How To Stay Motivated This Summer
It’s widely acknowledged that summer break, in addition to being a welcome respite from academic stressors, amplifies learning loss and exacerbates the educational achievement gap by disproportionately affecting low socioeconomic status (SES) students.
Taking into account the current COVID-19 crisis, where students will have been out of school from March to September (and potentially longer), summer break may seem less like leisure time and more like a scholastic drought. In fact, the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a non-profit that assess academic proficiency, estimates that students may return to school with only 70 percent of yearly gains in reading and less than 50 percent of gains in math.
These projections may feel overwhelming, especially for students who have fallen behind due to remote learning. However, there are a few moves you can make to continue learning through the summer so as to return to school feeling reinvigorated and prepared. After all, not all learning happens in the classroom.
Strategies for Success:
Create a reading list. The benefits of reading have been expounded by educators and parents alike, but reading for pleasure is particularly associated with greater comprehension skills, a sharper vocabulary, elevated writing abilities, and an overall increase in general knowledge. Internet archive is a non-profit library with millions of free books, from ancient Turkish manuscripts to YA dystopian literature. Scroll through this webpage and pick six books you want to get through this summer, about anything that interests you.
Look for learning opportunities in places you wouldn’t expect. Even Tik Tok can be informative if you curate your ForYouPage by watching the right videos (you can search #education to get started)! Check out the The New York Times crossword puzzles to enhance your logical reasoning skills, learn how to work Adobe Creative Suite on YouTube, follow through on the Duolingo course you’ve been neglecting for months, sign petitions on Change.org to advocate for causes you’re passionate about, or learn how to code Python on Codeacademy so you can get that big tech money.
Keep an eye on your mental and physical health. The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t just taking a toll on academics—having your entire life and community disrupted is stressful! Make sure you’re getting enough rest and avoid stimulating activities late in the day. Restful sleep hinges on regular exercise: go on a hike to a secret river or take an online yoga class. Finally, stay mindful! During the day, ground yourself with this sensory technique.
Remember that there are resources and support all around you. If you need some help catching up, staying motivated, or planning ahead for college, reach out! Our team of tutors are ready to work with you on developing a plan for a productive summer break.
