Middle School Education News

Summer Can Be a Time of Continued Learning for Young Adolescents

Prepared by National Middle School Association

While many young people look forward to summer as a time to relax and "chill," these months can also be a period when young adolescents continue to stretch their minds with support from their families.

"Summer should not be a time when a mind goes on vacation," cautioned Sue Swaim, executive director, National Middle School Association. "Rather, middle school students can experience new skills that will prepare them to be more successful when school begins again in the fall. Together, students and parents can experience enjoyable summer activities that bring them closer together."

Swaim suggests that parents consider some of the following summer educational activities.

1. Demonstrate that reading is a fun activity that everyone can enjoy. Now that young adolescents don't have assigned reading, turn their attention to reading that they initiate. Encourage them to explore the public library and find an author or topic that appeals to them. Subjects can range from special interests such as photography or fly-fishing to a person who interests them or science fiction. See if you can find a book that both you and your youngster can read and discuss. Set aside a daily period when you read together. Not only will this develop literacy skills, but it will also demonstrate the importance of reading as an enjoyable, life-long activity.
   
   Also consider reading the newspaper or a magazine as a family and have discussions about issues that you have discovered. Discuss the pros and cons about an issue with your youngster and evaluate the arguments that proponents and opponents of that issue are arguing. Not only is this another reading activity, but it can open students' eyes to important issues in their community and world and help them develop critical thinking skills.
   
2. Encourage writing by urging your youngster to correspond with a favorite relative or a peer who has moved from your area. Suggest to a relative that he or she start the correspondence and continue it through the summer or even longer if it becomes something your child enjoys. Have them share family stories that may appeal to your youngster.
   
   Another writing project could be keeping a journal of the family vacation. Your child can summarize activities each day, but also suggest that he or she interviews family members about their reaction to sites and vacation experiences. The latter is likely to stimulate more interest. Call your youngster the vacation historian. Share the journal with relatives to showcase your youngster's work if that appeals to him or her. Produce a family vacation scrapbook upon your return merging vacation photos and journal entries.
   
3. Use the summer as a time to investigate and stimulate new interests. Many times hobbies develop into lifetime avocations or even vocations. While youngsters are not consumed with responsibilities in school and school-year projects, they will have time to try new activities. These can range from joining the Y and participating in physical fitness activities, which will also be beneficial to their overall health and development, to taking a class in bicycle repair, to learning computer skills.
   
   Summer is also a great time to investigate new organizations such as Scouts, Boys and Girls clubs and 4-H. This will introduce your child to new friends and new beneficial experiences.
   
4. Responsibility is a major challenge during the natural development period of young adolescence. Ten through 14 year-olds may be consumed with remembering friends phone numbers while forgetting that they have homework due. Use the summer months to teach skills that will help young adolescents to be more organized and responsible. Give them a family task that interests them, such as starting a family recycling program where they have to determine what can be recycled, a collection process for the family, and the timing for delivering the recyclables to the appropriate location. Have them stick with their new responsibility throughout the summer and praise them for their success. Also, have them plan a family party or outing.
   
5. Perhaps one of the most beneficial ventures during the summer months is simply doing things together as a family. As children move through their middle school years, there is a natural tendency for them to want to become more independent. Many think they are ready to disassociate with their parents. Yet, it's essential that parents stay actively involved in their young adolescent's life to provide support. By initiating family activities that are enjoyable to both youngster and parent, you can demonstrate to your child that spending time with parents is still "OK."

"Summer can be a relaxing time, and still be a period when youngsters and parents develop relationships that will carry through the rest of their lives," said Swaim. "The mind doesn't stop functioning during the summer. Work with your child to assure that it functions in a way that will be beneficial."

For more information on summer activities for young adolescents, contact National Middle School Association, 1-800-528-NMSA or visit their web site at www.nmsa.org.