Summer Learning Workbooks

When schools first opened in America, school calenders varied depending on the community. Some of the rural schools had long summer breaks that began in the spring so children could help on their families farms. Some of the urban schools had breaks as short as 1 or 2 months. By the time most Americans became involved in agriculture and when indoor climate control was limited, a standardized 9 month calender emerged. Today, less than 5% of our families are involved in agriculture and we have air conditioning, but we still have the same old 9 month calender.

There are several problems with today's school calender because of the possible negative impact that long breaks have on student learning. Long breaks interfere with instruction, cause children to forget, and require long periods of review when children return to school. Also, long breaks can have a very bad effect on children with special needs or children who have English as a second language.

Until we reform our school calenders, parents have to help their children retain as much learning as possible over the summer break. There are many strategies you can use. Bookstores have summer learning workbooks that help student practice the skills they learned the year before and prepare for the next year. These workbooks, usually for elementary school grades, can provide a valuable source of enrichment. Children can work on a certain number of pages each day or work for a certain amount of time. You can help by being there for them and talking with them about the work they are doing. Remember, the most effective type of parent engagement that has the biggest impact on student achievement is what takes place in the home.