While many families are planning summers filled with educationally enriching activities for their kids, the vast majority of low-income children in the U.S. lack access to fun and beneficial summer learning opportunities.
For these disadvantaged youth, summer months can be lonely and boring, and place them at increased risk for weight gain and learning loss. A substantial body of research, illuminated by anecdotal evidence from low-income communities nationwide, makes it clear that children who lose out on summer learning, lose out.
Children who lack access to summer learning opportunities are less likely to be physically active and more likely to spend their days watching TV and eating junk food. These sedentary behaviors are contributing to America's ballooning childhood obesity epidemic.
Studies also show that a lack of summer learning and enrichment opportunities leads to "summer learning loss" -- a loss in academic skills and knowledge during summer vacation. Summer learning loss, which is cumulative over time, widens the achievement gap between low-income and middle-income students and increases student drop-out rates.Â
Summer learning also helps teachers because they don't have to begin the school year playing catch-up with students who lost out on summer learning opportunities.
Fortunately, there is growing recognition about the critical link between children's summertime learning and academic achievement, thanks in part to cover stories like TIME Magazine's "The Case Against Summer Vacation."
Unfortunately, low-income children across America are still woefully under-served by summer learning programs. For example:
In California, a growing coalition of political leaders, community leaders and children's advocacy organizations, together with the nonprofit Partnership for Children and Youth, are developing a new statewide summer learning vision that can be replicated nationally.
This summer, schools and community organizations from diverse low-income communities across California -- San Francisco, Sacramento, Gilroy, Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Fresno, Whittier and Oakland -- will provide high quality summer learning programs to local children through a unique public/private partnership supported by civic, business, education and philanthropic leaders.
In just a few weeks they'll open their doors and engage children in summer learning activities that are as fun as they are educational, and serve as good examples for other communities and states.
With 90 days of summer, every day a child is not participating in a summer learning program is a loss. But with increased support from the private, public, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, and anyone who cares about education, California and any other state can make summer learning the priority it deserves to be.
Summer Learning - FamilyEducation.com
Arthur C. Clarke said politicians should read SCIENCE FICTION. Why not kids too? But REAL SCIENCE fiction with REALISTIC SCIENCE not Stupid FANTAscience fiction.
Can't poor kids get these?
http://www.examiner.com/social-media-in-knoxville/sylvania-99-netbook-at-cvs-part-2-the-first-day-1
It is nowhere near desktop computer capability but it can download ebooks and work as an ebook reader. It can even play audio books. There are companies that selling ebooks that can be gotten for free. It is possible to pay $100 for 40 ebooks and 5 audio books which can be downloaded free.
That would pay for the computer. Here is one:
http://librivox.org/badge-of-infamy-by-lester-del-rey/
Here is another:
http://www.manybooks.net/titles/kuykendallr2416124161.html
So when will they stop arguing about netbooks versus tablets and figure out it makes no difference.
I found lots to do in the summer before there were computers. Like if you can't go on educational trips you have to sit in front of the TV. How about ten mile bike rides with other kids?.
And as a teacher, you're probably aware that if it's hard work, some parents aren't going to do it. So as a society, do we wash our hands of them, or do we try to provide them with some of the advantages that middle-class parents are more willing (or more able) to provide for their kids, and that lead to their kids' success?
I think that summer time is all about balance; week long camps, art classes, library trips and outings to the park are all part of a productive summer vacation. I'd hate to see parents worship the yuppiedom ideal! Summer was the time where I discovered my talents and found time for extensive writing, reading and drawing; my lifelong passions. Not all children need constant scheduling and abolishing summer vacation would harm introverted students who relish their free-time.
Yes, I was not exactly poor- but I was lower-middle class/middle class and I believe that a structured summer would have been more hurtful than helpful in my case.
I also give my students folders of work that looks like games and puzzles to do--I ask them to spend 5 minutes a day on math and at least 15 minutes a day on reading. When they bring them back completed in the fall they get little prizes, but they've also usually maintained their skills which is the main purpose.
It would be great to have a longer school year and more funding for summer programs, but both are expensive and with our economy the way it is, it's unlikely to happen.
Are they going to forget everything they have to learn in school?
A summer learning loss should never be a problem as long as there are free, public library open during summer. However I agree a good summer programs are really very important for children from low socioeconomic status backgrounds.
Summer programs like this are the best example of affirmative action. Academically speaking, a tri-semester year would be ideal for kids (if the schools are air conditioned).
It might not be as ideal for teachers only because the ones I know either have to work to supplement their income or take graduate courses to stay up to date. That said, public universities have a responsibility to offer course credit to teachers within the confines of area school schedules. Three week and four week intensive courses are not unusual.
All teachers should first have to be camp counselors. It's the best training I can think of.
There are free programs like public libraries that can provide access to the best minds that ever lived. They also can provide free videos and books on tape for struggling readers. That is what we did in our poor neighborhoods as kids. Teachers were never expected to be camp councelors. Sheez.