John Monfredo: 11 Ways to Make Summer Learning Work

Saturday, June 29, 2013

John Monfredo, GoLocalWorcester Education Contributor

The kids might be out of school, but that doesn't mean they have to stop learning.

“A house without books is like a room without windows. No one has a right to bring up children without surrounding them with books….” Horace Mann

This week the children started their summer vacation, and if you have been following my writings in the past you know that it’s a real concern. If your family has the resources to visit the Science Center, send your child to camp, or spend time visiting historic sites and have the access to learning that is required to keep the knowledge your child gained over the year or better still additional knowledge gains then that’s wonderful.

However, as research and common sense point out there are many families who simply don’t have the means to send their children to camp or the resources to pay for a summer program. For years and years, the lack of academic growth during the summer time has been referred as the summer slide (students losing up to 3 months of academic growth) or as others call it the “Summer Brain Drain.”

Summer reading loss is real. (Next issue, I’ll talk about math loss, too) Research states that the best predictor of summer loss or gain is whether or not your child reads during the summer. The good news is that you, as a parent or guardian, can prevent summer reading loss.

Let’s look at what can be done:

1. Enroll your child in a summer school program or camp program that encourages literacy development.

Yes, in Worcester we have many…some in the Worcester Public Schools and others through United Way, Boys and Girl Clubs, Friendly House, Rainbow Child Development, YMCA, just to name a few. Do it now!

2. Visit the Worcester Public Library often.

The library is the best bargain in the community for it’s free, air-conditioned, and they have special programs taking place and of course lots and lots of great books. Remember, summer reading is mandated in the Worcester Public Schools so check those backpacks for information about summer reading and math opportunities, too.

3. Mandated summer reading

Starting in kindergarten the Worcester Public Schools has sent home to parents information about summer reading. In grades Kindergarten to grade two parents must complete the parent log and help their child read five books. Hopefully, it will be more for reading should take place each and every day and parents, PLEASE, take the time to read to your child before bedtime or whenever it is most convenient for you. Make it a part of your daily activities with your child. In grades 3 to grade 6, the children are to read five books or at least 800 pages. Again, don’t wait until August for reading should be taking place daily. If you want your child to be good in sports he/she has to practice and the same principle should apply to reading. Once a student finishes a book there are several activities that are recommended…from illustrating a favorite part of the story, or designing a postcard or book jacket, to writing a letter to the author or to the character in the story.

4. Explore online reading sites.

Here are two to visit… StorylineOnline (is a free site featuring actors who creatively read books aloud or One More Story…This site features a virtual bookshelf, high-quality oral reading, and the ability to read books independently with support. This site has a fee.

5. Take educational trips.

These can be low-cost visits to parks and museums in Worcester or if you have a car visit educational sites such as Old Sturbridge Village or one of the Zoos in New England.

6. Work with your child on a hobby.

If they are interested in comics or technology, you may want to expose them to as many opportunities as possible.

7. Family Night each week.

Bring out the popcorn and read a book. Try once in a while to get a book based on a movie. Then, show the movie and see if the book did follow the movie script. Many movies can be obtained at the Worcester Public Library

8. Participate in Bookwork Wednesday.

The Showcase Cinema North in Worcester will allow your child in for a free movie at 10:00 a.m. starting on Wednesday, July 10th if he/she presents a book report on one of the books that has been read during vacation time. Again, the admission to a free movie is that book report, and the parents get in free, too! So every Wednesday in the summer you can submit your book report to Cinema North and be treated to a movie. Also, Barnes and Nobles has a summer reading program that provides incentives for your child to earn a free book.

9. Does your child love to win? Go ahead and tap into his/her natural competitiveness.

Set goals for the number of pages read daily, the number of minutes spent reading each week, or the total number of books read each month and reward your child when they meet targets. Post his/her progress where your child can keep track of it—perhaps on the refrigerator or the bedroom door. Let your child choose the rewards so he/she has an incentive to meet that goal.

10. Encourage them to read magazines.

There’s a magazine for almost any interest, from playing baseball to kayaking. Visit your library to see some of the magazines that are available.

11. Remember, we read to write and write to read…

Finally, be sure that your child has a diary in the summer time and have your child write the highlights of his day each evening before going to bed. Consider writing weekly to the Happy Time Page featured in the Sunday Worcester Telegram and Gazette comic section. A topic is given weekly and when you send in your story you can earn points. Those points can add up and your child can earn enough points get a free book from the Happy Time Page. It’s a great program that has been going on for years. Other writing activities could be writing a letter to a friend, relative, or even to a member of the School Committee, me! It’s important that your child writes for the more that they write, just like reading, the better he/she will become with this skill. In addition, be sure to have your child write about their favorite book that they read this summer and send their essay to me–John Monfredo, 8 Cherokee Road Worcester, Ma. 01606. I will select the winning essays from grades K to three, grades 4 to six, and from seven up. The winners will be rewarded with new books.
It’s now up to the adults and to the community to encourage summer reading. I sincerely hope that I have raised the awareness of the importance of supporting summer reading and by providing ideas that one can do at home. Parents, you are the child’s first and most important teacher and it is up to you to provide the needed guidance during the summer time. You can prevent the “summer slide” or the summer drain by making reading a priority in your home.

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Email to a friend Permalink