MADISON, Ala. — As the school year comes to a close, for students, summer will be filled with fun activities…and for many, school is the last thing on their mind.
But teachers want parents to know what they can do for their students to keep academics on the front of their minds.
“It’s almost like starting over at the beginning of the year to get them back up to where they were,” said West Madison Elementary Principal, Daphne Jah.
That’s the situation at many schools after a long summer break. Getting students back up to where they were academically before summer started can be a challenge.
“We do spend a lot of time reviewing and refreshing the skills that were taught that previous year,” said third grade teacher, Allyson Word.
Some will need a refresher, but educators say there is a way to prevent regression.
“It’s really important to do some activities that are, like if you’re going on vacation, to research where you’re going, research some fun activities to do there and include your child in that,” Jah said.
One of the skills needing the most brushing up is reading.
“[Reading] is really one of the areas because it encompasses so many things,” Jah said.
Jah says some students can regress as much as an entire school year, and keeping up with academics over the summer, she says, makes the most out of their learning experience.