Music Helps Kids Avoid the Summer Academic Slide
via the Chicago Tribune
As schools across the country close their doors this week, and children are free for two months, parents are once again making choices about what’s best for their kids: a schedule-free summer or structured activities, whether it be classes or camp. On each side of the debate are experts with strongly held opinions. “There are many parents who want their kids to relax and have fun, and that’s understandable,” said Florida International University Education Professor Laura Dinehart. “But it’s possible to have fun and keep kids engaged in activities that can enhance their learning. Learning can be fun, and summer offers that opportunity. Your brain has to keep working,” Dinehart said. “It doesn’t make sense for kids to spend that amount of time without stimulation. It’s very possible for skills to regress.”
The long break from school can result in some children forgetting the academic skills learned over the school year. Studies confirm that kids can lose about 2.6 months of their math skills over the summer, and some groups of kids lose two months of reading skills. Teachers complain that when school starts up in the fall they spend way too much time trying to get kids back up to speed. Experts call it “the summer slide,” and it puts children at a serious disadvantage at the beginning of a new school year. Read the full article here.
