Five Fun & Memorable Ways to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

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Guest Post by PSAE Board Member:
Robin Berlinsky
Executive Director
Engaging Creative Minds

​I grew up on one of the Finger Lakes about forty miles east of Rochester, New York where summers were spent in a carefree existence of riding bikes and playing tag.  Our concerns were the color popsicle we’d get at the end of the day (hopefully cherry) and if the fireflies would be out that night.  I can remember so many specific details from my childhood summers, almost forty-five years ago, as if they happened yesterday.  Yet, I don’t remember the capitols of all fifty states (even though I memorized them in 5th grade) and I can recite less than ten presidents in order (even though at one time I could rattle off Washington to Ford in less than two minutes).  Why is it that we remember some things, while others fade away almost immediately?  I’ve learned through the years that what we remember is connected to experiences that were fun, engaging and interesting.  The things that get us excited and that spark our curiosity are the things that keep us motivated and inspired to the point we often lose track of time. 
 
When I was teaching first grade, I would start virtually every lesson or book by tapping into my students’ past experiences.  “Who has seen a bird’s nest,” “Have you ever slipped on a wet rock?”  Inevitably, the high achievers in my class were always the students who had a wide range of experiences and opportunities, especially over the summer.  From horseback riding to playing guitar, swimming in the lake or playing Kick the Can, those experiences provided the platform for future learning.  It’s important to point out here that incidental learning is just as important, and sometimes more important, than intentional teaching.  My summer experiences provided opportunities such as learning about plants by creating my own terrarium or reinforcing geometry and engineering when we were building a tree fort.  Play is a child’s job.

The data on summer learning loss are staggering.  Based on a study from Johns Hopkins University that was presented by the National Summer Learning Association, nine in ten teachers spend at least three weeks re-teaching lessons at the beginning of each school year. Summer learning loss during elementary school accounts for two-thirds of the achievement gap in reading between low-income children and their middle-income peers by ninth grade.  Most students lose two months of math skills every summer, and low-income children typically lose another two to three months in reading.​

​If you are planning to host a summer camp this year, it’s important to ask if you doing enough to prevent summer learning loss, and we’re not talking about worksheets and textbooks.  Below are some tips from our “special sauce” that helped us win the 2016 New York Life Foundation Excellence in Summer Learning Award from the National Summer Learning Association.  We are still learning new ways to improve because  I am a firm believer that even the best programs can get better year after year. 

Tips to Prevent Summer Learning Loss

1. Fun, Fun, Fun:  If you don’t want to be there, chances are your campers don’t want to be there either.  Imagine learning about buoyancy and water displacement by designing, building and racing aluminum foil boats down a PVC pipe waterfall that your students measure and design?  How about gaining an understanding of momentum and mass using your bodies as you dance out the three laws of motion.  Both are examples of memorable experiences that are so much fun they won’t even know they are learning. 
2. Location, Location, Location:  Do you remember the Flintstones?  At the end of the day Fred would slide down the dinosaur and head home.  If you’re like most people, you like to head home at the end of the day, or at least change venues.  I don’t know many people that like to stay in the same location for long periods of time.  Kids are no different.  If you are a school and you’re hosting a summer program, please consider partnering with a local community center or another school to give your kids an opportunity to be somewhere else.  If that is not an option, then try to transform your school into an environment that feels different than it did from August through May.
3. Google it: Google has found a way to inspire their employees and encourage them to seek out their interests and inspire their creativity.  What can you do in your summer space that inspires kids to be curious about the world?  Giving them time to explore things that interest them is a gift.  Don’t have every minute of every day planned.  For more ideas on this, visit this Genius Hour video.
4. Multiple Intelligences:  We all learn differently.  Some of us need to see it first, some of us do better if we can move our bodies while learning.  To ensure you are providing diverse experiences for all types of learners, consider Harvard Researcher, Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences as a guideline.  His years of research prove that the best programs offer a healthy dose of all types of experiences.  We focus on his original eight:  Visual Spatial, Musical, Bodily Kinesthetic, Logical-Mathematical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist and Verbal-Linguistic.  Try to tap into each one of these every single day and you will have a healthy and robust summer experience. Take this quiz to see which of the multiple intelligences reflect the best way you (and your campers) learn.  
5. Communicate:  I always tell my children the day starts the night before and this goes for communication.  Before camp even starts – talk to parents, your staff, the students, your volunteers, your lunch providers, anyone who has a hand in the success of your camp.  Make sure everyone knows your expectations.  Share what success looks like to you.  Tell the parents how excited you are to meet their child and then call back after the first day to share something amazing their child did.  Staying in constant communication is a way to engage more people who will support your efforts and strengthen your impact.

For more tips, see our article in the spring issue of National Association of Elementary School Principals Magazine.

And lastly, please consider participating in National Summer Learning Day on July 12, 2018. 

National Summer Learning Day is a national advocacy day aimed at elevating the importance of keeping kids learning, safe and healthy every summer, ensuring they return to school in the fall ready to succeed in the year. Your participation sends a powerful message across the nation that summers matter and offers an opportunity to showcase how summers can make a life-changing difference in the lives of young people.

Learn More