement strategies to keep students engaged in learning throughout the summer.
Understanding the impact
Research has consistently shown that students experience significant learning losses over the summer, particularly in reading and math.
Specifically:
- An early comprehensive review found that, on average, students’ scores declined over summer break by one month’s worth of school-year learning. The same review also found that declines were more significant for math than for reading and that the extent of learning loss was larger at higher grade levels.
- A more recent study found that students in grades one through eight lose around 17% to 34% of the prior year’s learning over summer break.
- Research highlights that over time, the summer slide can contribute to achievement gaps, ultimately, impacting graduation rates and students’ enrollment in higher education.
Evidently, summer learning loss can have immediate and long-term implications for students’ learning trajectories. As a result, the summer slide can affect students’ lives far beyond the classroom.
Causes of summer slide
Several factors contribute to the summer slide, including:
- Lack of access to educational resources: Students may not have access to books, educational materials, or technology at home, limiting their ability to engage in learning activities during the summer. This is a hurdle that may be particularly challenging for students from lower income families.
- Disengagement from learning: Without the structure and routine of the school day, students may become disengaged from learning and lose motivation to use their academic skills. This is particularly true if, during the summer, students are engaging in no educational activities.
- Limited exposure to enrichment activities: Students who don’t have access to summer camps, educational programs, or cultural experiences may miss out on opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills and in turn maintain their learning gains.
Strategies for avoiding summer slide
To prevent learning loss over the summer, parent and teachers can implement various strategies:
- Create a summer reading list: Encourage students to read books that align with their interests and reading level. Set goals and rewards for completing books, and discuss the stories together as a family. The library is a particularly helpful resource for finding books (among other things, like games, family activities, workshops, and more!) at no cost.
- Incorporate learning into the everyday: Find fun ways to implement learning into everyday activities, such as cooking (measuring ingredients, following recipes), gardening (learning about plant life cycles), or visiting museums and historical sites.
- Utilize online resources: Take advantage of free online educational resources, such as Khan Academy, PBS Kids, or National Geographic Kids, to keep students engaged in learning.
- Enroll in summer programs: Look for summer camps or programs that offer academic enrichment activities, such as writing workshops, science experiments, or math challenges. Many programs offer scholarships if cost is prohibitive. Still, others are entirely free.
- Encourage skill-building hobbies: Support students in pursuing hobbies that build academic skills, such as writing stories, solving puzzles, or learning a musical instrument.
- Continue classes or tutoring: Many schools nowadays offer week- or month-long programs for STEAM or humanities, so that your student can continue learning throughout the summer. However, if your school does not offer summer classes, one-on-one tutoring is a wonderful alternative.
The benefits of summer tutoring
One particular tool that can majorly help students stay on top of their learning over the summer is tutoring.
Among the students at MPP, we’ve seen firsthand how summer tutoring can be the difference between passing and failing.
By providing individualized instruction and review of key academic concepts, tutors can help students retain the knowledge and skills they have acquired during the school year. This can also help bridge any learning gaps that may have developed during the school year.
Even for students who are on target with their grade-appropriate learning objectives, tutoring can help by giving them a sneak peek into what’s in store for them in the coming year.
Additionally, summer tutoring can provide a structured and engaging learning environment for students, keeping them motivated and focused on their academic growth.
By addressing summer slide through tutoring, students can start the new school year with confidence and a strong foundation for continued academic success.
Final thoughts
While the summer slide can be a significant challenge for students, parents and teachers can help prevent these learning losses from occurring. By implementing strategies to keep students engaged in learning throughout the summer months, we can help mitigate the effects of learning loss and ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed in the next school year.
As parents, teachers, and educators, we must work together to provide students with access to educational resources, enrichment activities, and support systems that foster a love of learning. By prioritizing summer learning and making it an essential part of our educational framework, we can help students maintain and build upon the skills and knowledge they’ve gained throughout the school year.
We invite you to share your own strategies and experiences in preventing the summer slide. What has worked well for your family, classroom, or community? How can we collaborate to ensure that all students have access to summer learning opportunities?
Let’s start a conversation and build a community of support and ideas around summer learning. Together, we can help students beat the summer slide and thrive academically, no matter the time of year.
Are you looking for personalized support to help your child avoid the summer slide? My Private Professor offers one-on-one online tutoring services with top tutors from leading universities. Visit www.myprivateprofessor.com to learn more and sign up for tutoring services today!
