Lately I have been hearing about parents worried about “summer brain drain.” Their worry seems compounded by the plethora of advertising on the web, marketing ploys aimed at keeping children constantly learning. I have also seen signs on telephone poles for all sorts of learning camps, and even the local library’s summer reading series is focusing on retention. From the media, it appears that as soon as students walk out of school on the last day, their brains instantly turn off and the flow of information stops and even regresses.
Summer learning loss is a real phenomenon, more often effecting children who are from lower income families. On average, however, the regression is not significant and equals about a month of learning. (Raulerson, 2013) Without formal instruction, mathematics tends to suffer more than reading. (Raulerson, 2013) This makes sense as it is easier for most parents and students to pick up a book than specfically work on math skills.
Incorporating Montessori Learning into Your Summer Routine
As Montessori teachers and parents, we know that learning does not stop just because a child is not in school. Research supports this, maintaining that the brain is changing and learning all the time based on experiences in the environment. (Jensen, 2014) Without a stimulating environment, however, the experiences are rather mundane and passive.
This does not mean you have to run out and buy workbooks that encourage drill-and-kill rote memorization or that you have to enroll your children in summer camps that tout raising the math and reading levels of your children in 2 weeks. Nor does it mean that relaxation or even playing video games have to be off limits. It does mean that, as Montessori parents, we need to prepare the summer environment to be an enriching experience full of active learning opportunities.
Here are just a few suggestions that you can easily incorporate into your summer lifestyle.
|Play cards||Listen to audio books in the car||Garden||Visit local historical landmarks||Visit the beach or mountains|
|String a necklace or bracelet||Send postcards when on vacation||Pet sit for a neighbor||Visit a history museum||Go on nature walks|
|Make a favorite recipe (double or halve)||Make a comic book or graphic novel||Roast marshmallows and make S’mores||Make clothing from a favorite time period and dress up||Visit an aquarium or zoo|
|Go shopping with only loose change||Sing campfire songs||Paint a fence||Live without electricity for a day or two||Go stargazing|
There are so many wonderful, real-world learning experiences around us. We do not need to rely on contrived learning opportunities or continually present math flashcards to keep young minds active. We do need to remember what it is like to be a child and the wonder that discovery and exploration can bring.
Consider this summer as a time of opportunity to help your children learn about the world and their place in it.
© North American Montessori Center - originally posted in its entirety at Montessori Teacher Training on Thursday, July 3, 2014.