Stopping the summer slump

Students and parents alike may look forward to the break from the school day routine that summer brings, but all that fun and frivolity comes at a price:

When the learning shuts down, students lose some of what they've just picked up during the school year.

Recent studies by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Summer Learning conclude that all students lose some learned material when not participating in educational activities during the summer. The summer learning loss is often called "summer slide" or "summer brain drain."

"After a long school year, I feel like we deserve a break," says Summerville mom Francie Smalls. "I'd like nothing better than to just hang out at the pool. But as they say, 'Use it or lose it,' and I'm afraid if we don't 'use it,' my kids will be behind when school starts back."

At best, students in the Johns Hopkins study showed little or no academic growth over summer. At worst, they lost one to three months of learning. And math is the subject area that's hardest hit.

So educators say enjoy the summer but don't forget about academics.

"Math doesn't come easily to my son, so as much as I hate to, I am going to have him do some problems every day over the summer," says Smalls. "He won't like it, but it will only take a few minutes and we'll make it part of our daily routine. Then, hopefully,

when school starts, he won't have to struggle as much."

Reading takes less of a hit in the summertime, but kids still can lose valuable skills if they don't use them.

Reading programs, including many offered locally, encourage kids to pick up a book or two during their time off from school.

"I see summer as a chance to read books I want to read," says Alex Matthews, 12, of Mount Pleasant. "During the school year, I'm so busy reading things I have to, that I don't get a chance to read what I want to read. I have a stack of books waiting."

That doesn't mean summer should be filled with academic pressure.

Although summer is a break from structured learning, Summerville mom Lisa Williams says it is a chance for kids to learn through play, and she looks for those opportunities. It's easy to slip a little stealth learning into the daily activities, she says.

"Sometimes we explore outside, and then have questions about what we found, so later we do research on the computer or at the library," she says. "Sometimes we just play a sorting or counting or spelling game while we are in the car or the grocery store. If you make it fun, the kids won't think of it as learning, and it won't be a drag to them."

Vacations are also good educational opportunities. Let your child help research and plan your trip, and while you are traveling, ask lots of questions. Visiting museums or historic sites adds to the experience.

"We aren't going on a vacation this year, but there are lots of enrichment opportunities right here in Charleston," Williams says. "Not many places have the rich history that we do, and it doesn't have to cost a bundle to learn about it. Then when they hear about these places later, they say, 'Oh, yeah! I've been there.' "

Many teachers start the new year with a review from the year before. Some spend as much as a month or six weeks going over old material.

"I figure if we keep up with it over the summer, even the review at the beginning of the year will be easier," says Smalls.

Reach Brenda Rindge at 937-5713 or brindge@postandcourier.com.