Bulldog News

Making the most of summer vacation

Thursday, May 21, 2009

By Rich Meyer
Dean of Academics

We all look ahead to the summer months with great anticipation. Visions of warm summer breezes, family vacations, and days at the beach or the pool fill our minds. Yet for many parents there is that lingering thought, "How can I help my son to maintain his academic progress over a long summer vacation?"

The question poses an interesting dilemma. On the one hand, summer should be a time when our boys can relax and recharge their batteries without the pressure of scholastic expectations. On the other hand, three months without any kind of intellectual stimulation is never positive.

The key here is to strike a balance between the two. Without going overboard, there are certain steps that parents can take to help maintain and even enhance what their sons have learned in school. Listed below are five suggestions that may help parents grapple with this issue:

1) Maintain Structure – While you do not have to keep to the exact same schedule as during the school year, I think we can all agree that staying up until 2:00 a.m., sleeping until noon, and playing non-stop video games is not good for anyone’s mental status. Establish a routine and structure to the day that includes reasonable bedtimes, reasonable wake-up times, a positive set of activities during your son’s waking hours, and down time.

2) Read - The best thing that any child (or adult for that matter) can do to further their intellectual growth is to read regularly. Hillside does have a summer reading requirement, which will be sent home in the coming weeks, but above and beyond this encourage your sons to read as much as possible. What they read is less important than the fact that they are reading. Set aside a time to read each day. Choose a book to read together as a family and discuss it. How you do it does not matter, but get them to read.

3) Math – While one way to practice math could be the rote drill of math worksheets, which are available either in print or on-line, it could be more fun and useful to help your sons draw real life math connections to summer activities. For example, if you are taking a long drive, figure out what your car is getting for miles per gallon and use that to determine your fuel expenses.

4) Writing – Encourage writing as much as possible. Texting and instant messaging do not count. Opportunities for writing abound. Kids can write creative stories. They can keep journals about summer activities and trips. They do not have to write a lot each time, but a little each day adds up.

5) Trips – Try to make summer trips as educational as possible. Keep them in tune with history and nature by visiting a museum or perhaps a state park. Besides stimulating the senses, these trips can be a lot of fun.

These are just some ways that you can help make the most of your son's summer vacation. Striking the right balance between learning and fun can ensure that summer will be both productive and relaxing for your Hillside student. On this note, we wish you all the best for a great summer break!

Summer can be a time of discovery and fun for your Hillside student.