Just wondering if other mamas have their kids do "school work" during the summer to keep synapses firing and sharp on skills learned before school let out. We always read all summer and do exploratative learning.Then about a month before school starts ,we break out some work each morning that they have to sit on the booty to do. I'm trying to get them prepared for all the sitting and writing. I am mainly focusing on handwriting (cursive), creative writing, mulitplication and division drills and math problems. I am surprised how positive this has been this summer. I am loving the essays they are writing each day.
Let me know what you are doing and how it is going... I might implement new ideas.
Thank you everyone for your responses and the websites. I will check them out.
We are always looking for ways to help them in their studies. We are mainly working on the things their teachers asked us to work on over the summer to sharpen skills. I don't make them sit for hours on end or carry their workbooks around with them. It is just a daily refresher to work on things that the teachers asked us to. We try to make it fun and rewarding. I understand one poster's concern. I think she and I actually are in the same camp. We have very care free days...I dislike the overscheduling of todays kid's lives. I am a "free -range kids" mom at heart and loved the book "The Last Child in the Woods'. We just need a few weeks to ease back into sitting and holding a pencil for short periods each day..before the first day of school and my kids get overwhelmed.
Thanks again for your responses.
I really wish more school districts would go to year round school.
THis year we didn't, but we had a camp almost every week for each child.
School starts in three weeks for my highschooler, she now has projects to finish for her AP classes.
I homeschool and will start after fencing camp in 2 weeks.
In summers previously we have done the workbooks, Summer Bridge Activities. My kids really liked them.
YES, we do.
Everyday.
THIS is a GOOD site & highly rated:
www.khanacademy.org
For kids and adults.
MANY lessons on here for everyone.
Bill Gates is a HUGE fan of this learning site & he uses it himself!
And it is FREE.
This teaching approach is so successful and is even being adopted by some schools.
AWESOME site.
Both my kids, do it.
My kids are 4 and 8.
Kids can be taught anything.
At any age.
Also, this is a GOOD site for kids to learn typing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/
Kids, NEED to learn typing at a young age, per school and computer use in school too.
I don't know how old your kids are.
But yes, reading and writing for my kids too.
Year round.
as a teacher, i want to say THANK YOU! all parents SHOULD reinforce skills over the summer!!!
My son is going into 2nd grade. Last year I gave him weekly homework and we learned something new each week or we did a science experiment or learned about a certain holiday that was happening and had a craft associated with it. This year he is going to a summer program that includes reading/writing & math and also different subjects they got to choose from. So no homework this summer. Although we are big readers in our house so that's always going on. Also I have him write stories so he can practice his writing.
Yes! Sometimes I feel I'm the only one in my crowd who does this, although my kid just finished prek. My kid is 5 and will start kindergarten this month. He met all the requirements to start K like letter and number recognition, counting to 100, etc (except tying his shoes) so I just bought a bunch of Kindergarten workbooks at ToysRUs and am having him go through a page or two a day in each book - thinking skills, hidden pictures and even dot-to-dot and mazes so he could practice writing small lines.
He practices writing his name every day and the names of his friends, and reads a book or two to me every day. He is trying to write short sentences on his own "I like dogs. I am cold."
We listen to music and he either claps along or we grab somethig that makes noise and he follows the beat. We also make up songs (like Winnie the Pooh does!) so he is learning to rhyme and put words to tunes.
I make him draw or color, only to help him to learn to stay in the lines or to picture something and being able to draw it.
I used to be a big nazi about no screen time (tv, video games, computers, ds) during the week but after learning he will be in a computer class at school, I started having him log on to PBSkids.org or Disneyjr.com and playing around on it this summer.
We do this after bfast each day (if we have time), or before he wants to play. It takes about an hour. He loves it. I always give him a choice and most days he wants to do school. I think my kid is one of those kids who need constant stimulation and challenges so I have to do whatever I can to keep up w/him. I am really proud of him and grateful that he doesn't complain. In return, I let him let loose after we do school and try not to ask too much of him during the summer.
i actually didn't do it this year. i have all other years. i watched my niece and the kids were to "busy" to do it. i do have them read though almost nightly.
When my kids were in elementary school, I would get a workbook and have them do a few pages every now and then. They spent time at summer camp that included learning about nature, recycling, etc. We also made regular trips to the library and would do at least one educational day trip.
The school would give them a math packet to do. It usually only took an hour, so they did it the first 2 days of summer vacation. They were expected to read, usually 20 books and do 1 mini book report.
I never did this with my girls. Not that they were allowed to just laze around in front of the TV all summer, but no 'work' was required, just outside play with friends.
They are about to enter 9th and 12th grade later this month and are both top students. Honestly, I think everyone should do what works best for their family, but I always felt a bit sorry for the kids that were constantly doing school work. My 9th grade daughter has a friend who seemingly always had a workbook in her hand growing up, but now they are both at the same level in English and Math going into High School. My 12th grade daughter scored very well on both her ACT and SAT, and is more than qualified for her top choices for university.
Don't get me wrong, I think if kids enjoy doing the extra work during the summer, by all means go for it. I just think it is important not to put pressure on others to follow this lead if it is not the right fit for them. Child-led play with other children is extremely valuable. When kids get together without adults hovering around, they are amazingly creative! The skills they gain working together, making up games, and solving problems/conflicts among themselves, are invaluable in later life.
Our society is moving faster and faster, getting more and more competitive, and it is very easy to feel like we are behind because we are not racing around every minute of everyday. Rest and relaxation have become ultra luxuries, instead of being viewed as a necessary part of life.
My two...
