Summer is here and so is the most exciting time of the year for most of the students. However, this is also the time when schools are concerned, as research says that many students lose knowledge and skills during summer breaks. By the end of summer, students perform, on average, one month behind where they left off in the spring.
Because many students lose learning over the summer breaks, participation in summer learning programs should mitigate learning loss and could even produce achievement gains. Indeed, we as educators and policymakers are increasingly promoting summer learning as a key strategy for improving the achievement of our students.
Today, we explore what options students have, to up their learning curve, and to shape their personality and communication skills!
1. SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Summer enrichment programs are available in just about every area of study, from the arts and sciences to languages and athletics. They may be offered at colleges, museums, performing arts centres and recreation centers. Parents or students may think summer school is only for students who need to take required remedial classes. But many students choose to take part in special summer enrichment programs to:
- Explore their interests
- Develop new skills
- Get hands-on experience that a classroom doesn’t offer
- Meet other students with similar interests
Different types of summer programs are conducted across summer, international universities especially conduct two types of summer programs
- At the University Campus
- Satellite programs in other countries
It is interesting to see how universities in India and abroad are trying to spread their footprints amongst Indian students through their summer programs. Some of the popular summer courses are:
- Design Thinking Workshop with NID in Bangalore – May15th to 19th
- Oxford Summer Courses in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Kodaikanal – May 26th to June 4th
- Columbia Entrepreneurship Course in Hyderabad – May 23rd to 27th
- Ashoka University Young Scholar Program in Sonepat – May 24th to 31st
- Oakridge Student Global Leadership Institute in Hyderabad – June 28th to July 8th
Real-life Summer Adventures and Experiences
Ishita Verma, a grade 9 student from La Martiniere College, Lucknow, shares her experience at a Summer Program conducted by Oxford Summer Courses in India.
Benefits of Summer Programs to students
- Students can experience all the everyday learning prospects and possibilities, which will equip them well to make better career choices.
- Students get a chance to explore their interests before they decide to take it up as a career.
- The students can get hands-on experience, develop new skills that a classroom doesn’t offer, and get a taste of exciting college life.
Isn’t it interesting to see how every student has had a different learning experience and different takeaways from the same course?
2. Internships
If a student’s goal is to gain experience and learn new skills, remember that interning or holding a summer job can be just as valuable as taking part in a summer learning program.
There is no teacher like work and practical learning. Universities believe in action because it makes a better impact on a student’s learning experience – as an intern for businesses. An internship can help your students in transforming their academic knowledge garnered during the school year into industry skills.
Benefits of Internship
- An internship is their first opportunity to apply their knowledge to the real world and help them to develop the skills needed to work in their chosen industry.
- Students get hands-on experience by working on real projects for a real organisation, which will give them the interpersonal skills that they need to work effectively with others — and confidence in their own abilities.
- Internships help students in narrowing down and cementing their career choices.
3. Online Courses
In a highly advanced technological world, there are so many options for students to learn from the world wide web, sitting right at home. One can register for an online course within the very precincts of their home. Some of the platforms that are leaders in providing various online courses across a variety of subjects, hobbies, and interests that students have are Udemy, EdX, Coursera and Shaw Academy.
4. Community Service
Serving your community will make you more empathetic and contribute to society at large. Some of the ways in which you can contribute are to start working with an NGO in your area; fixing an environmental issue (like lake conservation and Swachch Bharath Abhiyan), or contributing to orphanages.
Benefits of Encouraging Summer Learning Experience
These experiences help students come out of their shell, gain new skills, experience a different side of life and earn certificates. This helps them in increasing their university admission chances and receive scholarships, which in turn brings better admission results for your school.
Moreover, having your students attend such programs will increase your brand value. Your students will act as mini marketers and whilst they network themselves, they will also introduce their alma mater.
So go ahead and make summer break learning an integral part of your school’s deliverables to a student and enrich their lives by reaping huge benefits through them!
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