Some families use the summer season as an opportunity to catch up on academics or brush up on educational skills and subjects. Others go in for the traditional “break” from scholastic stuff and use summer as vacation time. But, what is best for the child and how can you decide what is best for your family situation?
In our area of the country, it seems that summer school has become the trendy thing for all sorts of kids. When I was young, summer school used to be something that was reserved for students who were really struggling or who had failed a few classes. Now, more and more families are sending their kids to summer school to “get a leg up” or supplement their winter academic plan. Other families send their children to special learning centers or hire a tutor to work on specific subjects during the summer months.
I suppose it depends on the child–some children really can use the extra time in the summer to catch up or work on weak subjects. But, I can’t help but think that going to school year-round can also add more pressure to already over-burdened kids who are feeling crushed under a lack-of-time crunch. Sometimes, taking a traditional summer off can actually do more to help boost a child’s academics when he or she heads back to school than spending all the time studying.
For kids who could use a little extra tutoring, maybe something more moderate and “in-between” would work–a couple weeks of tutoring or classes and then plenty of vacation and time off too. I’m still a big advocate of a little summer time off to do other things–visit grandparents, work the summer job, hang out with friends, play sports, etc. instead of spending a long, hot summer sitting in a classroom.
See Also: Summer Brain Drain