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Summer Reading: the Why, the How, and the When-Part One

Your child breathes a sigh of relief. After ten months of hard work, finals are over; fourth quarter projects and essays have been submitted, and it is finally summer vacation! Congratulations, students! You did it!

Later, you receive an email or text alert from the school’s administration. Your child’s summer reading assignment has been sent out, and you’re a little torn with what to do next.

Do you insist that your child get started right away on the work? Do you give them some time to decompress and relax? After all, summer vacation is a whole ten to twelve weeks. That should be more than enough time to get the work done, right?

Then a feeling of worry comes over you. If they wait too long, will they be able to finish the work before the start of the new school year? Will they be motivated to complete the assignment?

These are all important questions when tackling the task of summer reading. Here at Jamie the Scholar, we hope to offer some helpful insights, starting with part one of a two-part series on summer reading.

Part One: The Why

When I was a teenager, I remember receiving the Summer Reading assignment, instantly rolling my eyes, and exhaling a sigh of annoyance. I was frustrated, and I didn’t understand. If it’s a break, why are they giving us work to do? Why can’t I read what I want to read? Don’t we get assigned enough classical literature during the school year?

Sound familiar?

The irony is I eventually grew up to become an English teacher who has assigned her fair share of summer reading assignments.

The story of how I transitioned from disgruntled student to classicist and bibliophile is a beautiful story but also a very long one. I will save that story for another day. However, what I want you to know is that I do understand the frustration and confusion. Simultaneously, I also understand the purpose of the assignment and why it’s a practice that schools have preserved over the years.

First: Most of Us Aren’t Reading Enough

Essentially, reading is one of the healthiest activities we can engage in when it comes to our cognitive development. According to research on student reading habits, even 15 to 20 minutes a day outside of school can make a measurable difference in literacy growth. I address it more extensively in a previous blog, which is worth a look if you haven’t seen it yet.

But the research alone doesn’t always make the case feel personal, so this is how I’ve explained it to my students: reading is to your mind what vegetables and exercise are to your body. While some may naturally enjoy eating vegetables and working out, some of us don’t. Would it be a healthy decision, then, for us to avoid vegetables and exercise? Absolutely not. Likewise, reading is something we want to be doing, even if the love for it doesn’t come naturally.

When we start a new workout regimen or incorporate more vegetables into our diet, it’s not easy at first. Over time though, we become stronger and the workouts seem less intimidating. We find that we’re able to tackle harder exercises. After experimenting with new recipes or seasonings, we find ourselves enjoying broccoli! The same can be said about reading. The more we practice it, the more we can grow to enjoy it.

As educators, whenever we assign any type of at home reading, the principle of how important it is for intellectual growth is always there. When we also consider that minimum suggestion for how much we should be reading a day, those reading assignments become very achievable.

To answer my younger self’s question of why English teachers are assigning reading over summer break: it is for the same reason a doctor would encourage yoto continue working out and eating well, even if you just finished a marathon! For those skills and development to be maintained, continued effort and practice are needed to sustain them.

Second: Text Assignments

Now, this is an area that’s more ambivalent when it comes to summer reading. While the traditional model involves an assigned text that aligns with the upcoming school year’s course, this is not always the case.

Sometimes, students are given a list of suggested texts and permission to pick. You may belong to a school where your child can read a text of their own choosing and submit a “book report” on their selection.

If I’m being transparent, I’ve recommended this approach to summer reading in several department meetings. While, of course, I want my students to have a comprehensive familiarity with classical literature, since it’s summer, I have been supportive of more student-choice.

Unfortunately, this model is rare in contrast to the standard approach. Still, there are reasonable justifications for its rarity.

The purpose behind why your child’s teacher has opted for a particular text could be due to a variety of different reasons. It most likely aligns with the course goals/theme. For example, if your child is entering eleventh grade and studying American Literature, their summer reading very well could be The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway or Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

When it comes to why summer reading is often a classical novel, here are a few reasons:

Even if your child is on the Honors/AP Track, their assigned reading will only account for a small percentage of all the classical literature there is to know. There are so many incredible stories but such little time. For example, in Global Literature classes, we may introduce students to The Odyssey or Dante’s Inferno. Even then, we’re usually just reading excerpts from those texts, not the entire work. By assigning a piece of classical literature, we are equipping your child by adding to the canon of classical literature they have been exposed to.
While there’s definitely a place for young adult novels, graphic novels, and more contemporary fiction, there’s a reason why these pieces of literature have survived the ages. They are timeless stories that capture human experience. They reflect and preserve the time period during which they were written, and their content is so profound that they have outlived their writers, some of them by centuries.

Classical literature has inspired many beloved modern stories. Not many people know this, but Shakespeare is not the first writer to tell the story of King Lear. Centuries before him, Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote about the tragic king in his book, Historia Regum Britanniae. Stories go on to inspire other stories. In the same way that Shakespeare was inspired by Monmouth, many of today’s writers are producing new content inspired by the great works that precede them. When finishing our unit study on A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, I would show my students The Dark Knight Rises by Christopher Nolan. This 21st Century screenplay about an American comic book character was inspired by a 19th Century British novel about the 18th Century French Revolution.

Last but not least, while your child may not be able to choose the novel they read for summer reading, summer does offer them that time to read!

Third: Encouraging Reading as a Summer Activity

Summer can be a very productive time for young people! Some teenagers get summer jobs. Some take summer classes or pursue trade programs. Some spend the entire summer with their family traveling. Then, there are some who find themselves a little bored.

If we’re being honest with ourselves, it’s very tempting to waste time when there’s a surplus of it. Reading is one of those activities that is both relaxing and productive. Helping young minds develop good habits is a big part of our goal as teachers.

Instead of looking at summer reading as a “chore,” we could look at it as another fun summertime activity. Like going kayaking or camping, reading can be an excellent way to enjoy the extra time that summer brings.

Of course, knowing why summer reading matters is only half the picture. Knowing how to approach it makes all the difference.

Part Two of this series, covering the how and when of summer reading, is on its way. Keep an eye out for it here on the blog.

While You Wait for Part Two

Whether your student is working through their summer reading list or facing other assignments before the new school year begins, Jamie The Scholar is here to help. Our tutors work alongside students, not over them, to build the reading habits and confidence that carry into the classroom.

Call us at 888-577-3224 or check out our website to schedule a free consultation.

Springtime and End of the School Year Success

We’ve all been there.

After a long winter, we experience sunshine for the first time in months and welcome its warm embrace. We hear the birds chirping and enjoy the sight of nature coming back to life.

Suddenly, we find ourselves daydreaming during work about getting outside and enjoying the beautiful weather.

As adults, we’re not the only ones susceptible to springtime distraction. Our children and students are experiencing it too. Some of us even remember what it was like coming in from outside lunch or recess.

We remember spending the rest of the school day trying our best not to stare out the window

As a parent, you may be wondering how you can help your student navigate through the end of the school year.

You want them to finish strong. After all, this is the last quarter, and your child is almost there.

If you were attending one of their sporting events and you saw that they were tired or becoming distracted at the end of the game, you’d cheer them on with something like,

“C’mon, honey! You’re so close! You’re almost there!”

That instinct is right. However, with the tests, the projects, and the end of the school year celebrations that accompany the last quarter, you’ll be wondering if there’s more you can do to help your child succeed.

Here at Jamie the Scholar, we understand. That’s a feeling we recognize and it’s worth taking seriously.

Understanding the Situation: The End of the School Year

Everything has been building up to this point: the lessons, the skills, and the assignments. It’s the culmination of a year’s worth of learning. While it can be overwhelming, I want to assure you, parents, that it’s never our goal as educators.

The last thing we want is for our students to feel stressed out or deprived of springtime fun! Unfortunately, some of the anxiety and overwhelming feelings at the end of the year are outside of our control.

Here are some of the tests and events that contribute to the fast-paced, jam-packed end of the year feeling that your child experiences in the last month of school.

AP Exams: For any parents with high school students, you may be aware that AP exams occurred over the last two weeks. As teachers, these dates were assigned to us. It’s also important that these exams occur at the end of the year. AP teachers have needed these last eight months to prepare their students. They needed this time to equip them with the content they’ll need to perform well.
Finals and Comprehensive Assessments: Depending on what state you live in, your district’s requirements, or the type of school your child attends (charter, public, private, or etc.), the “end of the year” exam requirements may differ. Like the AP exams, the dates of these exams are often out of a teacher’s control. However, there are options here. As a parent, emailing your child’s teacher to ask about the end of the year assessment can be a great way to help. By having that information early, you can help your child organize their study time. By starting or studying early, the last two weeks won’t feel as overwhelming.
End of the School Year Celebrations: Sports Banquets, Recitals, and Prom! These events are so much fun, and your child should feel excited to participate in them. Something to consider is factoring in these events with your child’s end of the year prep. If they have a recital coming up that week, it might be helpful to block out some additional time on the weekend to study or work on homework since that event could take up two to three hours of time from their school week.

Getting Outside and Enjoying the Weather

Believe it or not, the enemy is not the weather. Spring does stir up antsy feelings in the best of us, but spring has many advantages to offer the overwhelmed student.

The first is the power of Vitamin D. While evidence doesn’t suggest a direct link between sunlight and academic performance, there are many studies that address the emotional and mental benefits of getting out in the sun.

We have heard of seasonal depression, but we’re not as familiar with the benefits that sunlight has to offer. When enjoyed properly (with sunscreen for extended periods of outdoor time), sunlight boosts our serotonin levels. Serotonin is the hormone that regulates our emotions and improves our focus. Maybe the reason so many of us stare out that window is because subconsciously we know it’s what our bodies need.

If your child is feeling overwhelmed by the end of the year, a fifteen-minute break in the sun may be the perfect solution. Even more, perhaps studying, working on their project, or reading for class outside would be a great way to accomplish their work and enjoy the wonderful weather.

The second reason why getting outside and enjoying the weather can help your son or daughter is that studies have shown how important it is for young people to be active.

According to the following article published by Stanford University, “the World Health Organization recommends that adolescents (children between the ages of 10 and 19) engage in one hour of moderate exercise daily.” The article further suggests that there have been links found between a child’s physical activity and their academic performance. “New research shows that exercising regularly can help students improve their focus, retain new information, and even score higher on tests.” So, taking time for a quick study break and getting outside to move might be the boost that your child needs.

It could also be a great motivator for your child to complete tasks in increments. After completing each assignment, they could spend 20 minutes outside. By doing so, the course work shrinks from one big load into smaller portions of work. After each assignment, there’s something to look forward to!

Springtime offers so many ways for people to exercise. Whether it’s a leisurely stroll, playing soccer, or riding a bike, your child will appreciate the opportunity to get outside, breathe in the fresh air, and move.

Other Ways to Help During the End of the School Year

If we’re being honest, time management skills are something we all have had to learn at some point in our lives. Procrastination is a common human struggle.

Some of us adults are still learning and working to grow in this area ourselves, and that’s okay. None of us is perfect.

A way you can help your child during this time is touching base with them about their assignments. They might have underestimated the time they’ll need to study for Finals or complete those end of the year assignments.

They may think they’re able to finish it all in the last week of school. But, we know better.

This is where your experience and organizational skills as a parent can be a great way to circumvent some end of the year panic. Rather than the last week of school being filled with anxiety and late nights, your child can enjoy the last few days of school feeling calm and confident about the end of the year!

How Jamie The Scholar Can Help

Say your child receives an extensive end of the year research project, and you’re not sure how to help. Maybe math has never been your strongest subject, but you want your child to feel confident while preparing for their comprehensive Final.

Here, at Jamie the Scholar, we have some incredible, talented tutors who would love to assist you. If you or your child needs some assistance navigating the end of the school year, consider giving us a call at 888-577-3224 to schedule a free consultation!

Engaging the Adolescent Reader

You’ve heard the following statistic: “Kids should be reading 20 minutes a day.” It’s something that we, as teachers, say throughout a child’s education. While your child was in elementary school, the process seemed more engaging.

Your child’s school hosted book fairs twice a year. His or her teacher assigned weekly reading logs as a nightly homework assignment. There may have even been in-class prizes for how many books they read a year!

Then, they moved on to middle school and high school, and educators kept saying the same thing. We told you how reading would enable your child to perform better on standardized tests. We also told you how reading was important for their cognitive development. However, something got lost in the process.

The incentive system changed — and your teenager noticed

Now, instead of incentive charts or fun prizes, there were just reading assignments. If your child didn’t do the reading, they would lose points in their grade average. And, there was no reward if they did any extra reading.

As your child matured, their interests started to shift as well. Instead of reading, they turned to social media, television, or other ways to consume information.

Now, rather than hearing the statistics on reading and feeling encouraged, you hear it and feel overwhelmed. You ask yourself: “How? How do I get my teenager to want to read?”

Well, here at Jamie the Scholar, we want you to feel encouraged as a parent. That’s why we’re offering helpful suggestions that we hope you can benefit from.

Hold on to the mission.

Inspiring your adolescent to read is a good and important goal. The correlation between reading and their brain development is real. A love for reading can open so many doors for your young learner and it doesn’t have to mean giving up screens entirely.

Within a healthy time limit, social media can be a source of entertainment for your teenager. However, overindulgence in it does have negative effects on their brain health. That’s what makes this worth paying attention to — encouraging reading addresses both sides at once.

So consider this goal a mission: one that provides a solution to two different problems. By encouraging your teenager to replace some of their screen time with reading, you’re helping them cultivate a love for a beneficial hobby. You are also limiting their exposure to a detrimental one.

Like with other parts of this developmental stage, your teenager still needs you. Although they may be growing in their independence, as is appropriate, your guidance is still needed. It’s instrumental in helping them succeed and grow into the best equipped adult they can be!

Incentivize reading.

I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve been an English Teacher for the last ten years. After writing my introduction to this blog, I felt a little convicted. Why haven’t I offered my students in-class incentives for extra reading? Why haven’t I offered bonus points on quizzes or tests to encourage more reading for fun?

This may be something that we, as Literature teachers, can start doing. Until then, there are plenty of ways that you, as a parent, can incentivize your teenager to love reading.

Allow them to choose

As said, adolescence is a time for growth in one’s identity and independence.

By allowing your teenager to choose a book that intrigues them, they are able to exercise their autonomy in a new way. Whether it’s a trip to the library or a local bookstore, give them the ability to choose a book that they’re interested in reading!

After being assigned reading in their English class, the ability to choose a book to read is a nice reprieve. That being said, check out the following search engines and articles. In case you have concerns with YA Content, these search engines and articles will help you filter out inappropriate material.

Common Sense Media
Plugged In — offers content reviews and filters, including faith-based perspective
Goodreads: Clean Fantasy
Book Series Recaps: Clean YA

Create rewards for a total number of books read:

When I was in middle school, my grandfather was so proud of me for making the honor roll that he would give me a little gift at the end of the quarter. Although that wasn’t my original reason for studying or earning high grades, it kept me motivated.

Just like what was created for me, consider setting up an incentive chart based on how many books your teenager reads over a duration of time. If not gifts, maybe a daily reading can become a way to earn some additional allowance.

When adolescents feel the success of their hard work, we are preparing them for the work force.

After all, it’s the employees who go above and beyond who receive recognition. That’s why introducing this concept to them will be helpful in preparing them for their next stage: adulthood.

Read books together as a family!

In the digital age, it’s easy to feel isolated from one another. When we’re all plugged in to our own devices, there’s a risk of disconnection and losing out on those bonding experiences that are so pivotal for families. Perhaps like watching a movie or playing a board game, reading a book together can be a way that you and your family spend time with one another.

As someone who has worked with teenagers for the last decade, I have noticed something profound about them. They are more inclined to take something seriously when they see the adults in their lives practicing it as well. By designating that time a week for you and your family to read together, it will communicate to them just how important you consider reading to be.

Lastly, while we emphasize how important it is for children to be reading 20 minutes a day, it’s as important for adults to engage in daily reading too!

In fact, in the last five years, several articles have been published showing that adults who read regularly reduce their risk of cognitive decline and dementia over time. The benefits extend beyond brain health too: better sleep, lower stress, and stronger emotional wellbeing are among them.

By reading as a family, not only are you reinforcing the importance of reading to your teenager, you’re also bonding together over an activity that will be healthy and helpful for each member of the family!

How Jamie The Scholar Can Help

The path to transforming your child into a reader may seem intimidating, but here at Jamie the Scholar, we are here to help! If you ever find that your child struggles with reading or understanding what they’ve read, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

If your teenager is struggling to connect with reading or simply hasn’t found the right material yet, our tutors can help. Many on our team have specialized backgrounds in reading instruction and work alongside students to build both skill and genuine interest over time.

Call us at 888-577-3224 or visit jamiethescholar.com to schedule a free consultation.