Most people who are adults today associate the idea of summer school with remedial classes. It usually means someone has failed a class – or missed so much time that they have to make up several classes over the summer. It’s the theme of several teen movies and summer school is always cast in a negative light. However, with the rise of self-paced education and with so many kids having experienced major life interruptions in the last three years, the landscape is changing. Today, summer school isn’t just for kids who have failed a course. Many good students are now choosing to take summer courses for their own reasons. Why is summer school suddenly seen in a new light? It’s not the parents, but the kids who are pushing forward.
Why are good students choosing summer school? If you like education and self-motivated learning as much as we do, the answers may delight you.
Students Making Their Own COVID-Recovery Plans That Include Summer School
Many students saw their academic plans delayed during COVID quarantines as schools and families struggled to continue learning remotely. These students – many of them middle and high schoolers who are already planning for graduation – want to get back on track. Students this year are asking their parents for summer lessons to make up credits and graduate on time.
Students Strengthening Their Academic Weaknesses
During self-driven remote learning, many students became aware of their own academic weak areas – like advanced arithmetic or memorizing history dates. As summer school loses its stigma, these students are choosing to brush up on their skills and “get good”, as the kids say, before the beginning of the new school year surrounded by friends and where grades really matter.
Students Getting Ahead on Self-Paced Lessons During Summer School
Many, many students took to self-paced online learning like fish to water. The right platforms and learning activities can feel more like a game – while flying through learning materials and tests. Those students who got the hang of remote learning and self-paced learning during the quarantine may be enthusiastic about continuing their self-driven learning over the summer for fun and academic benefit.
Students Taking an Enriched Dive into Favorite Subjects
Students who have a passion may seek out summer learning to learn more about their favorite subject. They may be crazy about the history and want to dive deeper in, or love doing science experiments and would gladly take labs all summer long. Some students take advantage of summer school programs to learn cool subjects their normal school doesn’t cover.
Students Taking Prereqs for Advanced Classes Next Semester
Then there are kids with their eyes on the future – especially the next school year. A student who wants to start Algebra early, or make that jump to Trig in their sophomore year, can take Pre-Algebra, and Calculus I over the summer to qualify much sooner. Your future marine biologist might take basic biology over the summer to get to the good stuff their high school’s advanced programs offer. This is a great way for kids to follow their passion.
Bilingual Students Testing Out of Language Requirements Early
Summer programs are also a great time for students to test out of classes they could pass. Bilingual students may test out of the dual-language requirement in high school. Those who transferred from a school that teaches in a different order (ex: trig before calculus instead of calculus before trig) can test out of the class they completed at a different school.
Working Parents Choosing Education as Summer Day Camp
In fact, summer school has become a solution for the whole family. Working parents often need somewhere safe to leave their kids during the summer. Ideally, something useful for your kids to be doing. Summer learning is a great way to keep your kids occupied and protected while you ar at work. Incentivize your kids with a few cool extracurricular and recreation-style classes to choose from.
Students Seeking to Graduate Early Attend Summer School
Finally, there are those ambitious teenagers who are ready to take on the world as adults – and that means graduating early. Teens who are rocking the self-paced learning may be ready to keep up that momentum with a head-long dive into summer courses and then next year’s material. This kind of get-ahead strategy could help them jump a grade and even graduate early.
Learn More About the Way Students Perceive Summer School Now
Where can your student find the perfect summer learning program, environment, and course list to get ahead this year? Contact us today to explore your options with The Tenney School.