They've seen their grandparents, been to camp and toured area wildlife sites, theme parks, museums and the like. The dog days of summer are here - and the children are getting restless.
Area education specialists say summer is a great time to fuel a child's interest or passion, or to help a student catch up on a particular school subject.
Research shows the learning gap widens between middle- and low-income students during the summer and has a cumulative effect on elementary school grades, according to the California Department of Education.
There are more than 9,000 students in the Morgan Hill Unified School District. Of those about 27 percent - almost 2,500 students - are enrolled in the free or reduced lunch program, which is an indicator of low-income homes, district spokesman Dan Ehrler said.
The Morgan Hill Extreme Learning Center Manager Shawna Casey said knowledge retention, or making sure a child doesn't forget in 10 weeks what they learned in almost 40, should be a part of summer activities.
"Summer is a great time to get ahead or catch up," said Casey, who has managed the center for two years and oversees the academic coaches, who are required to have 60 college units or more. Aside from gearing them up for a new school year, summer studying can help build confidence, she said.
"Some parents wait to do tutoring until they bring home a C, D or F," she said. "And they don't know where to start, like how to prepare for a test."
The Center, located on Main Avenue, offers one-on-one tutoring, week-long day camps and other academic activities. Camps include topics like the solar system and video-game programming.
"When the students are involved and able to touch materials, they're excited to be here, it's learning in a way that's different from the school year," she said. "It's more building, more creating and more fun."
Casey said reading every day is a great goal for students of all ages, and suggested parents look online for educational activity ideas.
If there's room for improvement in math, for example, she said a parent and child could go over the past year's work to focus on weak areas.
Morgan Hill Library's Childrens Program Librarian Saralyn Otter said she's seen studies that say children can lose two or three months worth of school skills if a child isn't reading.
To make reading fun, Otter suggested reading together - with parents, to younger siblings and even to pets. The Morgan Hill Library offers the Summer Reading Book Club of the Santa Clara County Library system and has about 550 participants, Otter said. Children interested can sign up through Aug. 2. On Aug. 6, the library will host a reading club celebration, during which children will bring in their reading and receive a new paperback book for their efforts.
If kids get bored with a book, there's plenty else to do at home, Otter said.
There's craft ideas, like making goo or dough in the kitchen. And there's simply going outside and studying backyard wildlife, she said. If a child likes writing, they could find a pen pal, too.
"For kids who seem like they're not doing well in school, it's just a matter of finding that one thing that sparks their interest," she said.
Mount Madonna summer program director Hamsa Heinrich said summer is the time children need to play and explore.
"It is really good for kids to be developing their passions for the summer," Heinrich said. Those passions will lend themselves to more interest in related school subjects, she said.
"It's not a one-size-fits-all," she said. "They need to keep their minds engaged, and a little bit goes a long way. Even half an hour a day is great."
The school district offers remedial classes for students. Other than these courses that enable students to catch up, the district doesn't offer its own summer learning program, but does collaborate with area programs like the Silicon Valley TECH Academy.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell offered 10 tips for summer learning in a June statement. Those tips include playing puzzles like Sudoku or Scrabble; playing team-building sports; collecting items, like stamps, that involve research; starting a journal; reading every day; creating a job like house, plant or pet sitting; or simply including the child in every day household activities like scheduling what to do for the day and grocery shopping. All of these activities engage children and teach vital life skills like responsibility, meeting deadlines and independence, O'Connell said in the statement.
The next time your child complains that they're bored, take note: there's plenty for them to learn without even being aware that they are - and their teachers will thank you come fall.
Jack O'Connell's Top 10 Tips for Summer Learning:
1. Turn off the television and computer and play outside
2. Play puzzles like Sudoku and Scrabble
3. Collect stamps, coins, or other historical items
4. Start a journal, diary or scrapbook
5. Make plans, like chore assignments and daily activities
6. Go grocery shopping
7. Plan dinner together
8. Set aside team each day to read
9. Encourage children to create their own job
10. Volunteer: help out an older neighbor, or join a charitable organization
Visit Read Write Think for age-appropriate summer activity ideas: readwritethink.org/beyondtheclassroom/summer
Natalie Everett
Natalie Everett Natalie Everett is the education and city reporter for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
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