{"id":34689,"date":"2021-07-07T12:10:16","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T19:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newwestschools.ca\/archive_241212\/?p=34689"},"modified":"2021-07-07T12:22:58","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T19:22:58","slug":"summer-slide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newwestschools.ca\/archive_241212\/summer-slide\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer slide: Tips and resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

Worried about your child’s learning through the summer? Looking for ways to incorporate some practical activities and learning opportunities into slow summer days? The below article and resources have been put together by our District Teacher-Librarian, Kristie Oxley. She has a long list of tools and tips to help keep your kids engaged through the summer months (if you’d like to) … with some great suggestions for probing questions that may serve you well all year long as well!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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The dreaded Summer Slide<\/h2>\n

The term has become synonymous with June, prompting worries that our children will lose hard won skills gained during the school year. Parents debate the merits of enrolling their children in academic camps and consider purchasing academic workbooks while standing in line at the grocery store.<\/p>\n

\"\"Summer slide refers to the loss of academic skills over the months of July and August. Decades of research has been done on this phenomenon, and the results are mixed. Some studies point to losses in rote knowledge or discrete facts, as well as a slide in literacy skills in populations with less access to reading material during the summer months. Others actually show gains in literacy skills when children are provided with the opportunity to read and discuss books during vacation time. In his Psychology Today <\/em>article, Peter Gray, Ph.D., points out that while some studies indicate a slight loss in math calculation skills over the summer months, significant gains in math reasoning skills were also noted. He goes on to state that \u201csummer is a time for immersion in real life,\u201d and questions whether skills lost over summer months were truly learned.<\/p>\n

The fact is, students have been enjoying summer break for decades and still managing to pass each grade, graduate and live productive lives. There\u2019s nothing wrong with taking a break from all academic activity during vacation months and focusing on immersing yourself in a good book, visiting with family and friends or enjoying lazy days outside. For those looking for ways to fill the days, the following fun learning opportunities might be what you and your child need.<\/p>\n

Indigenous Education<\/h3>\n

Every part of the curriculum includes an element of Indigenous education. The First Peoples Principles of Learning<\/em><\/a> are a set of guiding principles that educators use to infuse Indigenous knowledge and content into lessons and units. Take some time to look at this document. Try picking one principle and discussing it with your child.<\/p>\n

Summer offers numerous opportunities to go outside and enjoy nature. New Westminster is home to a number of fabulous parks, each with its own unique beauty to enjoy. Try picking a park with a trees and trails, and go on a nature walk. While walking with your child, stop periodically and discuss what you see, smell and hear (incorporate touch and taste only if safe to do so). Take pictures of the plants and try to identify them with an app on your phone. Older students can try their hand at creating a field journal using the strategies outlined here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During or after your walk, try discussing one of the First Peoples Principles with your child. For example:<\/p>\n