The school year is ending and that means a nice long break for many of our students. However, during a break, our mental abilities may atrophy. This leads to one of two results: frustration in September when the student struggles to pick up where he left off, or annoyance that a student needs to repeat lessons already supposedly learned. Every year, we avoid the elephant in the room: summer school.
You don't have to do school in the summer to keep those math skills sharp. Here's a few tips on keeping your skills sharp this summer while still enjoying a break:
- Change your mindset : the summer break does not mean that you learn nothing. Stop and think about that for a second. Is it realistic? Our goals include learning more about God every day, taking 3 months off is not only impossible, but also counterproductive to our life goals.
- Use your resources : did you take notes in math this year? We show students how to use the Cornell system for note taking, which includes a section for questions and summaries. Review your notes for the past year by "teaching" yourself the material from your notes. Read the summary, ask yourself the questions on the side and answer them. This 5-10 minute activity a few times a week helps us keep our brains sharp.
- Branch out : mathematics is not limited to textbooks. There are some great classics written that you can dive into over the summer to keep your math skills sharp. While I don't recommend toting Euclid to the beach, reading a section of Nicomachus each week while taking the time to explore what he's talking about in his introduction to arithmetic is a very worthy summer goal for any middle or high school student.
- Start a project : summer boredom is a real occurrence that has no excuse. Try building something or solving a problem around the house. Those problem solving skills aren't limited to the math book either. For ideas consider the math hidden in the carpenter square or the compass.
- Set a goal : Most people don't define fun as sitting indoors and studying on a beautiful beach day. Which is exactly why I don't recommend that you do that. However, we do get rainy, extremely hot, or otherwise crummy outdoor days in the summer. We know they're coming, so let's plan for them. Set a goal of something that you want to refresh in your mind, master, or prepare for over the summer during those lousy days. Planning to take the CLT in the fall? setup a study plan for those rainy summer days.
We all look forward to the adventures of summer, but that doesn't mean that our responsibilities cease during these months. Instead, these months offer us time to set new goals, develop great lifelong habits, and incorporate some long lasting fun into our lives. Learning is an adventure worth navigating in all seasons of life!