Meritas Family of Schools Unveils Helpful Tips to Prevent Seasonal Learning Loss, Announces Summer Seminar
International network of schools helps students begin the 2012/2013 school year with a competitive edge by making the most of summer
(Northbrook, Ill.) April 16, 2012 – With the current school year nearing its end, many parents are thinking of ways to keep their children’s minds occupied during the lazy days of summer. While some students may prefer to spend those days watching television or playing video games, Meritas suggests that they invest a portion of their vacation doing activities that foster continued, enjoyable learning.
Of course, to anyone familiar with Meritas, this should come as no surprise. Meritas has made it its mission to provide global, life-changing opportunities that enable each student to reach his or her highest potential. As a result, Meritas students become lifelong learners who go on to their top-choice colleges and universities.
According to studies conducted over the past two decades, students lose an average of a month’s worth of instruction over the course of each vacation, with the most significant deficits occurring in the areas of math and spelling. Teachers often spend the first several weeks of school remediating students and re-teaching skills introduced the year before. According to a recent report issued by the RAND Corporation, summer enrichment activities have the potential to reverse this summer slide.
To combat summer learning loss, Meritas recommends that parents find creative ways to integrate learning into their children’s summer routines.
“Learning shouldn’t consist of boring worksheets and rote memorization. Learning is all around us. The key is to find something your child is genuinely interested in and build an activity around his or her natural curiosity,” said Meritas Chief Academic Officer David Hicks.
To jump-start each child’s summer learning experience, Meritas team members have unveiled a few of their favorite summer learning activities.
TIPS FOR OLDER STUDENTS
Become a Bookworm . . . or an Expert
Start by reading Eric Greitens’ new book “The Heart and the Fist.” Greitens used his summers to do amazing things. His book will show you how extreme summer opportunities can be.
Or, make yourself an authority on one topic, such as the novels of Anthony Trollope, the life of Theodore Roosevelt, the plays of Harold Pinter or the operas of Verdi. Choose an author and read everything he or she wrote.
Make a Movie
No, seriously! Write a screenplay, grab your video camera or iPad, and make a movie. Virtually every film director began making movies at a young age. Invite your neighborhood to view the final production on “opening night.”
Become a Beethoven
Learn to play a musical instrument. If you already play one, find a piece of music that really challenges you, something you’d love to be able to play brilliantly, and go for it. Practice hard every day. Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved without strenuous effort.
Meet Someone from a Different Culture
Whether you have the opportunity to travel abroad or simply connect with someone online, meeting someone from a different culture can be a mind-blowing experience! Talk to your new friend about how he or she spends free time. Ask him or her to share some favorite recipes with you, and try them out with your family. Return the favor, and share interesting information about your own culture as well.
Challenge Yourself Abroad
Participate in an intellectual study abroad program, such as the Meritas Seminar at Oxford University. This year’s seminar, titled “Meeting the Challenges of Democracy,” will be held July 30 through Aug. 11, 2012, and will grant students the opportunity to travel abroad while learning the principles and problems of democracy at one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. Interested parents or students can find out more about the seminar and download an application form at www.meritas.net/seminar.
Get In Touch With Your Inner Artist
Are you the next Manet or Monet? You’ll never know unless you explore your talents. Grab a canvas and some paint and create something — anything! It can be real or abstract; just go with your gut. Don’t know where to start? Study the techniques of some of your favorite artists and see if you can imitate them.
TIPS FOR PARENTS OF YOUNGER LEARNERS
Make a Photo Album
Using a digital camera, make a photo album and share stories with your child about the photos. Labeling the photos (online or in a scrapbook) builds vocabulary, literacy and social-emotional skills.
Explore Your Backyard
Make a science connection to the plants and insects in your backyard or community garden. These experiences use the language of measurement (compare/contrast/classify) and inspire children to graph the growth patterns of the insects and plants.
Get Creative
Have your child create a project that highlights a character or a favorite event. The project can be highlighted through writing, music, art or even a journal.
Mix in Some Math
Numbers are everywhere! Make a habit of pointing them out, and practice some spontaneous math wherever you go. Ask your child to spot numbers on a billboard. See if he or she can figure out how many days there are in a month, or compete to see who can guess the grocery bill to the nearest whole number. The possibilities are infinite!
Spell It!
Board games are a must-have staple for summer vacation. Sneak a little spelling action into your child’s play by choosing games like Scrabble or Bananagrams.
Read Out Loud . . . Together
Choose a children’s literature classic (“Aesop’s Fables,” “Tales of Mother Goose,” “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”) and read it aloud together. Parents often stop reading aloud to children too early. By reading aloud, we model fluency and voice, and we improve listening comprehension. It’s also a great way for parents to either reconnect with a story they loved in their youth or read a classic piece they haven’t read before.
ABOUT MERITAS FAMILY OF SCHOOLS
Meritas is a worldwide family of college-preparatory schools that provides highly personalized education to more than 12,000 students at our 10 schools across the globe. Meritas schools are comprised of top-performing teachers who challenge each child to make optimal progress, both academically and socially. As a result, Meritas students go on to their top-choice universities with the critical-thinking and complex problem-solving skills needed to excel in life. As a collaborative global network with schools in some of the world’s most influential nations, Meritas is focused on developing the world’s next generation of leaders. For more information, visit www.meritas.net.
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Contact:
Allison Grenesko, Meritas Family of Schools
312-805-0383
allison.grenesko@meritas.net
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