Summer Learning Programs: Grades K-2

It's no secret that, when school gets out for summer vacation, the last thing on any student's mind is doing homework. Be advised, though, that students lose up to thirty percent of what they've learned over the summer. That's a high percentage and certainly should be cause for concern!

Set up a summer learning program.

A summer learning program doesn't mean that your child will be working on practice work for eight hours per day. It doesn't mean they'll even be working five hours per day. As little as one hour of reading and one hour of mixed activities per day is enough to keep them on the learning curve and keep their memory retention intact.

Review. Review. Review.

Work on activities and assignments your child worked on during the previous school year. If you've kept any of their papers, notebooks, or workbooks, these will act as a very good guide for how to set up your lesson plans. Include trips to the library and museums as a sort of "field trip" type experience into these summer learning programs.

Introduce and Encourage.

Introduce some activities, lessons, and assignments your children might be learning during their next school year. Find summer reading lists for the next year and encourage these titles into their regular rotation. Involve them in incentive contests through bookstores and libraries as much as possible.

Reward. Reward. Reward.

If you can't find an incentive program through libraries or bookstores, create one of your own. If your child reads for a certain amount of time each day, or completes a set of tasks as assigned, then reward them with a special treat. Some suggestions are:

• Trips to the ice cream store
• Movie rentals
• Gift certificates
• Pizza parties
• A small toy

Follow through.

If you set up the summer learning program to occur on a daily basis, it is up to you make sure they're performing the tasks you've outlined. If you're not following through and ensuring the work is done, they won't be dedicated to the program. It's just as important for you to involved as it is to set the program up in the first place. Purchase some record keeping materials or print them from websites, similar to what teachers use to record assignments and grades. Keep worksheets and other important papers organized in binders. The more "on the ball" you are with this program, the more likely success will follow.