Summer School Homework

Seems crazy, doesn't it?

Don't you think they need a break from homework during vacations - especially summer? I most certainly do think that students need a break from homework during the summer, but I also realize that many of them aren't going to get one.

Here are some things that parents can do to help students manage summer school homework:

How to Deal with Summer School Homework

1. Don't Miss Class. Yes, it's summer, and you and your family want to do things and go places. It is okay for your children to miss one or two days of summer school, but not more than that. Most summer school programs attempt to cram a semester's worth of material into a few short weeks, which means missing one day is like missing four or five "regular" school days. Try to schedule activities later in the day (or the weekends) and vacations later in the summer.

2. Get Enough Rest. Yes, it's summer, and your kids deserve a break from their regular routine. They want to stay up late and enjoy extended daylight hours, and I say, "Let them!" but be reasonable. Allowing them to stay up waaaayyy past their bedtimes means your children will be too tired to learn, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of summer school.

3. Ask for Help. Yes, it's summer, and your children probably have a million things they'd rather do than stay after school and get help from the teacher, but if they don't want to fall behind and waste going to summer school (gasp!), they need to do well and pass their classes. As I mentioned earlier, summer school moves quickly, so if they don't understand something, they need to get help immediately (if not sooner) before they find themselves far, far behind and unable to catch up.

4. Get It Out of the Way. Yes, it's summer, and your children do not want to think about homework, much less actually do it! Fortunately, many summer school teachers realize that summer school homework is 1) wrong and 2) probably not going to get done, so they don't assign it. Unfortunately, some teachers will assign homework. I recommend that students do it as soon as possible: in class, right after school, as soon as they get home. Not only will they be "free" for the rest of the day and evening, it won't feel like the regular school year.

   Don't Forget: It Is Summer!

   Remember, parents, that even if your children are attending summer school, they do need to enjoy summer vacation! Let them:
   • stay up a little bit later

   • watch a little bit more TV

   • hang out a little bit more with their friends and family

   • eat a little bit more "junk"

   • see a little bit more of your city, state, country, world!

   It can't be all about homework! (Give yourself a break from nagging, too!)

   
   
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