Summer Learning Day, June 21, is just around the corner. It is a grassroots movement to spread awareness about the issue of summer learning loss among parents, the public, and policymakers. Hundreds of eventswill take place across the country, celebrating local programs and providing a platform for policy advocacy.
The summer learning movement is part of a whole child approach to education. Children live their lives 12 months a year, not just when school is in session. They learn more or learn less or even lose what they've previously learned, if they don't have stimulating experiences during the summer. Many need, but don't get, federally-subsidized meals for nutrition and structured opportunities for healthy exercise 12 months a year.
The research is solid and shows that without stimulating activities during the summer, students tend to lose two months of what they learned (PDF) in math during the school year and low-income students tend to lose more than two months of reading skills. Research also demonstrates that young people's tendency toward obesity is aggravated during the summer (PDF). Students from working families who are often in relatively unsafe situations between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. during the school year are likely in those situations all day during the summer. No matter what we do to support young people's education, health, and safety during th
Common Core “As A Scientist”
Although there are no current Common Core State Standards that are specifically written for science content, science teachers will be using the fundamental skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking within their science content to help students become ready for college and career .
One of the focuses of Common Core for English/Language Arts (ELA) is informational text. Interesting enough, as students transition from elementary to middle to high school, they encounter more informational text because of the core courses they are taking. The majority of the literary texts are only taught in the English and language arts classes. Therefore, students are required to read more informational text within their specific content areas. Further, students who are struggling readers are placed in reading classes in middle school and even in high school. Is it only the job of the English and language arts teachers or the reading teachers to teach the students how to read informational texts?
One of the focuses of Common Core for English/Language Arts (ELA) is informational text. Interesting enough, as students transition from elementary to middle to high school, they encounter more informational text because of the core courses they are taking. The majority of the literary texts are only taught in the English and language arts classes. Therefore, students are required to read more informational text within their specific content areas. Further, students who are struggling readers are placed in reading classes in middle school and even in high school. Is it only the job of the English and language arts teachers or the reading teachers to teach the students how to read informational texts?