The Summer Slide
Contrary to the above enviable picture, the summer slide is not referring to a child's activity. The summer slide is the theory or fear many parents have that their child will forget a majority of the educational training that took place during the school year. Fun will drive the learning out. Children will return to school completely dumbed down.
Well, don't worry Mom and Dad. There are tons of ways to take advantage of the daily learning opportunities that are available in your home even during the summer. So keep reading, and maybe take some notes. This blog post is for you.
The Reality of Summer Slide
While there was a tad bit of humor in the opening paragraph, there is some truth to the idea of the summer slide. In reality, it is just an issue of memory retention. And surprise, surprise! Memory retention is not only a problem in the summer; it happens all year round.
Think about it. How many times do you ask your child or a child you know that age-old question: "What did you learn in school today?" And you receive the most common answer: "Nothing," or, "I don't remember."
If you're like me, then I'd start to wonder, "What the heck did I send you to school for?" If you're not like me, then you may change the topic to ideas on what to make for dinner. Either way, those vague, empty answers begin to work on your mind if you let them instead of just brushing them away.
Why is it that a child can go to an educational institution for 7 hours a day, sit in multiple classrooms, be taught curriculum, and then report back that they cannot remember a single item of a lesson? There are multiple reasons. For some it is boredom; it is hard to pay attention when you are completely uninterested in the subject. For others it is that they did not grasp the key points of the lesson. For many, it is that regular memorization is only meant to last for the short term and then it is forgotten unless needed again. For some it was that they were lost in the social distractions of a room filled with 30+ students their own age.
However, there is a notable comparison here. Children who are homeschooled tend to have better memory retention than children who are raised in the traditional school system. Why is that?
Because the homeschool curriculum sees learning as a lifestyle; not a job, a chore, or a task that starts and ends because of a school bell. The lessons are centered around the child, not the other way around. This tends to support a higher level of interest and engagement.
Even if you do not currently homeschool, there are many ways to keep your children engaged and educated, while practicing memory retention throughout the summer break.
CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE - start to view learning as a continuous journey, not as a voyage with an end point. Look to your child's interests as a starting point and allow the naturally facilitated lessons to grow from there. (This does not mean that you can't have formal lessons! Just make sure that they are being taught in a way that piques your child's curiosity.)
GET INVOLVED - nothing encourages a child to activate their brain more than their parent being involved with them. If you are an active participant in your child's learning, they will begin to enjoy the process. Who knows? They may even rediscover their love for learning.
STRATEGY GAMES - focus on memory improvement with games such as puzzles, cards, word searches and crossword puzzles. There are also some great resources that feature challenges where a child has to determine what is missing and what has changed in almost identical looking pictures. My one warning is that you should be careful of too much screen time. Look to physical resources and books that you can access. Overused screen time can defeat the purpose of this whole practice.
DEDICATED TIME - remember this: taking 15-30 minutes per day is much more effective than doing 5 hours all at once. This is an area where traditional school falls short, especially with the younger, more active age groups that do not need hours of academic activity at a time.
PLAN WITH YOUR CHILD - if you involve your child in the planning process, it is more likely that you both will stick with what you've decided. Set dedicated time aside to do this so that you can have open conversation about expectations and stay in check with your child during the summer break.
You can fight the summer slide by using my tips to help continue focused learning in your home. Remember, don't limit learning to a certain time frame or deadline. If your child wants to keep learning about a specific subject, encourage that. Take them to a library, a museum, a real-life site where they can continue to develop with more hands-on approaches. And always, when possible, allow them to incorporate what they've learned into daily life. #earlylearningactivities #kidslearningactivities #earlychilddevelopment #unschoolingmom #parentsofinsta #funlearningactivities #simplehomeschool #lifeofahomeschoolmom #learningmadeeasy #tutoringservice #learningforkids #hometutors #earlyeducationmatters #alternativeschool #homeeducating #educationforkids #childrenactivity #unschoollife #funlearningforkids #creativeteaching #unschooled #childhoodeducation #tutorsofinstagram #homeschoolfamilylife #unschoolingfamily #earlydevelopment #allaboutearlyyears #learningwithfun #homeschooladventures #educationalactivities #handsonactivities #childreneducation #interactivelearning #hometutor #earlylearners #learningmadefun #funactivitiesforkids #teachyourkids #homeschoolmomlife #learnwithfun #privatetutoring #learningactivities #kidsactivites #makinglearningfun #alternativeeducation #parenttips #studentengagement #homeschoollifestyle #screenfreekids #homeschoolingfamily #kidsactivityideas #kidsactivitiesathome #learningtime #funlearningathome #activitiesforchildren #learningexperience #earlychildhoodlearning #instaparents #earlyyearslearning #homeschoolideas #unschoolinglife #toddleractivitiesathome #activelearning #homeschoolkids #tutoringservices #homeschoolinglife #homeschoolersofinstagram #funactivity #homeschoolcommunity #childeducation #childrensactivities #homeschoolingideas #playingislearning #homeschooldays #homeschooled #homeschoolmoms #activitiesfortoddlers #homeschoolcurriculum #earlychildhooddevelopment #littlelearners #lovelearning #creativelearning #kidseducation #lovetolearn #earlylearning101 #teachingkids #learninganddevelopment #homeschoolfun #earlychildhoodeducator #parentsupport #parentslife #childledlearning #qualityeducation #teachingideas #learnandplay #homeed #homeschoolpreschool #earlyyearsideas #homeeducator #learnathome #kidslearning #homeschoolingmom #earlyyearseducation #homeschoolmama #parentinggoals #earlyeducation #funwithkids #educationiskey #handson #educationispower #playtolearn #parentsofinstagram #playislearning #homelearning #homeschoolfamily #preschoolathome #learningbydoing #funlearning #parenting101 #educators #tutoring #kidlife #handsonlearning #homeeducation #learnthroughplay #unschooling #earlychildhood #childdevelopment #parentinglife #educationmatters #tutor #learningathome #homeschoollife #learningisfun #homeschoolmom #earlylearning #parentingtips #homeschooling #homeschool #parents