Summertime arrives and with it the reckless abandon of reading books, completing homework and studying, but is that really the best thing for educational advancement? Students spend the school year studying materials that will prepare them for their promotion to the following grade and readiness for the upcoming curriculum. If a student succeeds in meeting grade requirements and spends all summer sleeping in or getting into mischief rather than reading and playing educational games, they’ve missed out on crucial time to catch up or improve in subjects they struggle or are falling behind in.
What is Summer Brain Drain?
This phenomenon that occurs over summer break is known as summer setback, summer slide or summer learning loss and has been a concern since 1907, mentioned in journals like the Review Of Educational Research. Researchers concluded that the scores of students declined over summer vacation by at least a month’s worth of school learning and more-so in math than ELA studies. An easy solution to this problem and one that is usually suggested is a summer school or summer camp program. More recently, a study conducted by the University of Alabama concluded that the administration of a reading program over the summer was successful at preventing a loss of skills. The minimal academic guidance that is provided in such a program can have tremendous success in combating academic setbacks over summer vacation. Parents are often in search of a productive place they can trust to care for their children over the summer vacation but that may have other complications.
In an article titled, “Summer School: Unfulfilled Promise,” it was argued that two reasons school-based education programs are unsuccessful in combating summer slide are unaffordable pricing and lack of qualified teachers. Programs can be too costly for everyone’s budget and it may deter parents from signing up. Additionally, if schools can’t select educators with the patience and passion to teach quality classes over the summer, the time may not be utilized to the fullest potential. Parents looking for payment plan options, those which make an educational summer program affordable would be pleased to learn that Tip-Top Brain offers payment plans at no additional costs. If you’re interested in reading about the way Tip-Top Brain chooses educators, check out our guide to tutor selection. It’s an important process to choose a tutor that will motivate and educate any student through understanding, patience and credibility.
Summertime is considered free time and although that is true, Tip-Top Brain believes the time can still be used to benefit education. It is common to send students away for sports-focused activities or nature-getaways and although time spent exercising or playing games is fun and essential, the lack of curriculum and academia is seriously detrimental to educational success and learning longevity. Tip-Top Brain believes in working hard and playing hard, that’s why our program runs for 5 weeks, giving students time to balance academics and vacation or sports once camp concludes. Over time, the neglect of studies can lead to students falling behind. In a meta-analysis of 39 studies conducted by Cooper et al. (1996), it was found that the time students lost over summer vacation set them back approximately one month as measured by scores on standardized test. Losing a whole month of learning upon returning to school is a huge blow.
Combating Summer Slide
The key to helping your child succeed is active learning. Instead of totally abandoning studies, Tip-Top Brain encourages parents to combine fun, curiosity and learning when selecting a summer camp. Aside from using technology to surf the web and network, children can play games that help them learn or access free books. Math, Science, Reading, Writing and Critical thinking skills are exercisable through different activities at home or in a classroom setting, so make the most out of technology by using educational sites.
At Tip-Top Brain, we love using technology to educate students. One way we accomplish that is through the creation of our Summer STEAM Camps. The educational structure of S.T.E.A.M-based programs originate from each of its letters. S.T.E.A.M is an acronym for Science and Technology based programs that educate students through Engineering, Art and Mathematical elements. Our learning-based summer program allows students to immerse themselves in the lessons our instructors teach. The mixture of hands-on learning, reading and critical thinking means that students are getting a break from traditional textbook method learning, while making great educational strides as well. This program gives students the advantage they need to return to studies in stride, mentally sharp and ready to absorb the new lessons. Our qualified instructors make important learning enjoyable with their passion and excitement as educators and utilization of technology such as Virtual Reality, innovative 3D printing, and coding, which are some of the most explosive fields today.
While upholding the exceptional standards of education found in our private and personal tutoring programs, aligned with the Common Core curriculum, we deliver the perfect balance of learning and fun over the summer. To find out more information about our programs for the upcoming months and academic year, schedule a consultation with one of our program coordinators. Our team at Tip-Top Brain is excited to break through new academic ground with your child and allow them to experience the advancements of virtual reality and technology in education.
