When I was still teaching, I treasured my summer break. Back in the sixties we had a full twelve weeks of blissful time away from the classroom. By the time I retired it had shrunk to only about eight weeks and much of that was spent in preparatory meetings and classes. So right about NOW I would look at the calendar and panic. I only had three weeks left before kicking my body and schedule back into high gear.
Parents, you know it’s true. School is looming. There are already back to school sales in the stores and the school supply shelves are crowding the aisles. Your summertime is half over. And what about your good intentions to keep the kids school skills honed? Did you keep them reading? Did they breeze through a few times tables? Write a story or two?
Maybe not.
Good news. It’s great for kids to take a break from the daily grind of school and homework. But you’ll be surprised how much good it does to do a little brushing up on skills before September rolls around. Here are a few things you can do now to make your child’s re-entry into school smoother:
- Make a real effort to read aloud to them daily. Choose books they love or do a family read-aloud over the space of a few days.
- Haul out some math flashcards or worksheets and do some sample problems. Review reading directions at the top of a page before answering questions.
- Make sure each child reads independently every day. Fifteen minutes of reading will bring comprehension skills back to mind and help to make reading smooth and accurate.
- Provide paper and art supplies and encourage the kids to write some stories. Help them get back in the habit of putting words on paper.
Make the entire process fun. No grades, no negative feedback, just encouragement to enjoy casual learning and be ready when school comes again. It still seems like a long time to them. Only you and I know that the sands of time are rushing through the hourglass.
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