Community Update

Just where did this practice of summer school break for children originate and what effect does an extended break have on learning?

History of Summer Breaks
Interestingly, the traditional school break did not occur during the summer time. Historically, farm children attended school from December to March and from mid-May to August. Adults and children shared planting and harvesting in the spring and fall. In the 1800s, urban children attended school for 11 months of the year, while their families worked in shops, mills, and factories. Women, children and their servants in wealthy families were sent to summer homes for months at a time. Did you know that today, North American children attend school fewer days per year, as well as fewer hours per day, than in most industrialized countries? It seems that our lives our organized around the school clock. Moreover, it governs how learning material is taught to students and the opportunity they have to develop, master, and retain skills.

How Can I Keep my Child’s Skills Sharpened Over the Summer Break?

You may be powerless to change the fact that the summer vacation break is looming, but you can do something about your child’s learning loss.

1. If your child’s mind is actively engaged over the summer months, he or she will continue to learn key skills and keep concentration and thinking skills sharp, even while not in school.

2. Sustained practice in developing and maintaining your child’s math and reading skills, as well as reinforcing strong study habits. Developing and maintaining a routine, that includes focused study is even more important over the summer months to address the inevitable learning loss that will take place while your child is not in school.

3. You might be wondering if there are other ways of keeping your child’s brain actively involved over the summer. You bet! Let’s explore a few simple, yet fun reading and math activities that can be easily incorporated into your child’s day and that will help keep the summer brain drain to a minimum.

Activities that Support Reading Skills

Reading is the simplest, yet most effective way of keeping minds sharp over the summer. Reading begets reading. Simply put, children become skilled readers by reading. Skilled readers tend to have a wide range of reading interests and a wider range of levels of difficulty and genres to choose from. Struggling readers have a tougher time. They tend to be more narrowly focused in their interest and ability. But, in order to become better readers, all children need to read.
With more flexible schedules, summer is an ideal time to support your child in exploring their interests in the world of books. Make time for regular outings to the library or bookstore that will provide opportunities for your child to explore their interests in the world of print. Books that a child has chosen are more likely to be read. Moreover, books are so portable! They can be enjoyed in relaxed settings such as in bed at night, in the tent in the backyard with a flashlight, and in the car.
• Read the book, watch the movie, and discuss. With many of the titles available as movies, the Kumon Recommended Reading List is a great place to start.
Have your child read the book first so that he/she can use his/her imagination to bring the story alive. Then, watch the movie and discuss the differences: How were the stories similar, different? Which version of the story did you like best and why? Discussions provide opportunities for your child to think about what he/she has watched or read and to share his/her point of view. The discussion provides you with an opportunity to support him or her in learning important thinking skills as well as key concepts inherent in the story.
Who doesn’t like to be read to? Reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills needed for reading success. This is especially important when children choose books they cannot read without making mistakes. By reading to your child, you activate their imagination and interest in a world full of stories. Don’t hesitate to include books that are just a little beyond his or her understanding. This will require your child to ask questions and extend his or her thinking.
Activities that Support Mathematics Skills

Learning activities that support math skills need not be boring! Planning for vacations and summer activities with your child can begin now; then use those activities to support your child’s learning. Provide your child with an allowance with or without corresponding responsibilities. Teach your child about saving money and budgeting for expenses. For a young child, decorate a shoebox with pictures describing ways he or she would love to spend money this summer. Talk about the cost, then use a piggybank to start saving. For older children, decide together on an outing or a desired item and open a bank account. Talk about how much should be budgeted for the outing or desired item. Provide your child with extra incentive to save by offering to match savings in some proportion (e.g., 25, 50, or 100%).
Include your child in cooking and baking activities that provide plenty of opportunity to learn and practice math skills. Allow your child to develop recipes, shop for the ingredients, and experiment with measurements, ingredients and the outcomes!
Play games like Monopoly, Dominoes, and Yahtzee that reinforce a variety of math skills. Card games such as Hearts and Twenty-one also require attention and computation.
Remember, focused, continuous study of Kumon and engaging in learning activities that are fun-filled and support reading and mathematics, over the summer break will pay dividends when it comes time for your child to head back to school. Your child will ease back into the school routine quicker and ready to learn.