Students in the Summer?
Posted by Amy Erickson on 15 Jul 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Inspiration and Motivation, Planning and Curriculum, Teachers and Teaching
| I’m curious—how many of you are working with students this summer? Many of my summers involve working with students in one way or another. For a few years, I taught a summer program for special education students. The goal of the program was to help kids maintain the skills they had learned during the year so they could pick up where they left off when they returned to school in the fall. The kids and staff worked hard, but we also had lots of fun. The summer atmosphere was relaxing, and it lent itself to activities that we couldn’t do during the regular school year. (Think sprinklers!) |  |
Tutoring has also been part of my summers. One summer I tutored a third-grade boy in reading. (Let’s call him Josh.) That happened to be when I was in a reading master’s program, so I was glad to have the opportunity to put newly learned strategies into practice. Later, I was thrilled to hear that Josh had more self-confidence when he returned to school in the fall and that he had a terrific school year. A little extra help and attention can go a long way!
Congratulations to Audrey in Pasadena, California. She is the winner of a copy of 500 Classroom Tips, Grades K-1 in our weekly blog drawing.
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I do a summer camp as well. I find the topics we can cover to be so fun! Every year we do an ice cream unit complete with making ice cream in class and eating it for snack time. We also do an Independence Day Unit that’s so fun. Other units we do are pirates, oceans, beaches, bumblebees, and wild west.
I run my camp from the first week in June to the middle of August and we always wrap up the summer with a slip n slide, kiddie pool party!
I also like to devote my summers off to my family. We spend time together and enjoy our relaxed timed together.
This is my third summer teaching summer school to special education students ages 5-7. It’s half-days, for five weeks, so it doesn’t take up my whole summer, and it is definitely a change from teaching full-day pre-k during the school year. Before I started teaching summer school I worked at a summer camp for underprivileged children for five summers - also a great experience!
This is my second summer teaching summer school. As a single parent, I do feel a little bit guilty about still sending my young daughter to preschool but I think the schedule is good (for both of us)! I also enjoy working with the variety of ages and abilities that I don’t have the opportunity to work with during the year. During summer school, I work with K-6 on both reading and math skills. I love it, but I’m always ready for the week or two off before I gear up for another school year!
This summer we implemented a ’summer boost’ program for our preschool children. it is three days in June, July, and august and it has been fantastic. it is so great to be able to not only see the children, but to help them keep up on basic skills during the summer. it is pretty laid back and yet it keeps them in the routine of school, i am really liking it!!
Although I do coordinate Vacation Bible School for my church and teach preschool Sunday school, my summer is for my family. I feel as though they sacrifice their time with me throughout the school year and the summer is the chance for me to devote to them.
My summer is for my family…..it gives me an opportunity to spend some down time with my kids and hubby and to rejuvenate and get fresh ideas for the next year!
Since i homeschool my son while also working in the Children’s Department at a Public Library, I am with children constantly. I love encouraging children to continue reading and learning all year, especially in the summer when they have the time to read things of their own choosing! Learning in my family and at my job happens on a daily basis. That’s why we choose to do year-round homeschooling.
I also tutor students of all ages in the summertime and do outreach programs for recreation centers and for children whose families are in homeless shelters.
This is off-topic but I would love to know how to contact others who post in these blogs. I have seen some wonderful posts that have me asking questions with no way to get answerrs.
I would love to learn more about Janet’s experiences with the summer migrant education program and how she is able to teach Spanish-speaking students knowing very little Spanish herself. Any tips for others in a similiar situation? I also would like to learn more about the teacher who is having moms come in to share their culture with her class. What do they usually share? How do you incorporate it into your daily learning?
See? Lots of questions!
Is there a way that we can connect with each other through this blog? Or a way to share email addresses?
Thanks!
I worked in a program one summer for children that were going into kindergarten in the fall. The district had tested students going into kindergarten and these students fell below the mark that they needed to be at. It was exciting to see the students learn so much in this 6 week period. The progress that they made was essential to their excelling in kindergarten in the fall. I was so happy I could make a difference.
For the past two summers I have taught an enrichment math games summer school class for students in grades K-2. I also tutor two boys- one student in math and one student in reading. I also lead the craft room at my church’s Vacation Bible School.
I teach summer school, grades 1-3 with one other teacher. It’s fun to think of themes around which to organize your writing, reading, and math! Mailbox helps me so much with their great ideas, and the children love the thematic approach!
Our school is closed during the summer, and I like to use my summer preparing for the next school year. In Headstart, you can have children up to 2 and a 1/2 years, and I always like to make it different and exciting. I do, however, work with VBS during the summer. I meet all kinds of children, and they are excited to have fun.
I teach at a nursery school. This summer we decided to offer a “summer camp”. So I am working, but only four weeks.
Hi,
I work every summer at a camp. I teach a reading and writing class to 2nd and 3rd grade children, which is a change since I usually teach Kindergarten and First grade. I work for 6 or 7 weeks. I’m also planning for the next year.
Hi,
I work in the summer for 6 weeks teaching children in a small town in NH. I teach therm reading and math.
Hi,
I work in the summer for 6weeks mteaching children in a small town in H. I teach therm reading and math.
Every preschool I’ve been with is year-round. The summertime does lend itself to a change of pace– lately my toddlers have had class outside all morning (storytime, block play, etc.) There are so many new ways to connect with the same material outside!
I don’t work in the summer with children, but I do spend my summer planning for the next year. I look through my mailbox magazines for new and old ideas.
It gives me a head start for the new year. I teach special education preschool and some students I have for 2 to 2 1/2 yrs.
I do work with children during the summer, but not in the academic realm. Every summer I go to “Kidz Kamp” with the children from my church. I enjoy spending a week with the kids and helping them grow in their relationship with God. My time spent with them is never boring, and it gives me an opportunity to work with older elementary students (I teach Kindergarten during the school year).
Hello - This is my first year teaching in the summer now that my own children are older. I am teaching third graders in our summer migrant education program. This program is full-day for 5 weeks in combination with the local school district’s summer school (EAP). The students all speak Spanish (I know just a little) and many have basic reading and writing in English. I love it… so different from the school year when I teach life skills grades K - 3. I have also enjoyed working with a new professional staff and have found it to be extremely refreshing to see how they do things, to collaborate, and to be appreciated/mentored by teachers who are committed to their mission.
I don’t work with children during the summer but I work on organizing my books, lesson plans, etc. I work on posters and collecting things that I didn’t have time for during the school year. Not a day goes by during summer that I don’t think about my students (past and future!). I don’t think I’ll ever get out of that habit…
Homeschooling is year round, so YES!
This is the first summer in a very long time I am not working with students. I am taking time to relax this summer and I am trying hard not to do anything school related just yet.
I will be gearing up for the upcoming school year in the next week or two.
I work with children all year long. During the summer I work in special summer programs at my church with different age groups. During the year I manage a church based Mothers Day Out Program. I have six teachers who work with me. Our program serves 30 childrn from 2 Years - 5 years. All year I teach a 5 year and Kindergarten on Sunday mornings and on Wednesday nights I have a class of 1st - 3rd graders. The children keep my life full and keep me young.
Hi, I am a family childcare provider and my job is year round. The summer slows down a bit and gives us an opportunity to relax. We like outdoors so we plan activities for in and outdoors. We live live in the South, so warm weather common. Myra
I am working with children the whole month of July. I teach summer school. It is from 8-12:30 every M-F. But I love it because I get to meet children I wouldn’t normally meet during the school year!
I run a preschool and childcare, so we are educating year round! I have really enjoyed the summer because of the freedom to switch it up! We have a large Indian population in our area, and one of our moms is coming in to cook us an authentic dish next week for Culture week. Things like that take so much more planning and effort during the school year, but over the summer it has seemed so easy! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Since I’m also a busy mom raising an active teenager and pre teen I enjoy my summer off with them.
I work with students year round. In my current position I teach Kinderarten durring the school year and spend the summer facilitating a camp program. This summer I have all of my Kindergarten students from the school year in addition to some other children. I love that I get to help make sure skills that I taught are not getting lost throughout the summer.