Summer break is in full swing and students likely have indulged in sleeping in and spending hours playing with friends.
That is wonderful. Summer vacations should be full of fun. However, they don’t have to mean a break from learning. In fact, they shouldn’t mean a break from learning.
Countless studies continue to show that children experience learning loss during the summer months, particularly students in low-income homes.
On average, all students lose about two months in math skills over the summer months. While upper and middle income students gain in reading skills during this time, lower income students experience a loss, according to a study by Harris Cooper, professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
A recent report from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, “The Learning Season: The Untapped Power of Summer to Advance Student Achievement,” shows that nonacademic experiences during the summer can support success during the school year, including higher grades and test scores.
Families can prevent a “summer brain drain” and help children enrich their learning skills during the summer by heeding a few low-cost suggestions adapted from the Center for Summer Learning:
• Take family educational trips. These can be visits to parks, historical or children’s museums, zoos and nature centers.
• Practice math daily by measuring items around the house or yard. Children can add and subtract items at the grocery store and cooking (with adult supervision) is a good way to learn fractions.
• Do good deeds together. Children learn better and “act out” less when they engage in activities that aid in their social emotional development, such as community service, maybe planting trees or cleaning up a park.
• Enroll children in summer programs offered by local schools, recreation centers, universities or community-based organizations.
• Keep a schedule. Continuing daily routines will provide structure and limits. This will provide a balance and keep young minds engaged.
• Get outside and play. Intense physical activity and exercise contribute to healthy development and release pent up energy.
Also, providing plenty of reading material in the home and finding quality educational activities online are helpful to preventing summer brain drain.
Whatever you have planned, don’t forget to make the most out of the time you have together as a family. Here’s to plenty of fun and learning this summer!
SANDY GARRETT is state superintendent of public instruction for Oklahoma.
Opinion
Summer: Time for fun, learning
- Opinion
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OUR VIEW: Feb. 14 vote about ideas
If you read any of the letters to the editor in the past two weeks regarding Tuesday’s District 2 Edmond school board race, then you already know that this election is not about the individual candidates so much as it’s about what type of school board do Edmond residents really want governing their school district?
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What are your presidential 10 Commandments?
As we brace for the upcoming presidential campaign, we should be honest about our responsibility in the process. Before we get pushed, pulled, bribed, frightened, bullied, flattered, fooled or charmed into voting for a candidate, let’s take a mature thoughtful look at what the profile of the president should look like. In order to do that, let’s do an exercise. Sit down with a pencil and paper and draft your proposal for the Ten Commandments to be obeyed by the president. Let me share some of my suggestions.
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What would Reagan do today in Oklahoma?
As we celebrated the 101st anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth on Feb. 6, several of us at Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs started discussing what Reagan might do today. Here are some of the ideas we came up with.
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- LETTER: Supporter calls Duncan 'a firecracker'
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Consequences of an overregulated nation
Overreaching government regulations are costing jobs and killing our economy. They are a heavy burden on our nation and its citizens — in some cases worse than our nation’s increasingly out-of-control debt.
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LETTER: Supporter: Duncan shows passion for children’s needs
To the Editor:
The families in the Edmond Public School District are fortunate to have Kathleen Duncan as their advocate on the Edmond Board of Education. Duncan has worked tirelessly for the welfare and benefit of the Edmond schools’ students. -
LETTER: Teacher supports Duncan’s re-election
To the Editor:
On Feb. 14 patrons of District 2 have an opportunity to re-elect the current president of the Edmond School Board, Kathleen Duncan. Duncan has served as a board member for 10 years. When people move to the Oklahoma City area, they buy a home here because of the exceptional quality of Edmond Public Schools. This speaks to Duncan’s goal of “Excellence in Education for All Edmond Public School Students.” -
LETTER: Supporter: Duncan understands diverse issues
To the Editor:
Kathleen Duncan understands the diverse issues that effect our schools. She carefully studies the district’s issues and works tirelessly as an advocate for all students. Her votes as a board member have an impact for years to come and she takes that responsibility very seriously. - LETTER: Reader says incumbent's personal agenda in the way
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OUR VIEW: Feb. 14 vote about ideas
