Tell me the truth, are you out of your mind because here it is late July and your kids still have not completed (or in some cases even begun) their summer homework? When my kids were younger, required summer assignments drove me out of my mind, and not because I didn’t want the learning to continue. I just believed in the value of down time (for them and for me) and I didn’t think that the best way to keep my children engaged was with a stream of paper-and-pencil one-size-fits-all tasks. Shouldn’t summer vacation be a time when kids can explore their own interests? Shouldn’t we as parents have this time to expose our children to something meaningful but not necessarily academic? And if the school department is going to hijack kids’ summer, hadn’t they better come up with something good?
Don’t misunderstand me. I believe homework that reinforces and supports classroom instruction is important and valuable to the learning process. It also serves as a means by which parents are kept informed about what children are learning in school. I spent countless evenings supporting, cajoling and yes, sometimes even bribing my children throughout elementary school in order to ensure that homework was done. And every summer during their elementary school years, my children received a suggested reading list of age-appropriate titles to guide them in selecting and enjoying good books. I have always loved to read and I loved to see my children read, so I had no problem with a suggested list. Then the summer before middle school, it happened. Students were (and still are) required by their future middle school teachers to write two book reports. More recently, several pages of math problems have been handed out during their last week of elementary school which must be turned in when the next school year begins. I realize that it is a parent’s job to push their children in the right direction no matter how hard they resist, but as I turned myself inside out trying to inject enthusiasm into summer homework sessions, I remember secretly thinking, Can I get a break here please? (Those of you whose children are averse to completing written work know what I’m talking about. Back me up here if you can.)
Another reason why summer homework made me crazy was that I was never certain that it had value for all children. I understand that what teachers refer to as summer slide is a real concern, particularly for young children whose basic reading and writing skills are still developing. After so many weeks of summer with no academic stimulation, some children return to school reading and writing at a level that is below where they left off upon completion of the previous grade. But is summer homework the answer? And is it the answer for older kids? And does it benefit the sharpest students? If summer slide is a universal problem, then maybe there should be some discussion about year round school. If it is not a universal problem, then school districts should offer summer classes or programs to those who are in danger of backsliding and leave the rest of the students (and their parents) alone when the last dismissal bell rings in June.
When children struggle to keep up in school, I don't believe that handing them a stack of paperwork to complete at home over the summer is the answer. And when children are doing just fine during the school year, summer paperwork seems unnecessary. Perhaps a better idea would be for school departments to offer summer workshops for young writers, guided book discussion groups, or a math or science club that utilizes hands-on activities designed to foster discussion and collaboration among the children. Non-traditional programs such as these may also build students' confidence and positive peer relationships, and that can only benefit children as each new school year begins.
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