Summary learning loss, which is otherwise referred to as summer slide, refers to a loss of academic knowledge and skills among students that occurs during the summer period when students are expected to stay away from school (Alexander, Pitcock, & Boulay, 2016). The implication that the summer slide tends to have on the students is rather significant considering that most of the students find it hard in trying to regain the knowledge and skills lost during summer. The implications associated with summer slide have created the need for having to introduce summer schools that are to be offered to students are different levels of learning. The summer schools are expected to provide a sense of enrichment for the students allowing them to maintain a sense of connection to what they have learnt. The ultimate outcome is that the summer schools tend to create a much more viable approach through which schools are able to leverage student knowledge and skills during the summer months.
Schools of Thought on Summer Schools
When looking at the different schools of thought associated with the idea of summer school, it can be noted that summer schools can fit into three main categories, which are remediation, enrichment, and extended-year for students with special needs. Each of the categories creates a front through which students are able to engage in a wide array of educational programs during the summer months as a way of advancing their knowledge and skills (Alexander, Pitcock, & Boulay, 2016). However, it must be noted that the categories tend to differ significantly on their objectives for the students that they consider, which is what must be considered when seeking to determine the most appropriate type of summer school that an institution may need to consider for its students.
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Similarity and Differences of the Summer Schools
The main similarity between the summer schools is the fact that they all seek to provide students with educational opportunities, specifically during the summer months when students are expected to observe summer break or vacation. The ability for students to maintain their knowledge and skills depends wholly on the educational opportunities accorded to them, as this would allow them to maintain a rather positive connection to what they have learned. Regarding the differences, it can be noted that the programs are designed for purposes of either remediation or enrichment. In remediation programs, the expectation is that students will be accorded a front through which to master core content and skills. On the other hand, enrichment programs are focused on accelerating student learning as part of the education process.
Enrichment programs refer to a specific set of programs that are designed to ensure that students advance their learning during the condensed summer period, which would allow them to achieve mastery of their skills (Martorell, Miller, Santibañez, & Augustine, 2016). In most cases, this involves a process of having to identify areas of strength and weakness for the students, which will be the main areas that the teachers will consider as part of the learning process. The overall idea is having to establish a clear front through which students take advantage of their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses as part of the learning process. The extended-year for students with special needs differs from the other two, as it refers to a summer school that is specifically designed for students with a wide array of special needs (Martorell, Miller, Santibañez, & Augustine, 2016). The summer school serves as an extended year for the students to continue with their learning processes.
Addressing Summer Learning Loss
The district addresses summer learning loss through the use of summer enrichment programs that are specifically designed to promote student enrichment as part of the learning process. Summer school for enrichment are designed around specific areas for student enrichment, which may include science, a second language, or a particular performing or visual art to improve on the skills that students have in these areas (Almus & Dogan, 2016). The consideration of this type of summer school allows for a much more effective way through which to identify the specific areas of strengths and weaknesses for each of the students. Basically, this means that the teachers will be in a much better position of having to accelerate student learning through the concentration on the specific areas where the students may be lagging, which are the key areas that are to be considered as part of the student learning process.
The main summer school program offered in the district is the Omaha Public Schools’ Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Summer Program. The program is aimed at creating a front through which students are engaged in a wide array of activities with the sole intention being to identity their gifts and talents. The program is designed in a way that ensures that students are evaluated based on their creativity and hand-on problem solving skills. The expectation is that this will provide insight on some of the key gifts and talents for the students involved. The district may need to introduce the Aim For the Stars Summer Science and Math Camp, which will be in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Omaha. The program will be focused on providing students with an opportunity of having to learn more about science and math as part of their approaches to advanced learning.
My Thoughts/Beliefs on Summer School
Personally, I view the idea of summer school as being rather important, especially in seeking to minimize summer learning loss among students, as the summer programs provide them with a better opportunity of having to utilize the knowledge and skills gained as part of the learning process. When I concentrate my attention on Omaha, Nebraska, one of the key aspects to note is that although the school district is working hard to introduce summer programs for students, it needs to come up with a wide variety of programs. The programs ought to be designed in a manner that create a sense of fun for the students to attend. I believe that the GATE Summer Program may be somewhat limited in seeking to attract students considering that it does not give them that sense of appeal towards the program. That highlights the need for having to consider more programs that are focused on different areas of student learning.
Conclusion
Summary learning loss refers to a loss of academic knowledge and skills among students that occurs during the summer period. Summer schools can fit into three main categories, which are remediation, enrichment, and extended-year for students with special needs. The main similarity between the summer schools is the fact that they all seek to provide students with educational opportunities. The district addresses summer learning loss through the use of summer enrichment programs that are specifically designed to promote student enrichment as part of the learning process. The main summer school program offered in the district is the Omaha Public Schools’ Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Summer Program. The district may need to introduce the Aim For the Stars Summer Science and Math Camp, which will be in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Omaha.
References
Alexander, K., Pitcock, S., & Boulay, M. C. (Eds.). (2016). The summer slide: What we know and can do about summer learning loss . Teachers College Press.
Almus, K., & Dogan, B. (2016). A study of summer school enrichment program in high-poverty urban public charter school. Reading Improvement , 53 (1), 1-16.
Martorell, P., Miller, T., Santibañez, L., & Augustine, C. H. (2016). Can incentives for parents and students change educational inputs? Experimental evidence from summer school. Economics of Education Review , 50 , 113-126.
