Supporting Students Through Summer
3 Practical Ways to Prevent the summer Slide
Happy Fourth of July!
Today, we pause not just to enjoy fireworks, cookouts, and well-earned summer rest—but also to reflect on the true meaning of Independence Day. It’s a day to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy, to honor those who made them possible, and to feel gratitude for the opportunities we have to grow, learn, and contribute.
As educators (and parents), we have the unique privilege of shaping future citizens, encouraging young minds to think critically, act kindly, and embrace their role in the world. And while today is for celebrating, it’s also a good reminder that learning never stops. Even through the summer months, we need to keep young minds learning and growing!
During the summer months while school is out students need continued support to stay engaged, confident, and curious. Not to mention, keeping skills fresh on their mind so they don’t slip backwards and regress before the start of the new school year. We can’t follow them around all summer with flashcards, but we can certainly work to provide tools to help them (and their families!) continue learning! Let’s talk about the summer slide, and three intentional ways to help your students (even your own children) keep growing all summer long.
Let’s talk about the summer slide, and three intentional ways to help your students (even your own children) keep growing all summer long.
1. Self-Paced Practice
Not every family has the time to sit down with their children and practice skills. Sometimes, families really need take-and-go activities for practice. This is where learning sheets, practice packets, or even printable activities come in handy! We know this won’t work for every student, but it can offer a gentle and familiar way to continue learning. Even a few review pages go a long way for kids who crave routine or need academic reinforcement.
The Young Scholar Academy, facilitated by yours truly, offers learning packets with online courses to reinforce learning outside of the online class time with a teacher. This is a great tool for busy families or parents who are not comfortable helping their student with certain academic areas, but know they need to continue practicing through the summer. Students are given instruction by a highly skilled educator, and can practice the skills in between classes using these printable learning packets. No printer? No problem! Students can download the worksheets and use the PDF drawing tool, or an app, to write on the document digitally. From working parents to families with multiple students looking for a way to help them all, this is such a great opportunity to keep their students learning and growing!
2. Summer Reading List
A well-crafted summer reading list gives students choice, voice, and a head start on the next school year. It also builds confidence and keeps literacy skills fresh. Local libraries often have summer reading lists with prizes if completed. Check out your local library if you haven’t already!
If you follow my newsletter (which you should–it’s full of goodness and great deals on my TpT store) you’ve seen my Summer Reading Book List! This list is great for grades 2–5+ filled with high-interest, teacher-approved reads that students will actually be excited to explore. It’s still available in my TpT store!
*Pro Tip: See my previous blog post on how to help students develop a love and interest for reading! This is a great resource for not only teachers, but families as well!
3. Recommend High-Quality Summer Learning Opportunities
You may not be able to walk students through every math problem this summer—but you can point families to enriching academic experiences designed with kids in mind. Maybe you are the parent coming across this blog post? Check out online classes to help your student through the summer!
The Young Scholar Academy offers small-group summer classes for rising 2nd–5th graders, as well as targeted programs like:
Problem-solving workshops
Writing intensives
Read-aloud clubs
Themed enrichment classes like Minecraft, Roblox, and Star Wars
It’s the perfect blend of academic support and summer fun—and a great option for families looking to maintain growth over break. The classes are taught by highly-skilled and experienced educators, including myself! The students have a great time (and learn a lot!).
I’ll Leave You With This:
The summer slide is real. We know it well and we see it all the time. But, small steps and intentional support is just as powerful! Whether students are practicing with a packet, selecting books from a summer reading list, or taking online classes, you’re planting seeds that can keep growing well into summer. Students will be prepped and ready for that next year to roll around!
Looking for more resources to support summer learning? Visit my TpT store for literature-based tools and teaching ideas designed to keep a love of learning alive year-round.
Wishing you a safe, restful Fourth—and a weekend filled with sunshine, stories, and everything you need to recharge.
