We’d like to thank all of our guest speakers: Nathan Levy, Frances Stern, Milos Scekic and Alexandra Patz for a great session on Preventing Summer Slide last week.
They say ‘If you Don’t Use it, You Lose it,’ and research shows:
• kids can lose 2 months performance in reading & math if we don’t keep them stimulated during summer months.
• teachers will spend an average of 6 weeks in the Fall getting kids back up to speed to overcome that learning loss.
Preventing summer learning loss takes a little effort, so make a plan this summer to keep ‘um stimulated…
STEP 1- Read with ‘um, Read to ‘Um, Just READ!
And use these Summer Reading Lists for ideas if you don’t have one from your child’s teacher.
STEP 2- Games People Play
Milos and Alex gave us all kinds of games to play during their hands-on session to see how strategy and critical thinking skills can be learned through game play. A handful of those games include:
hard (chess, bridge, checkers, go, rubic cube, Sudoku, poker)
medium ( nine morris man (mill), ken ken, ottelo, dominoes, mastermind, Blokus,)
easy (connect four , mazes, memory match, tic – tac-toe, tetris)
Frances also shared ways to engage our kids in math activities that aren’t just workbook exercises. Card games are a great way to get our kids thinking mathematically under the guise of play. Collecting stones or other items this summer is another way to connect to math. Her book, Adding Math, Subtracting Tension, has other great ideas to help parents explore math concepts with their children through everyday activities, but without frustration.
STEP 3- Our Role as Parents: Encourage, Engage, Repeat
Nathan left us with some important take-aways to put in action this summer with our children.
• Encourage them to take charge of their speaking
• Encourage them to take charge of their listening
• Encourage them to make eye contact
• It’s okay to be uncomfortable; Nobody learns to their maximum if they are never uncomfortable;
• Self-esteem goes up when you take on something that you believe is difficult
• The Key to parenting: repetition, repetition, repetition
• It’s the act of writing that teaches you to become a great writer. Offer opportunities for your child to express him/herself through writing.
• Engage in conversation with your child and often. Instead of what DO you want to be when you grow up, ask What DON’T you want to be?
• Share your values with your child. What matters most to you? The summer is a great opportunity to share that with your child.
STEP 4– Have fun. Enjoy Your summer! And join us this Fall for our NYC Gifted & Talented Symposium on October 26, 2013. Details are coming in June, so stay tuned!
And last, but certainly not least… the moment you’ve all been waiting for…DRUM ROLL, PLEASE!
Our WINNER of the Jade’s ToyBox ‘Preventing Summer Slide Box‘ is Khallid B. Congratulations!
You’ll be receiving: a Summer reading starter kit with Roald Dahl’s The Magic Finger and James and the Giant Peach, a Physics Experiment Kit, Albert’s Insomnia card game, Family Talk conversation starters for the whole family, a NY 3D cityscape keepsake, a summer supply of eco-friendly art supplies and sketchpad, Math Dice, Fly Trap Fred, an assortment of dice for math fun, Pitch It game for the budding entrepreneur, plus a handful of extras donated by our evening speakers including: The game GO, Tetris Link, Classic Wooden Checkers, Mastermind for Kids, Whose Clues and Breakfast for the Brain.
Thanks again for joining the P.A.L. Workshops and be sure to sign-up for our newsletter for updates, new workshops, events and more.
Enjoy the Summer!
The P.A.L. Workshops Team
PALNYC 