Are you giving your kids any summer school work?

[Anonymous]

As an English teacher, the two best things you can have your kid do this summer are lots of independent reading in many genres and journaling. Do it as a family even ... summer journaling, throw in a writing prompt on days you need inspiration. Building stamina and endurance and, more importantly, joy in reading and writing will pay dividends in all classes when school resumes. No worksheets, no forced test prep, no math drilling. Go places, see things, try new foods, ask questions and look up the answers, let them wander ahead of you on a path and watch what they discover rather than always standing beside them showing them what you see. Read and write. That’s the best way to enrich them and prepare them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an English teacher, the two best things you can have your kid do this summer are lots of independent reading in many genres and journaling. Do it as a family even ... summer journaling, throw in a writing prompt on days you need inspiration. Building stamina and endurance and, more importantly, joy in reading and writing will pay dividends in all classes when school resumes. No worksheets, no forced test prep, no math drilling. Go places, see things, try new foods, ask questions and look up the answers, let them wander ahead of you on a path and watch what they discover rather than always standing beside them showing them what you see. Read and write. That’s the best way to enrich them and prepare them.

I agree that this is the best way to enrich and prepare students for English/writing/reading comprehension (which is fairly well-taught in the US) but it does nothing for their math (which is fairly poorly--or at least very unevenly-- taught in the US). I don't think math worksheets are the answer, but supporting math learning often needs to be more intentional. I'm a fan of applied math in summer--building projects, engineering, small businesses--and purposefully making sure kids not kits are solving the inherent math problems in projects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an English teacher, the two best things you can have your kid do this summer are lots of independent reading in many genres and journaling. Do it as a family even ... summer journaling, throw in a writing prompt on days you need inspiration. Building stamina and endurance and, more importantly, joy in reading and writing will pay dividends in all classes when school resumes. No worksheets, no forced test prep, no math drilling. Go places, see things, try new foods, ask questions and look up the answers, let them wander ahead of you on a path and watch what they discover rather than always standing beside them showing them what you see. Read and write. That’s the best way to enrich them and prepare them.

I agree that this is the best way to enrich and prepare students for English/writing/reading comprehension (which is fairly well-taught in the US) but it does nothing for their math (which is fairly poorly--or at least very unevenly-- taught in the US). I don't think math worksheets are the answer, but supporting math learning often needs to be more intentional. I'm a fan of applied math in summer--building projects, engineering, small businesses--and purposefully making sure kids not kits are solving the inherent math problems in projects.

It’s a common misconception that writing and reading stamina only benefits English classes. In reality all classes and subjects, including math, incorporate these skills and should foster them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an English teacher, the two best things you can have your kid do this summer are lots of independent reading in many genres and journaling. Do it as a family even ... summer journaling, throw in a writing prompt on days you need inspiration. Building stamina and endurance and, more importantly, joy in reading and writing will pay dividends in all classes when school resumes. No worksheets, no forced test prep, no math drilling. Go places, see things, try new foods, ask questions and look up the answers, let them wander ahead of you on a path and watch what they discover rather than always standing beside them showing them what you see. Read and write. That’s the best way to enrich them and prepare them.

I agree that this is the best way to enrich and prepare students for English/writing/reading comprehension (which is fairly well-taught in the US) but it does nothing for their math (which is fairly poorly--or at least very unevenly-- taught in the US). I don't think math worksheets are the answer, but supporting math learning often needs to be more intentional. I'm a fan of applied math in summer--building projects, engineering, small businesses--and purposefully making sure kids not kits are solving the inherent math problems in projects.

It’s a common misconception that writing and reading stamina only benefits English classes. In reality all classes and subjects, including math, incorporate these skills and should foster them.

Well, sure, reading and writing help clarify your thinking in many realms, including math. But posing and solving equations also does--and in ways that are currently not supported by most US schools. Journaling helps your overall thinking, but so does turning a problem or desire in the world into mathematical equations and solving them. (How much wood do I need for this clubhouse, how strong should it be, how much should I charge for this lemonade given the cost of my supplies?) Reading/writing is fairly well-taught in schools, transforming and doing the math is not. Both are great ways for kids to spend their summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an English teacher, the two best things you can have your kid do this summer are lots of independent reading in many genres and journaling. Do it as a family even ... summer journaling, throw in a writing prompt on days you need inspiration. Building stamina and endurance and, more importantly, joy in reading and writing will pay dividends in all classes when school resumes. No worksheets, no forced test prep, no math drilling. Go places, see things, try new foods, ask questions and look up the answers, let them wander ahead of you on a path and watch what they discover rather than always standing beside them showing them what you see. Read and write. That’s the best way to enrich them and prepare them.

I agree that this is the best way to enrich and prepare students for English/writing/reading comprehension (which is fairly well-taught in the US) but it does nothing for their math (which is fairly poorly--or at least very unevenly-- taught in the US). I don't think math worksheets are the answer, but supporting math learning often needs to be more intentional. I'm a fan of applied math in summer--building projects, engineering, small businesses--and purposefully making sure kids not kits are solving the inherent math problems in projects.

It’s a common misconception that writing and reading stamina only benefits English classes. In reality all classes and subjects, including math, incorporate these skills and should foster them.

You cannot learn math by journaling and reading. Those skills are very useful, and more useful than math for most people, but are nowhere close to what one needs to be decent at math.

As PP said, English is taught pretty well in US schools. Math is a disaster.

[Anonymous]

“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

+1. The only people who think this are people who were bad at math themselves.

Kids who excel at math know it was NOT because of worksheets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

Disagree. There are bad math teachers and good math teachers and plenty of ordinary math teachers, at least in the elementary grades. Math is not a disaster in US schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

I said that and it’s the opposite - worksheets are a big part of the problem. there is too much busy work and too little thinking. the curriculum is tailored toward the least talented, while talented kids accelerated rather than given appropriately difficult problems.

I have a math heavy PhD and went to school both in the US and abroad. it absolutely is a disaster that we constantly need to watch over with our own kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

Disagree. There are bad math teachers and good math teachers and plenty of ordinary math teachers, at least in the elementary grades. Math is not a disaster in US schools.

Of course there is a range of quality of math teachers. But compared to other similar countries, elementary school math education is weak--students begin with math skills higher or at the same level as many other similarly industrialized countries and gradually fall further and further behind. In the US is a)worksheet heavy, b) heavy on repetition of simple problems, c) low on conceptual thinking,problem-solving and problems that are solved by combining varied methods. There are new curricula that try to address this but it falls against the grain of many parents' ideas on "good math teaching," many teachers' own experience of math education, and prior practice in schools that are resistant to what they see as fads. Also, elementary education majors are required to take very little math compared to other countries and thus are comparatively weak in their understanding that would help them be more responsive and coach intelligently in the open-ended problem solving approaches, so these new curricula are often far less effective than they are under more ideal conditions. So many schools resort back to the traditional style worksheets which are also ineffective. Math anxiety is common among generalist elementary math educators and their math SAT scores are one of the lowest among the majors. There are schools and teachers of course that are exceptions--many in this location. But on average the state of US K-12 math education is comparatively weak and if parents care about math understanding, summer is a great time to intelligently enrich (not through worksheets--but pointed at meaningful gaps of learning to combine different problem types and apply mathematical knowledge in new contexts).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

Disagree. There are bad math teachers and good math teachers and plenty of ordinary math teachers, at least in the elementary grades. Math is not a disaster in US schools.

Of course there is a range of quality of math teachers. But compared to other similar countries, elementary school math education is weak--students begin with math skills higher or at the same level as many other similarly industrialized countries and gradually fall further and further behind. In the US is a)worksheet heavy, b) heavy on repetition of simple problems, c) low on conceptual thinking,problem-solving and problems that are solved by combining varied methods. There are new curricula that try to address this but it falls against the grain of many parents' ideas on "good math teaching," many teachers' own experience of math education, and prior practice in schools that are resistant to what they see as fads. Also, elementary education majors are required to take very little math compared to other countries and thus are comparatively weak in their understanding that would help them be more responsive and coach intelligently in the open-ended problem solving approaches, so these new curricula are often far less effective than they are under more ideal conditions. So many schools resort back to the traditional style worksheets which are also ineffective. Math anxiety is common among generalist elementary math educators and their math SAT scores are one of the lowest among the majors. There are schools and teachers of course that are exceptions--many in this location. But on average the state of US K-12 math education is comparatively weak and if parents care about math understanding, summer is a great time to intelligently enrich (not through worksheets--but pointed at meaningful gaps of learning to combine different problem types and apply mathematical knowledge in new contexts).

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

Disagree. There are bad math teachers and good math teachers and plenty of ordinary math teachers, at least in the elementary grades. Math is not a disaster in US schools.

in my home country math teachers need to major in math to teach middle school math. oh, and to major in math you need to take more than 30+ college math classes. there is "liberal arts" - when you study math you study math. so the coursework that an average middle school math teacher has taken is similar to phd candidacy level in the US. knowing math does not necessarily mean that you will be a great teacher, but it absolutely is a necessary condition - and a condition that a vast majority of math teachers in the US do not meet.

my own kid's teacher this year is typical. she is bright and could have been a decent math teacher. unfortunately she essentially knows no math. and there is no way to fix that now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

Disagree. There are bad math teachers and good math teachers and plenty of ordinary math teachers, at least in the elementary grades. Math is not a disaster in US schools.

in my home country math teachers need to major in math to teach middle school math. oh, and to major in math you need to take more than 30+ college math classes. there is "liberal arts" - when you study math you study math. so the coursework that an average middle school math teacher has taken is similar to phd candidacy level in the US. knowing math does not necessarily mean that you will be a great teacher, but it absolutely is a necessary condition - and a condition that a vast majority of math teachers in the US do not meet.

my own kid's teacher this year is typical. she is bright and could have been a decent math teacher. unfortunately she essentially knows no math. and there is no way to fix that now.

Is your kid in middle school or are you just projecting? Much of this thread seems to be directed towards elementary school math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Math is a disaster in schools” say the people who think worksheets over summer = learning

Well, I think math is not well-taught in US schools and as I mentioned above focus on applied math problems in real life--not worksheets. Actually math is taught poorly in US in part because of an over-reliance on related problem type worksheets--at least in the elementary grades.

Disagree. There are bad math teachers and good math teachers and plenty of ordinary math teachers, at least in the elementary grades. Math is not a disaster in US schools.

in my home country math teachers need to major in math to teach middle school math. oh, and to major in math you need to take more than 30+ college math classes. there is "liberal arts" - when you study math you study math. so the coursework that an average middle school math teacher has taken is similar to phd candidacy level in the US. knowing math does not necessarily mean that you will be a great teacher, but it absolutely is a necessary condition - and a condition that a vast majority of math teachers in the US do not meet.

my own kid's teacher this year is typical. she is bright and could have been a decent math teacher. unfortunately she essentially knows no math. and there is no way to fix that now.

Is your kid in middle school or are you just projecting? Much of this thread seems to be directed towards elementary school math.

my oldest is in third grade. she is already significantly behind (or would have been - if we didn't jump in constantly) in conceptual understanding compared to her peers in our home country.there is no way middle school was going to fix this - they are just forging ahead on the ever weaker foundation. my childhood friends - all of whom now have physics and engineering phds - have older children and say the same thing. what was a small lag initially ballooned over years and required constant remediation from parents.