When we returned to school after our Easter break, I noticed a change in the air. Not the air, exactly, but an increase in the intensity of the atmosphere as we close out the school year. After spending the winter months with largely uninterrupted instructional time, as spring rolls around, the nature of the daily schedule shifts. It is the time of year when field trips are planned, standardized tests are given, senior theses are presented, First Communion is received, finals are prepared, and graduation is planned. There is a lot going on; it’s a sprint to the finish line!
At this time of year, I love taking a look back at the progress that has been made in students, in teachers, and in the community as a whole. It is a privilege to witness the academic growth of students, the welcoming of new families, and the professional and academic exchanges that build our community. There is a lot to look back at and celebrate, but I thought that the best use of this space right now would be to look ahead.
Who doesn’t love summer? Of course, the students look forward to warm, lazy summer days with nary a textbook in sight. Teachers, also, look forward to more relaxed days. But, we do have a bit of a love/hate relationship with summer. “Summer brain” is real, and it really does stall student learning in those beginning weeks of school in the fall.
So, what can be done to preserve the progress your child worked so hard to attain this year? If you will bear with me, I have some thoughts I would like to share that may provide not just academic enrichment, but also quality family time.
First, and I don’t think the benefits of this habit can be overstated: READ with your children. Every day. Regardless of their age. Read to young children; have your emerging readers read to you; “buddy read” with your elementary aged child, taking turns with each paragraph, page, or chapter. With older students, perhaps together you could choose a book to read over the summer and have weekly book club style discussions about it. This last suggestion may provide a “back door” into the workings of your teenager’s mind! I have found that sometimes discussions about “other things” (as opposed to discussing them and their behaviors) sets the stage for a free flowing exchange of ideas and beautiful bonding moments.
As a math teacher, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for students to MASTER their math facts. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They cannot be successful in math without knowing these facts with automaticity. I explained it to my students recently like this: if you do not know your multiplication facts by heart, you end up using up bandwidth in your brain just to do the arithmetic (i.e. the easy stuff), and that leaves less brain power to do the more complicated problem solving and critical thinking work. It puts students at an incredible disadvantage, as all upper level math builds on the foundation of these skills. In this article on the importance of mathematical fluency, the author states:
“Having multiplication mastered improves problem-solving skills, which are necessary for simplifying fractions, finding the greatest common factors, working with algebraic expressions, and much more.”
The good news is that mastering multiplication facts (or addition facts for younger students) isn’t a time-heavy endeavor. Honestly, five to ten minutes per day will get the job done. Choose one set to work on for a week (the sixes, for instance). Quiz your children during a drive in the car or at the breakfast table. Skip count as you climb stairs, chant, sing, use flashcards, or find an app. This is one of the surest ways to promote measurable, long-lasting, academic success for your child.
Lastly, there is a trend I feel compelled to mention, as I think it will have a great impact on students in the future. We are all well-aware of the changes technology has brought into our day-to-day lives. Young people are bombarded with information and facts. They are becoming more and more accustomed to a passive style of acquiring information. And it is starting to manifest itself in the classroom in students who are losing the ability to ask questions, problem solve, and think critically. Fortunately, for Mount Royal Academy students, our classical model of education instills and develops these all-important skills. A fun way to support critical thinking skills at home is to, believe it or not, play board games! These games can help develop critical social skills, improve cognitive function, and can even improve symptoms associated with ADHD. This article highlights the many benefits of board games and even provides recommendations for quality family games.
All in all, I hope these suggestions can be seen as enhancements and enrichments to your summer plans, rather than burdensome. Thank you for your support and partnership this year. It is a privilege to walk alongside your family in this crucial work of educating the whole person, one student at a time.
Have a blessed summer! – Mrs. Lisa Sweet, Academic Dean
