How to Keep Children Busy and Mentally Sharp During Summer

List of Fun Summer Educational Activities for Elementary-aged Kids:

Writing 

Writing comes in many fun forms. Whether it's updating a pen-pal, composing a song, penning a short story, or writing a script for a short play, there’s an array of avenues to pursue when trying to get your kids to write. List blogs are another great way to get kids to write, and because it typically has to do with things they like, they may find it more enjoyable than other forms of writing; this could be as simple as them writing down their top ten favorite movie characters, bible verses, pokemon, etc. and then they must explain why each one is worth liking. Or, if they and some friends share a passion for writing, they could start a writers club. Even if they prefer making videos for their youtube channel, having them practice writing out an outline for their script. Keeping them writing during summer months will help ease the transition from the summer break back to the classroom.  

Reading 

Books are great, and if you have time to make library runs or have reading apps on your digital device, then those are fantastic. Age appropriate reading is beneficial for a growing mind. While there are some bookworms who you may have to pry a book from just to get them to eat, others may run away screaming at the sight of a book. If that’s the case, don’t forget that reading doesn’t have to be limited to books. If you have parental controls on their devices, you could have your kids research topics they are interested in. There are many kid-friendly websites with information on a wide variety of topics, and there are even blogs for kids.  If so, may be difficult to get some kids to sit down and read

Math Projects

While it would be useful to keep their minds sharp, it’ll likely be hard to convince most kids to work on math sheets during the summer. However, there are other ways to get your kids to do math without resorting to worksheets. Having them plan out simple projects that involve numbers can help them show how practical math really is. Whether they help count up the cost of a meal, measure the garden bed to approximate how many stones they’ll need to line it, rework a recipe to feed the entire family, measuring out how much wood is needed to build a doghouse, or start a summer business with something as simple as a lemonade stand. Even having them calculate how long it will take to save their allowance to purchase something they’ve had their eye on could be an activity that gets their mind in the mood for math. 

Presentations

Getting kids used to giving presentations can be a big help for their future in academics, but they don’t have to start practicing in front of strangers. Getting them comfortable performing in front of family and friends can build their confidence and prepare them for the times they must do it in front of peers and teachers. By starting with simple topics like a family night presentations of their summer plans, a bible memory verse competition or joke contest they perform in front of their friends, or standing in front of relatives and explaining all the awesome things they learned and did at school that year. Getting kids familiar with having the spotlight on them, can ease the stress in future years by making it a common activity.

Strategy 

Games are great for children, not only because they are a lot of fun, but also because they teach strategy. Every game has its own unique methods of play which help children learn to think of efficient strategies to win. Whether it is one of the classics like checkers or chess, throwback games like Mastermind or Monopoly, or some modern favorites like Catan or Codenames, there exists a wide variety of games that kids are sure to fall in love with, while at the same time exercising their brain.

Review

There are plenty of educational apps which can keep your kids working with numbers, playing with words, or developing their problem solving skills throughout the summer months. While they may not be your kid’s favorite apps, you could try implementing rules such as before playing their favorite game they must first play the one you pick, or they have to play an educational game for an equal amount of time as their choice of game. Kids are a lot more likely to engage an app than a worksheet, thus if you are trying to get your kids to participate in educational activities during the summer months, check out what the app store has to offer. 

Puzzles and Brain Teasers 

Word searches, crossword puzzles, sudoku, rebus puzzles, and anagrams require brain power while also being fun. Add in a little competition, like word search races, and it can even become addictive. However, you don’t have to stop at just playing the games, challenge your kids to make them. Obviously this will be easier for some than others, but if the kids are familiar with simple typing programs, developing a word search or scrambled letters game can be done rather quickly. Have friends compete against each other by making simple crossword puzzle games to trade with each other or see who can complete a one month sudoku-a-day challenge. 

Sources: 

Shoemaker, John. “8 Types of Word Puzzles to Keep You Sharp.” Bar Games 101. July 31, 2020 (visited 27 May 2022)

https://bargames101.com/types-of-word-puzzles/ 

The Benefits of Summer Break & Retaining Information

How is a break beneficial? Should parents be doing anything so students don’t “lose” what they’ve learned during the school year? Or is that a myth?

With school curriculums often building on top of the knowledge students gained the previous year, it can be worrisome to think your child might forget in a couple months what they’ve spent all year learning. While we all would hope that summer learning loss is nothing but an urban legend, research seems to prove it is a situation which needs addressing. According to the Eric Resource Center, students' test scores and assessments are approximately one month lower upon returning than at the end of the previous school year. Other research published in the American Educational Research Journal revealed students forget anywhere between 17-34% of the information they learned over the previous year. With numbers like those, you definitely don’t want to ignore summer learning loss, but what can we do to prevent it?

Combating Summer Learning Loss

If we want to keep summer learning loss from eating away at the knowledge the students worked hard to gain, we have to be proactive. While year-long learning is a possible solution at the institutional level, we want to focus on practical methods parents can try at home. Continuing to review information they learned over the previous year is one way to help concretize it in their mind, as spaced repetition is an effective way to retain information. 

• Create a list of the topics they covered throughout the year, and then during the summer, have them read books, blogs, or even make presentations regarding those topics. This will re-familiarize them with the material during the summer months, keeping it in their mind when school starts back up.

• Start a summer Gameshow Club. With a group of your kids classmates, start a bi-weekly gameshow styled review quiz focused on a different subject each time. Each subject could be hosted by a different family, allowing for a fun review with friends all throughout the summer.

• Even though they may make your kids groan, getting a workbook full of review worksheets could help keep their mind in the rhythm of learning during the summer months. If you can find age-appropriate activity sheets, it could ensure their minds stay engaged even though they aren’t in the classroom. 

• Find educational apps which cover the material your child learned during the year. This will give them something to reinforce what they learned, without needing to rely on an actual person to teach them. If the educational app is a game-styled one which keeps score, they could compete against other classmates throughout the summer.

• Do some prep work. One way to ensure children are prepared for the next year is to start having them take the next step forward. For example, they could begin reading books aimed at the next grade level, or over the course of a few weeks, have them write a paper the length of which will be required of them the following school year. This way, they don’t feel overwhelmed when they are tasked with more difficult reading and writing assignments. 

• Visiting museums, science centers, or historical sites is another way of helping children keep their academic edge during the summer.
  
  

Also, don’t forget, after ten months of classes, letting children have a break can keep them from mental fatigue. While reviews are helpful during the summer, remember there are other things children can learn during the summer which they won’t learn in school so don’t lose sight of the learning possibilities which exist even outside of academics. 

SOURCES: 

Kuhfeld, Megan. “Summer learning loss: What we know and what we’re learning.”

NWEA.org. June 1, 2021 (visited 16 May 2022).

https://www.nwea.org/blog/2021/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning/#:~:text=This%20study%20found%20that%20the,lose%20ground%20in%20subsequent%20summers. 

Atteberry, A., & McEachin, A. (in press, 2020). “School's out: The role of summers in understanding achievement disparities. American Educational Research Journal.”

https://edworkingpapers.com/sites/default/files/SchoolsOut_AtteberryMcEachin_2020_0520.pdf 

Cooper, Harris. “Summer Learning Loss: The Problem and Some Solutions.” ERIC Digest: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. May 2003 (visited 18 May 2022.)

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED475391 

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED475391.pdf 

Is Online Learning Right For You?

Is Online Learning Right For You? Here are Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning.

Choosing how your child will learn is a big decision, as are all choices that affect their education. Each child is different, and figuring out what is best for them can be difficult. In our current technological age, there are a growing number of opportunities that exist in regards to schooling, one of which is online learning. Here are a few advantages and disadvantages to think about if you are considering enrolling your child in online learning:

A Few Advantages… 

Technological Confidence. One of the obvious advantages is that online learning will boost your child’s familiarity with technology. By spending his school hours on a computer or tablet, your child is likely to increase their confidence and skills with gadgets. With the way of the future relying ever more on this technology, it is important they develop an aptitude for it. 

Online students enjoy learning from any environment as needed. This can be a great option for families needing more flexible learning opportunities for their children.

Flexibility. Another great advantage of online learning is the flexibility. With smartphones, tablets, and laptops, students can attend their classes from anywhere and often typically anytime. This means students could sit down to study at a time of day when it is easiest for them to focus or most convenient for their own daily schedule. 

Never Miss Out. Even if a child is unable to attend a certain time or for a scheduled meeting, classes are recorded, and thus the student does not have to miss out on the lesson. Or, if there is certain content the child is struggling with, it is easy to rewatch lectures to better grasp difficult concepts or to help refine their notes. 

Resources at Your Fingertips. With a simple click of a button, students can be zooming across the internet to search through a picture slideshow, read an article, or watch a video interview on the topics they are learning about. For those who do not have the accessibility of a nearby library, the internet can be a key source of finding the information they need, and they can do so without ever needing to leave the house. 

A Few Disadvantages…

Social Life. If a child is only in a digital classroom, they may not develop certain social skills that they otherwise would if they were in face-to-face classes. If you are considering online-learning, make sure to compensate for this by ensuring your child has time to develop friendships with other children their age in other venues. 

Connecting with a teacher despite learning over the internet, is still a priority for the Academy’s online learning program. Students receive feedback on assignments and have opportunities to interact directly with their course teachers as needed.

Screen Time. While screen time used for educational purposes is better than for pure entertainment, too much screen time can have negative impacts on a child’s mood and can even affect their sleep. It would be important for a parent to not only monitor the time a child spends using gadgets, but to make sure they know what the child is using the gadget for as well. 

Self-Discipline as a Prerequisite. An educational institution will likely have your child in mind when it comes to the workload they expect from your child, but it will be up to your child to have the self-discipline to actually put in the time and effort to get it done. Many children still lack the time-management skills necessary to put in the work needed to excel in their class. 

Attitudes Towards Learning. The techniques a teacher may utilize in a classroom to ensure the students are enjoying the educational experience often loses its effectiveness when applied to a large group video call. Capturing the joy and excitement of learning is difficult when the students are all separated by screens. This can negatively affect their attitudes concerning learning into the future. 

Sources: 

“Screen Time and Children.” American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Updated February 2020 (visited: 14 March 2022). https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx  

Tom. “5 Disadvantages to Consider About Online Education.” Petersons.com 29 November 2017 (visited 14 March 2022)  https://www.petersons.com/blog/5-disadvantages-to-consider-about-online-education/  

“8 Ways Online Learning Really Benefits Kids (and Parents).” Dreambox Learning. 5 November 2008. (visited 14 March 2022). https://www.dreambox.com/resources/blogs/8-ways-online-learning-really-benefits-kids-and-parents

5 Reasons Your Child Needs to Attend a Private Christian School

The world is full of various educational institutions, and while the spectrum is wide and varied, for those who are called to walk according to God’s word, a Christian school has a multitude of benefits. While we don’t have the time to list all of them (and you likely don’t have the time to read all of them), we chose our top 5 favorite reasons why you should consider a private, Christian school for your child. 

1. Accept being Set Apart. Christian schools are obviously distinct from secular public schools, and while elementary aged kids may not understand, as children turn to teens they often become more aware of this difference. According to Matthew 5:14-16, it’s not just good to be different from the world, it’s our vocation; a vocation that can be nurtured as children continue their formation according to God’s word. This can instill a valuable Christian lesson, which makes accepting our calling to be a light to the nations easier to grasp.

We are a school that prays. Students learn the value of prayer and worship as taught in scripture in their earliest levels at the Academy.

2. Shared Standard. Children desire connection and acceptance, and while this is great, when a child is spending the majority of their day among people who hold themselves to a different standard (or even worse - no standard), the child may be tempted to do what it takes to fit it. However, if that child is surrounded by people who are promoting healthy peer pressure and cultivating an environment where strong morals are respected, then it not only benefits the mental and moral stability of the child, but it gives their parents some peace of mind as well. Maybe this is why Paul encouraged people to have the same love, being in full accord and of one mind (Philippians 2:1-2).

3. Christ-Centered  Curriculum. The world God made cannot be rightfully understood if you try to remove him from his creation (Romans 1:18-23). His word gives insight into all facets of life, but in secular education, this is left out. Knowing God affects the way we understand history, explore the sciences, and apply mathematics. It changes how we utilize our language and think about health. There are revelations in every subject when we approach them using God’s word as a lens, that those who attend public educational institutions may never learn.

4. Healthy Social Structure. A private school who is living out God’s word will make sure their staff will be held to a high standard based on Biblical values. Not only will this set the students up for success by giving them wholesome role models, but the interactions those teachers have with each other can set an example for a healthy social structure that those children can enact even among their friends. 

The Academy strives to nurture a positive, encouraging learning environment for students and families.

5. Holistic Development. The faculty at a private school wishing to follow God will be concerned about the holistic development of your child. It is not just about what grades you see on the paper. While there may be focus on their mental progress, the staff will be considering their social and spiritual maturation as well, encouraging your student to love God with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27).

Academy Teachers Bring STEM Concepts to Life

Students at the Academy learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through a conceptual, hands-on approach. We do not make foundational the memorization of algorithms or procedures, but rather teach students to develop a strong number sense and pattern recognition in order to make connections and solve problems in the world around them. The goal of STEM education at the Academy is for students to learn to critically think through problems and persevere in solving them through a variety of ways. This approach strengthens their neuroplasticity and effectively prepares them for an unpredictable future. 

At the elementary level, this looks like students being introduced to basic concepts and operations in concrete, tactile ways. Students explore various methods of solving problems that require these concepts and operations. STEM is a fun and creative experience, meant to strengthen their competence and confidence in these foundational skills. 

Students in lower elementary school learn about different structures in their body in their Anatomy classes. They start with bones and muscles, then learn about joints and how those two systems work together. In their upper elementary Anatomy classes, the students re-visit the different systems they've learned about by learning about how their body is organized, cell to organism. Then, they compare this to concepts they've learned in their building classes, that cells are like blocks, tissues are like walls, etc. and how these different structures all work together to build an entire person. They even have the opportunity to create these structures using manipulatives in class which allows them to use spatial, nature, logical, and interpersonal intelligences in their class. (See photos below.)

At the junior high and high school level, students revisit these concepts and discover new ways to approach problems as they begin to handle more abstract thinking. Students’ problem solving and critical thinking skills develop as they encounter new and challenging problems that rely on their ability to make connections to their prior knowledge from elementary school. They are able to formalize processes and procedures because they can make sense of a problem, rather than because they have been taught how to mimic. Problem solving (whatever the context) becomes the emphasis.

In the 9th and 10th grade Biology classes, students have learned more in depth about what constitutes a physical versus a chemical change, concepts they were introduced to in their Junior High Physical Science class. This all led up to "Experiment Day'' where students were given several experiments to do in groups, and then through discussion with their partners decide if an experiment resulted in a physical or chemical change. After deciding, the group then had to explain why it was that change. What characteristics did they see in their results that led them to decide on their answer? This process did not allow them to just give an answer and move on, they had to defend their decision with evidence. The students were also encouraged to ask "what if'' questions and alter experiments to see what would happen. Did their alteration work? Why or why not?

As a high school math teacher at the Academy, I see the fruits of our K-12 STEM program in my high school students daily. Having taught in both the public school system, and at the Academy, I can testify to the fact that our students are more equipped to understand complex concepts, critically work through problems, and develop unique and creative solutions, than students I’ve taught in other settings. These are the kinds of relevant skills that graduates of any high school program need to be successful in navigating today’s world.