Warning! Danger Ahead - Avoid Summer Slide!

Author: Andrew Joseph
This kind of summer slide is not wet, wild or fun – but a 100 year old learning-loss phenomenon** that affects our students every summer! The 'Summer Slide' is how experts and educators describe the more than 2 months of math learning students lose during the course of summer vacation.
The good news is there are many fun, convenient and effective ways to help avoid the Summer Slide! So grab your summer reading list and make plans to…
Help Your Family Avoid the Summer Slide:
What Parents can do to keep kids sharp over the summer
© 2010 National Summer Learning Association.

1. Locate a summer program that fits your budget.

Programs offered by schools, recreation centers, universities, and communities
often have an educational or enrichment focus.

1. Head to the library. It\'s a great, free resource. Check out Interesting books and

participate in free library summer Programs.

1. Focus on communication.  Discuss or write about  books, keep a journal of

events and activities during the summer.

1. Take advantage of local amenities. Take free or low-cost educational trips to

parks, museums, zoos and nature centers.

1. Explore and learn. Choose a place with an educational theme. Camping is a

low-cost way to get outside and learn about nature.

1. Give math meaning. Measure items around the house or yard. Track daily

temperatures. Add and subtract at the grocery store. Learn fractions while cooking.

1. Play outside. Seek out or organize physical activities that Contribute to healthy development.
2. Do a community service project. Teach your child how to volunteer in your community.
3. Keep a schedule. Continue daily routines during the summer with structure and limits.
4. Prepare for fall. Find out what your child will be learning during the next

school year by talking with teachers at that grade level.
Refresh your Skills and Stay on Top of Your (Math) Game by Practicing
There\'s a lot attention paid to summer reading lists but practicing math to keep skills sharp and interest piqued is really important too. Students don\'t need much encouragement to play a favorite sport, and have learned that if they practice they will improve. The same is true for keeping up with math concepts and skills, especially during the summer months.
One on-line math website – TenMarks has embraced this idea and provides a special service for would-be victims of the summer slide. At TenMarks, students (in grades 3-10) work at their own pace, and their personalized curriculum is mapped to grade and state standards.
TenMarks summer math programs were developed with the help of experienced math teachers, and based on data from thousands of students across the country. The summer 'Step Up' programs help maintain the skills the students learned over the school year, and introduce them to what\'s coming next year so that they are prepared and confident.  'Foundation' programs enable students to refresh core concepts in Algebra, Geometry, Fractions, Math Facts, and more.  Students can also take interactive assessments or preview videos; and results are emailed to parents who have dashboard control, helping them stay involved
TenMarks has found a way to make math learning convenient, effective and affordable – a great way to avoid the summer slide - and keep up and stay ahead all year.
On demand math learning for today\'s digital kids
[References:  All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer. (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004).
Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains (Cooper, 1996).]
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/k-12-education-articles/warning-danger-ahead-avoid-summer-slide-2598738.html
About the Author
Andrew Joseph – TenMarks Education Inc.

TenMarks - the smarter way for kids to practice and master math concepts over the summer. One concept at a time, kids are guided through a structured program of intelligent worksheets and practice, supported by hints and video lessons, and motivated by rewards.

http://www.tenmarks.com/