No more teachers, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks!Can you remember that chat from elementary school? I do. Somehow the summer seemed so wonderful and stretched out before us like an endless road that kept going and going and going.
Ahh, Summer.
Many folks want year round schooling and I guess I can understand why. With so many working parents who have to pay child care in the summer, it makes sense to have school so the kids will be productive and not be left alone for many unattended for hours or will not have to be in long term day care situations.
It is much easier for many parents to take a week here and there during a year-round school calendar to spend time with their children, than to take off an entire summer.Also, studies [so they say] show that kids loose a lot of knowledge over the summer and shorter breaks are better to keep up skills.
I have to question this. If the kids really learned something, are they going to forget it all so quickly? I mean, if you take smaller breaks during the year [and more of them] won't they forget more?
I know with my kids a summer off seemed to bring about a maturity that always surprised me. Sure, they might forget some math process over the summer, but I could usually review it with them and they could "remember" it in about 5 minutes. But, there is something magical that happens to a student in the summer between grades that is hard to explain but I know many parents will testify that they have seen it too.
The kid grows up.
The little kindergarten student in June, becomes a more confident 1st grader in a matter of months. Children that have time to think and play and do chores and maybe get to go camping with the family mature at a greater rate than when they are going to school every day. I don't know why, but I think it is true.
Perhaps it is the lack of schedule that helps them learn to manage their time better. Perhaps it is because they spend more time with their parents and siblings. Perhaps it is because when the brain that has been working hard on academics is given more freedom, other parts of it that do not have to do with school-type thinking get a chance to develop.
I am not sure, but whatever it is, I am glad for it. I am glad that a lazy summer can be the means for a child to mature.
Along this line, I thought you might enjoy these thoughts as well:
- Fire Escape and Playing Poker -Why even the public school textbook writers think homeschooling is a good idea--even if they don't realize it!
- I'm Bored- Ideas for beating summer boredom
Take care,
Jill
[Photos of fun in the summer time]
No comments:
Post a Comment