3 Ways to Bust the Summer Slump

We’re here to help you to the fall finish line with resourceful, skill-building, confidence-boosting practices

We’re in the home stretch of summer — aka, the educational offseason. (Moreso on the east coast, where students typically return to school after Labor Day.)

That means for most parents, you’re running out of ideas. Whether your kids are not in everyday camps or summer programs, or if you’re just trying to fill the gap in between, summer is a challenging time of year to keep children stimulated from an educational standpoint.

Hence, we refer to it as the “summer slump” (or summer slide). This loss of knowledge during the school calendar gap months has been studied, and the regression stats are pretty staggering. For example, roughly 70-78% of elementary graders experience a decline in math skills over summer, while 62-73% see a drop in reading proficiency

While slumping baseball players  are known to naturally regress to the mean, students need an extra push during the summer months to maintain educational consumption and development — a failure to do so can result in a cumulative effect over time.

With that said, here are three tips to bust out of the summer slump. 

The Reading Rule of 3

Perhaps the most effective way to counteract the slump is by maintaining a comprehensive reading schedule. Whereas a reading slump can result in two months of lost proficiency, students who do read during the summer can gain a month on average. 

So what’s the best way to flip the script? Employ the “Reading Rule of 3” and mix up your child’s summer reading to include: reading independently, reading to them, and utilizing audio books. Try all three throughout the course of a week by implementing a schedule that involves your children’s participation and welcomes their reading choices. 

In doing so, you are embracing a self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) for reading, encouraging your children to become independent learners who can take ownership of their reading and build confidence. 

Hone in on Strengths 

While it’s crucial to encourage consistent reading throughout the summer, along with math-building activities, kids will get wise if the focus is solely on fundamental academics. As children grow and start to exhibit skill sets, it’s beneficial to hone in for multiple reasons: plant the seeds for a future career, provide senses of accomplishment and confidence, and support socialization. 

Whether with art projects, sports, or even building Legos, beyond just providing opportunity and praise, use it as a chance to support and encourage kids through setbacks. The broader effects of this ensure that on top of literacy and math, children will also develop better critical thinking, fine motor skills, and self-regulation. 

Utilize Resourceful Technology

It’s a constant war with the iPad over the summer, but thankfully, there are a number of positive paths when connecting your children to resources online. With the caveat of setting responsible limits (e.g., tech-free zones), it’s possible to achieve extremely effective results. According to Forbes, retention rates move from 25% to 60% with the implementation of e-learning.

Which resources should you choose? We’re not kidding when we say the options are endless — online learning has grown 900% since launching in 2000, making it the fastest-growing market in education. 

Included in that vast ecosystem is Da Vinci Collaborative, as we offer a comprehensive summer course offering through the end of August, including virtual sessions on: reading, writing/spelling, math, executive function skills, and assistive technology.

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