"No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks. Out for summer, out till fall. We might not come back at all." --- Alice Cooper
As a school age child, there wasn't a school year that went by that I didn't sing this song on the last day of school. As I grew older and became a teacher, nostalgically and smiling to myself I hum this tune as I leave school for summer vacation. As a child the lyrics meant that I would not have to learn anything else, or do any more "school work" for two whole months. As an adult teacher, it is now clear to me that school is never really "out". Learning can happen everyday in the most unexpected ways. It is up to parents to see to it that learning doesn't stop just because school is "out for summer"!
The teacher in me always welcomed the end of the school year since this meant that I would now be abe to take advantage of the well earned R&R that summers provides for teachers. Although most teachers do not stop learning or teaching during the summer, we continue our learning in a less stressful and more relaxing manner. The parent in me was always wondering how I would be able to keep my two daughters engaged in learning during the summer, and balance this with some enjoyable and stimulating activities. Hopefully, the information that follows will help your family continue to learn in a relaxed, less structured environment, and have fun at the same time.
While summer is a time for relaxing, sleeping in later, and not having to stick to a regimented schedule, it is important to provide some structure to your child's summer days. When my girls were young we had a summertime routine that worked well for us. Even though we usually spent the summer at my in-law's house on Cape Cod, I still insisted that we stick to a regular routine each day. Not only did this help us to avoid the "Mom, I'm bored!" routine, it helped us to make the most of our summer vacation.
helped clear the table, and while I washed dishes and cleaned the kitchen, the girls would make their beds, do their chores, shower, and get ready to enjoy the day ahead
I was talking to my oldest daughter (Now approaching thirty years old; where does the time go?) about this blog post, and she ( a teacher, also) suggested that I add the following idea to our traditional summer routine: she suggested assigning a theme to each week in the summer. For example, the theme for one week may be bird watching. When you went to a bookstore or library, say on Monday, you would look for books about birding. Tuesday's reading time would be spent reading your new birding books, and discussing the ideas and interesting facts you learned reading about birds. Perhaps, on Wednesday, your activity could be to visit a bird sanctuary. Thursday may be spent taking a walk along a beach, or in the forest, or around your neighborhood, and trying to identify as many birds as possible. That night, while preparing and eating dinner, your family could discuss the bird sightings and interesting things you observed about your birds. That evening, your family could spend time trying to find the answers to questions that you may have about the birds you saw, for instance, what are their habitats, and unique behaviors. A rainy day art project could involve drawing a picture of birds that your family found most interesting, and later in the week everyone could share their artwork and tell each other about their favorite winged creatures. Visiting a a birding store is also a cool way to learn about how birds survive in the wild. This themed approach could work with just about any topic. It would provide quality entertainment for your children, they will have fun doing the activities around a central theme, and without even realizing it, your children will begin to develop amazing learning and study habits that will last them a lifetime!
So, instead of saying "Oh, great, it's summer time! :( " from now on maybe you will say, "OH! GREAT!, It's summer time! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment