World Lit/Comp
Mrs. Bourdakos
September 4, 2014
Summer Education Essay
It 's 3:00 pm on a sunny June afternoon. Thousands of kids around the country have just been released from school a final time until the start of the next school year. They have just entered a time of the year full of oversleeping, daydreaming, and plain old laziness. Yes, this is a time of the year students everywhere have come to know and love. Yet despite how fun and care free these three months are, these three months are a perfect time for students to empty their brains of what they have learned over the past school year. This sets them up for a rough time when they enter school again in the fall, ultimately putting …show more content…
While some push for intensive summer programs, with some even wanting summer school, others take a much different opinion. This other opinion, you see, claims that summer is a valuable time for children, and it is meant to be a time of rest and relaxation. Eileen Fitzgerald wrote an article titled "Schools try to combat summer learning loss," which tells of the viewpoint of those in favor of intensive summer programs. On the other hand, Rich Albom writes an article called, "The Joys of Summer." This article explores the opposing viewpoint that summers should remain care free. However, it lacks research to back up the authors ' claims. After reading the two and comparing the two viewpoints, I came to a conclusion that students should be encouraged to participate in summer classes and camps because they give students an extra edge for the coming school year, they give students vital knowledge without chewing up much time of the students vacation, and they prevent students who are behind at the end of the school year from being even more behind at the start of the next school year. The biggest goal for many serious students is getting ahead in their …show more content…
As you might imagine, students who have trouble applying themselves, who are already behind at the end of a school year, find themselves in an even bigger hole at the start of the next school year. This problem can easily be fixed by keeping their minds sharp through summer programs. The following quote shows such a program: " 'If students are behind in June and you don 't do something during the summer, they will be further behind in September, ' Superintendent Janet Robinson said. 'For a lot of kids, it 's justt going to the library and reading books, but for some kids, more is needed." '
This quote shows that not all students are created equal. While some are rather naturals at academics and require little work, others need something to get themselves back on track. And that is what Summer Programs are for more than anything else. As the bell rings, school ends and America 's youth embrace yet another Summer season. One thing, however, that does not change is the constant battle over what kids in our 21st century society should be doing during the summer. Ultimately, only time will tell what will happen. Whatever does happen, however, will influence America 's education system for