Unfortunately, once July hits, the summer is almost over. There are only a few more weeks between July and the start of the school year. Stores start bringing out school supplies and school clothes, and everywhere you turn the world starts looking toward the fall.
One of the main problems with the summer break is that many students forget what they have learned from the previous year. Several weeks of the start of school are often spent re-learning the material from last year in preparation to learn new content in the current year. You can give your student a jump start on your education this year if you start preparing for the next school year now. Try some of the following activities to place your student in a good position to remain at the top of his or her class throughout the school year:
Remain mentally active
Many students spend the summer laying around and watching television. This behavior is not good for the body, and it is not good for the mind either. One of the best ways to prepare for a new school year is to remain mentally active throughout the summer months. Try enrolling your student in a creative or academic class in the summer to keep your brain sharp. You can also try practicing skills with your student using their old homework pages or by purchasing an assessment book from a book store.
Take assessment tests
An assessment test can be a good indicator of where your student is academically after the summer break. Assessment tests can help you and your student prepare for the following year by identifying gaps in your student’s education. An assessment test can tell you what your student needs to learn before he or she can excel in the following year at school. Use the information provided by the assessment tests to help choose subjects to go over with your student and practice until they have the subject down.
Look over assignments for next year
If you know who your student’s teacher will be next year, you can look at the school schedule and book lists to see what the student will learn the following year. You and your student can examine the material together, so that he or she has a grasp of the subject matter before he or she ever steps foot in the classroom. Your student’s teacher may be able to help identify problem areas where many students struggle in the class. You can spend the summer going over the difficult areas with your student in preparation for the following year.
Practice old skills
The key to mastering anything is practice, practice, practice. This is also true for academic pursuits. Have you and your student practice old skills from previous years to prepare him or her for the mental rigors he or she will face in the coming year. You can use old school assignments, year-end mastery books, or supplemental educational tools purchased from a teacher supply store to help your student practice old skills.
Consider professional help
If your student really struggles in any area, such as English or math, English tutors, maths tutors, science tutors, and other specialized tutors can help. These tutors will have greater familiarity with the topic than you have, and your student may be more likely to listen to a professional tutor rather than you. A professional can also help your student master the fundamentals or finer points of any subject and can offer insight into alternative teaching methods and shortcuts that non-educators will be aware of.
There are many ways to prepare your student for the following school year and help them get a head start on their education. Using a tutor or other summer educational method is beneficial both for struggling students and for advanced students. People who keep their minds sharp and active think better and perform better than non-thinking peers. This is an advantage that nothing other than education will provide.
Citations:
- photo from shutterstock
This is a post by Liz Conaty, always thinking of her kids Liz knows that education comes first and foremost. While the summer should be enjoyed, it also also be utilized by keeping the brain fresh. One way to do so is to hire private tutors.