do you get summer homework in high school

Should kids get summer homework?

by: Leslie Crawford | Updated: June 12, 2023

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Jill Notte’s daughter Sara is a straight-A student, and she’s taking five advanced-placement courses this fall. It’ll be her senior year.

This ambitious undertaking may prove Sara’s undoing — at least if the 17 year old wants to enjoy her summer vacation. Somewhere in between spending a week at a Girls State program, a month at the New Jersey Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology at Rutger’s University, and visiting a few potential colleges, Sara must complete the following workload before school starts:

• Read five novels for AP English • Read one book for AP History • Complete a packet of assignments and problems for AP Calculus • Complete a packet of assignments and problems for AP Chemistry • Write several summaries of scientific principles for Honors Physics

Oh, and her English teacher recommends that she attend Shakespeare performances at the local college to supplement the many plays she’s required to read as part of AP English. “I try to put a positive spin on it,” says Sara’s mother, Jill. “I told her, ‘Summertime’s a great time to read Shakespeare!'” But, admits Jill, it’s not so easy to put the same kind of “fun” spin on the stack of mind-numbing calculus and chemistry books hefty enough to take down a Yellowstone grizzly.

Forget languidly balmy weeks unwinding from the stress of an intensive school year. Goodbye, as well, to working her usual summer job as a lifeguard, which Sara unhappily has to forgo — along with the money she hoped to save for college. As her mother puts it, “Summer homework is a full-time job.”

A working vacation

Sara’s not alone. The oxymoronically named “vacation work” is on the rise. Sara’s older sister had only a few books to read over the summer when she was in high school — and that was just eight years ago. Jill, who like her daughters was a high achiever in the top five percent of her class, remembers completely homework-free summers.

Many parents remember their own childhood summers as true respites from school, devoid the rigor and rigidity of academic life. Summer was a sprawling mass of unstructured time that ranged from idyllic laziness to stupefying boredom to invigorating camps and family vacations, not scores of math worksheets, science packets, and lists of “good-for-you” classics that hardly qualify as light beach reads.

Harris Cooper, chairman of the department of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University and America’s leading homework scholar who co-authored the landmark meta-study on homework , says that while there exists no formal studies on the rise in summertime homework, he’s witnessed a particularly sharp increase over the past two years — probably a response “to high-stakes testing and accountability issues for schools.”

Just say no?

Some parents argue summer homework is nothing more than bland busywork that saps the joy and spontaneity from summer. So says Sara Bennett, founder of StopHomework.com . “Even if there is a summer slide, I don’t think homework is the solution,” Bennett says. “Kids don’t have enough downtime during the school year. I think they need that freshness during summer.”

Here’s a revolutionary approach for vacation purists who say kids deserve a good, old-fashioned summer free from intense brain-strain: Just say no. That’s what Bennett suggests a parent do in the fall if a child is averse to doing the packet. “I’d send it back and say, ‘I’m sorry, my child didn’t have a chance to do it.’ ” (A parental dispensation only possible for kids who haven’t entered the high-school pressure cooker where — as with Sara Notte — summer homework is graded and can directly affect a student’s chances to enter a top-tier university.)

Protecting young minds from melting

On the other side of the summer homework debate are the moms and dads who, when the school doors slam shut, ramp up the supplemental brain work, even if the teachers didn’t provide it themselves. Most parents, though, fall somewhere in the for-better-or-worse-summer-homework-is-here-to-stay camp.

So if the kids have to do it, can we at least be reassured that it’s a magic bullet to protect young minds from melting? “We can’t say that with any objective data,” Cooper says. “But we would make the assumption if students are continuing to flex their mental muscles over the summer, this would have a positive effect on how much material they retain when they return.”

No buy-in from the kids

“There definitely is a lag — I’m not denying that,” says Denise Pope, senior lecturer at the Stanford University School of Education and co-founder of Challenge Success , a research and student-intervention project. “I absolutely agree that three months is a long time to not do anything. That said, I’m not sure this idea of giving workbooks and pages and pages of handouts works.”

The reason it doesn’t work? “There’s not a buy-in from the [kids],” Pope argues. “In order for any learning to be retained, there has to be engagement on the part of the students.” Pope explains that students need the “ABCs of engagement,” which means they’re engaged affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively. “If they’re intrinsically motivated, then they’ll want to do it.”

“I know kids who get these huge 40-page math packets,” Pope says. “It’s because [teachers] want [kids], over time, to have systematic practice. The problem is that this requires an adult to monitor this kind of disciplined work. It’s not like a kid can do that on his own. So it puts a burden more on the parents.”

Year-round homework blues

So, alas, those nightly angst-ridden homework dramas that run from September through June now get year-round billing. The other problem, Pope says, is that summer homework packets (frequently put off until the last unhappy week before school begins), often seem to fall into an academic black hole once they’re turned in — with no feedback from teachers and no effect on kids’ grades.

As for the work that Pope’s three kids — ages 10, 12, and 15 — get handed at school’s end, she tells them, “‘I won’t bug you about this at all. I won’t be the police.’ We look at the assignments they get for the summer and I say, ‘How long do you think this will take? Do you want me to remind you to do it?’ ” But if they leave it until the tail end of the summer, Pope says, well, that’s their choice. It’s their vacation, after all.

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4 Ways Parents Can Deal With Summer Homework, According to Experts Say

Most schools assign summer homework with good intentions, but they don't always know how to make school-break assignments meaningful.

School’s out for summer! Around the country, students have chucked their backpacks and planners aside and rejoiced. That is, if they don’t have summer homework.

A hotly debated topic in education, summer assignments can involve reading, online work, packets, and/or real-life enrichment opportunities in communities that students are responsible for completing by the time school resumes. It’s become a burden for some families whose parents work in the summer, or who lack teacher support or internet access. On the other hand, some parents want their children doing summer work to keep them busy and engaged in academics, and to prevent the “summer slide” — a regression in learning some educators believe occurs between school years.

Licensed Psychologist Connie McReynolds , Ph.D., says summer work can sometimes cause children to feel like they’re still at school. “It can lead to burnout before the next school year begins,” she says. For others, she says, the structure and routine are beneficial.

So summer homework can be advantageous — if it’s done right. The bad news is that, in a lot of cases, it isn’t. Here’s what the experts had to say about if, when and how summer work should be assigned — and how parents can cope if their school is missing the mark.

When Summer Homework Is Done Right

It should be intentional and (actually) educational..

“Summer work for the sake of raising and/or setting expectations for rigor is baseless,” says Suzanna Davis who has been a teacher and principal, and is now the current Senior Director of Student Services at Middletown City Schools in Ohio. “Students often put off the work until the last minute and complete the work for compliance, not true learning. And that’s only exacerbated when the teachers don’t create a meaningful classroom connection to the summer work.” This points to a problem with practices around all homework — are they meaningful practice, or just a check-the-box completion grade?

Teachers might feel they can’t teach all the material during the school year. But a 2023 study found that summer learning had a small impact on math test scores for students but not reading. Additional recent data has shown that the impact of the “summer slide” depends on a variety of factors, including grade and poverty levels.

What parents can do : “The teacher should provide a clear connection to how the summer work is going to enhance the learning and/or enrich the learning that will occur at the start of the year,” Davis says. “If there isn’t a clear explanation of the purpose of the summer work, parents should reach out to the teacher directly for clarity regarding the purpose of the work and if it is required." Don’t worry about being a nudge. “Parents should keep in mind they are advocates for their children and asking questions for clarity creates a two way dialogue with the teacher,” she adds.

It should come with tech and academic support.

A key pillar of homework is homework help — that is, if the purpose is real learning.

Many parents can probably relate to a scenario like this: “Hey mom, I’m supposed to work on a school app called blah blah blah.”

“Oh, okay, what’s the password?”

“I don’t know.”

And even if they can log in, what happens if kids don’t understand the assignments? Many parents can relate to not knowing the answer to a homework question a kid is asking, and not knowing which resources to use to find it. Adding in homework help around work hours can add stress to a family.

Not a whole lot of learning is happening in these situations, which all lead back to one missing aspect to effective homework practices — teacher support. Teachers are off in the summer, but if students aren’t, there’s an issue with technical troubleshooting and guided instruction.

“Homework should reinforce skills learned in the classroom,” Davis says. “Unfortunately all too often students are left to complete homework without the foundational knowledge to complete it to enhance their learning. During the summer months teachers are typically not available leaving the students to complete the homework with little to no direction which could result in them replicating bad habits without any checkpoints or feedback.”

What parents can do : It’s absolutely reasonable to expect summer support to have necessary technology and instructional guidance, even in the summer. “Students should be able to access the teacher to provide clarity, answer questions and/or to provide feedback,” Davis says. She again recommends communicating with the school as early as possible about how students are supposed to get tech or instructional support.

It should be inclusive and low-stress.

A student with an Individualized Education Plan, or a 504 plan, who typically has extra homework time looks at a large packet at the start of summer. Do they still have double time? What resources are available to them? These are concerns that all families, but especially those with additional academic and learning needs, have to navigate.

“Parents of children with ADHD are naturally concerned about whether being away from academic studies over the summer will lead to the ‘summer slide,’” McReynolds says. “This concern leads parents to struggle with whether to push on through the summer or give children a break from the pressure.”

Students who don’t have access to support can see an increase in academic-related stress too. According to a 2021 study by Challenge Success, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, 56% of students reported an increase in stress from school . The same report found that during the school year, students spent an average of three hours on homework each weeknight, with 51% reporting they spent more time on homework than they did in the past. But 42% reported they had a decreased level of engagement for school and learning. So, experts are torn on whether homework actually increases engagement, and even learning.

“All too often the completion or lack thereof is utilized to gatekeep students out of higher level courses,’ Davis says. “In the event a student faces this, parents need to actively advocate for inclusion in the class regardless of completion of the summer work.”

What parents can do: “Individual accommodations and modifications included in a student’s IEP/504 must be taken into account,” Davis says. “Another approach to summer work would be for the parent and student to create a scaffolded schedule to complete the work as opposed to waiting until the final weeks of summer to complete it all at once. Ultimately, the mental health of the student is most important and parents and/or the student should actively communicate with the teacher directly to discuss concerns throughout the summer.”

High schoolers who are taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which sometimes require summer work, can consider opting for a College Credit Plus (CPP) class, when appropriate for them. CPP classes often carry the same weight without the summer work, but it varies state to state, and parents and students should ensure the desired university they would like to attend accepts CPP classes as credit as they do with AP. Pro tip from Davis: Ask around or ask the teacher before April or May to determine summer homework plans for an AP class, because you might miss the deadline to do CPP if you wait until summer.

It should even be…fun!

There just might be room in summer homework for a bit of enjoyment, with the right set up.

“I believe summer homework is detrimental for several reasons,” Davis says. “It perpetuates burnout … preventing students from fully relaxing and recharging during their break. This can negatively impact their mental health and overall well-being.” So, the only summer homework our experts are interested in are fun activities that enrich family or community life, or personal development.

Emily Pendergrass , associate professor of the Practice of Literacy and Reading Education at Vanderbilt University says summer homework should be meaningful for families, teachers and learning. “It should be interactive,” she says. “It shouldn’t be one size fits all…we should be moving towards learning and curiosity.”

Summer homework should move into meaningful activities, Pendergrass says. For example, instead of keeping a reading log that just lists the titles of books and how many minutes were read, students can be tasked with drawing a picture of what they read, writing an alternate ending, or making a short video about the reading to share with classmates when they’re back to school.

What parents can do: In the end, there’s no faster way to get students to hate school than assigning a classic piece of literature, and telling them good luck, see you in the fall. Pushback from parents, community and students themselves can ensure summer work, if necessary, is equitable and purposeful, well-supported and inclusive. Or, we can just cut it all together and go read something fun by the pool…

When to Call It Off

If your child is too stressed about summer homework, you and your child, and their educators, can discuss together if the right move is to simply not do it . What are the consequences? The ramifications of this depend on the school, and the program. In some places, summer work might not account for a large portion of their final grade and a student might be confident they can make it up during the school year. In others, they might be able to choose a less rigorous course without a summer homework requirement. Then again, skipping summer homework might result in failing a class if the summer assignments are weighted heavily in the final grade. You can also consider asking for an alternative or makeup assignment, which often would be considered on a case-by-case basis. “If summer work is being graded on completion, and not truly being utilized at the start of the year to extend instruction, the student, parent and teacher need to actively discuss the true purpose of the work,” Davis says.

Alexandra Frost is a Cincinnati-based freelance journalist and content marketing writer, focusing on health and wellness, parenting, education, and lifestyle. She has been published in the Atlantic , Glamour , Today’s Parent , Reader’s Digest , Consumer Reports , Women’s Health , and National Geographic . She spends her “free” time with her five kids under age 8, and testing lots of products. To connect or read more of her work please visit alexandra-frost.com or follow her on social media: Twitter Instagram Linked In .

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Should Schools Assign Summer Homework? Educators Weigh In

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School’s almost out for summer. Should students clear out their lockers and leave empty-handed—or laden down with stacks of math problems and required reading lists? Will teachers warn of repercussions for failing to turn in summer work assignments upon returning to school in the fall, or simply advise students to have fun and stay safe?

It depends on whom you ask.

It turns out that not all educators share the same perspective on whether to assign summer homework, who needs it most, what it should consist of, and how to make sure it gets done. Education Week put the question to state teachers of the year and representatives of statewide principals associations. Here’s what they had to say.

Play and pleasure reading prioritized by many educators

Play and pleasure reading topped the list of responses to the question: What summer homework should students be assigned? Teachers (of both young and older students) were more likely than the principals who responded to suggest that kids need a break in the summer.

“For young children, specifically pre-K to grade 3, I feel that over the summer children need to have their summer break and be provided with the opportunity to explore, get plenty of physical activity, and play. Children learn from play. Play teaches children about problem-solving and social interactions,” said Tara Hughes, a pre-K inclusion teacher at the Nye Early Childhood Center in Santa Fe who was voted 2023 New Mexico State Teacher of the Year.

“Students should have no formal ‘homework'—worksheets or practice books,” said Lori Danz, who is Wisconsin’s 2023 State Teacher of the Year. She teaches high school biology and serves as a school forest coordinator, overseeing outdoor learning. in the Superior school district in the northern part of the state. “I think it’s good for students and families to get away from that, and learn in authentic ways: hiking, cooking, fixing things. So much learning happens that way. We forget that it’s learning.”

Danz acknowledged that not every family has the same amount of free time or resources available to them during the summer. But she added that many districts, including her own, offer free enrichment activities at local schools during the summer that provide activities such as sports, crafts, and physical fitness.

While “play” was a popular response to the question of what type of work kids should be assigned in the summer, some educators suggested that students of all ages read during break to stay sharp.

“Reading for pleasure authentically enhances many academic skills such as cultivating a love for reading, improves reading and writing skills, develops concentration, encourages creativity and imagination, and allows children to be more open to differences and perspectives,” said Krystal Colbert, a 2nd grade teacher at Mitchellville Elementary in Iowa’s Southeast Polk school district, and another Teacher of the Year.

One teacher took the reading directive a step further. Brian Skinner, a high school special education teacher with the Newton Unified school district 373 in Kansas and the state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, said he thinks students should spend time regularly writing and reading for pleasure. “Not only that, but I believe it is important to read from actual books versus phones or other technology,” Skinner said. It’s a belief shared by some literacy experts , too.

Which students most need summer work?

Educators offered a range of opinions when asked which students most need summer work. Principals interviewed for this article were more likely than teachers to feel students should be doing summer work.

“How good is a golfer that takes a three-month break with no practice? Even if you do not play nine or 18 holes regularly, you can go the range, you can chip, you can practice putting,” said Jerald A. Barris, a high school principal at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School in Midland, Pa., and a regional representative for the Pennsylvania Principals Association.

Ed Roth, the principal of Penncrest High School in Media, Pa., believes in math homework over the summer for high school students. “In mathematics, it is important for students to have some review and skills practice so that they do not need to spend the first marking period reviewing prior learning, therefore taking away their ability to cover all necessary content for their current course,” he said. Roth’s perspective, which suggests the loss of skills during summer break, has been well-documented in recent research .

But other educators favor a more tailored approach to summer work.

Danz, the Wisconsin high school biology teacher, said that she believes all students need a break from homework but added this caveat: “You can always find exceptions…students who may need remedial practice.”

Fabiana Parker, the 2023 Virginia Teacher of the Year, agreed. A teacher of English learners at Thornburg Middle School in Spotsylvania County, Va., Parker said “it is essential to take into account the unique needs of each student” when it comes to summer work. She elaborated with an account of her own children, recalling how she established a routine of daily math practice during the summer but only for her daughter who struggled with math and, in Parker’s assessment, needed the additional support.

Other educators said they are more likely to assign summer work to students on an accelerated track. Such is the case for Michael Ida, Hawaii’s 2023 Teacher of the Year. He teaches at Kalani High School in Honolulu. Ida said that, for most high school students, he recommends no summer work other than reading for pleasure. But he makes an exception for students who choose to enroll in more rigorous courses.

“I teach AP Calculus, and those students do have some required review work to complete over the summer,” Ida said. He gives them math problems that he has created—both routine review problems and more substantial problem solving exercises that emphasize logical thinking and communication.

A creative approach to summer work

Summer should be synonymous with creative learning, some educators emphasized. “Summer is a time to continue learning in the way that every child in every classroom should be taught, with a focus on each child’s passions and strengths and in the way that is most effective for them,” said Catherine Matthews, a pre-K special education teacher at Hyalite Elementary School in Bozeman, Mont., and the state’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.

“If a child is struggling with fractions but loves to cook, allow them to practice their math skills while doing something that they love. If they need to practice their reading fluency, allow them to choose books of personal interest,” Matthews added.

Second grade teacher Colbert expressed a desire for kids to experience the type of old-fashioned summer that, for countless students, no longer exists. “My wish is that all kids are outside exploring the beautiful world around them, interacting with their friends and family, growing their inquisitive minds, fostering their creativity, and limiting the use of technology,” she said.

Who’s responsible for making sure summer work gets done?

Assigning summer work is one thing; monitoring its completion is another.

Pennsylvania high school principal Barris said parents are ultimately responsible for making sure their kids do the work. “I believe it should fall on the parents for the most part with opportunities, suggestions, and strategies provided by the school in concert with the community where the child resides,” he said, while acknowledging this challenge. “That said,” he added, “getting my 11-year-old to read and practice his skills in the summer is easier said than done.”

A version of this article appeared in the June 14, 2023 edition of Education Week as Should Schools Assign Summer Homework? Educators Weigh In

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Summer Homework: A How-To Guide for Parents and Kids

It’s become a predictable yearly debate that rolls around every June:

Should my kids really be getting summer homework?

And if they do, how should we approach it so they actually learn something over the summer (rather than just doing busywork)?

Here’s the thing:

At some schools, kids are routinely overloaded with multiple books to read, and big math packets to complete.

At other schools? Nothing is assigned.

My personal opinion is that the right balance lies somewhere in the middle… Yes, we want kids to keep their minds sharp, but not at the expense of having fun over the summer.

So in this post I’ll cover:

• My opinion on the age-old summer homework debate (in the video below)
• How to handle the different types of work assigned to students over the summer
• Some specific recommendations for what you can do as a parent to keep your kids engaged in the process, including a recent interview I did with WTOP’s Every Day is Kid’s Day podcast on the topic

And you’ll walk away with a better understanding of how to make the most out of homework (or lack thereof) this summer.

You can click one of the links below to jump to one of the sections of the guide:

How much is too much summer homework? How to tackle summer reading (The Amazon Method) How to handle math packets and workbooks Creative ways to make Summer Learning fun

Or jump right in with the video below.

How much is too much? What the research says…

When kids do nothing at all in math and reading, the research shows that they can lose two to three months of learning progress over the summer.

Just think: That’s almost as if they decided to end the school year in March!

And if left alone, those losses accumulate over time with respect to their peers.

A 2007 study out of John’s Hopkins University showed that while students (on average) make similar gains in reading comprehension throughout the year, students without access to learning opportunities make no progress over the summer, while students with access outpace them year after year.

Ultimately, by the time they reach 5th grade, disadvantaged students are the equivalent of 3 full grade levels behind their advantaged peers in reading ability!

But, this trend need not apply to your son or daughter…

Because studies also show that kids who read just four books over the summer are able to almost completely eliminate that summer learning slide.

So here’s my take:

If your son or daughter is being required to…

• Read three books, probably classics that they really don’t want to read
• Write multiple essays
• And complete stacks of math assignments

… that’s probably a bit overboard.

Yes, we want kids to keep their minds sharp, but not at the expense of having fun over the summer.

So my recommendation is to create a balance. Get your summer assignments done, but try to structure it in a way that makes learning fun.

Here’s how to do it…

Required vs. Recommended Summer Homework

First off, we can break down summer homework assignments in terms of required vs. recommended .

Most schools send out a recommended reading list, and sometimes subject review packets to their students to complete over the summer.

And some actually require that their students complete a certain amount of those assignments over the summer, which are included in their grade for the upcoming school year.

Now, it does make sense to prioritize required assignments over recommended assignments… especially if your school went overboard with what they handed out.

But as long as it’s not too much material, regardless of whether reading is assigned or not, I recommend working with your child to map out a plan of attack for the summer to get it done (on their terms – see below).

How to tackle summer reading (The Amazon Method)

By far, the most popular category of summer homework assigned are reading lists.

And although most schools have a recommended reading list, they tend to be very broad ( umm, should my 8-year-old really be reading MacBeth right now? )…

Specific reading requirements

Sometimes though, there are specific books that your student needs to read over the summer (see the “required” section above), especially high school students, and you’ll need to work with them to figure out a plan of attack.

Block off some time at the beginning of summer (don’t let it wait until July!) to sit down and ask them:

“You have these 3 books you have to read this summer. How would you like to tackle these?”

And then let them answer. Help them formulate a (realistic) plan with their input, and they’ll but much more likely to follow it… and not end up in the last-minute reading rush on August 30th trying to get their summer reading done!

Flexible reading requirements

But on the other hand, if you do have some flexibility in terms of what your student is assigned to read over the summer, what I like to do is create a reading list tailored specifically towards the age or interests of your student.

And one of the best ways to do this is: Amazon!

Step 1: Go to Amazon.com and type in “Books for… [insert description of your child]”

For example, if I had a 7th grader at home I would search: “Books for middle school”

Or if I was looking for something more girl-oriented for my daughter I would search: “Books for middle school girls”

It’s amazing what books will pop up on the top of the list for kids…

Step 2: Review the list and make sure that the results are relevant (sometimes they require a little tweaking), and pay attention to the options on the sidebar where you can filter by subject, age rage, etc.

Then run them by your child and ask: “Which one of these do you want to read this summer?”

Look over the summaries and let them pick the books they want to read.

Word of caution: It’s not your responsibility as a parent to pass judgment and say:

“You know what honey, this year you’re not reading a graphic novel. You can only read books with words, no pictures.

We don’t want to do that as parents. We really want to let our kids decide, because when they’re invested, they’re much more likely to meet that four book goal over the summer.

Step 3: Either order online or head out to the library…

Make sure to do this before July 4th so the summer doesn’t get away from you, and use your list of books that you picked out.

Then, when you get your books back home…

Step 4: Sit down with them and make a plan.

Don’t assume your child will gleefully run up to his room and begin flipping the pages. They’re much more likely to read consistently if you have “READING TIME” marked off on the calendar at a consistent time each day.

You can even make it a family routine! Having everyone in the house reading at the same time will help encourage your child to get their reading done, especially if they’re reluctant or easily distracted.

Now, many kids are reluctant readers and may need a parent to help them get started… And you need to be willing to make the time to lend a hand.

This can be in the form of “you read a page, he reads a page” or for a really reluctant reader, “you read two pages and he reads one,” until he’s into the story.

Make this a habit, and before long you’ll have a bookworm on your hands!

How to handle math packets and workbooks

The same principles hold true for other assigned work as well.

Don’t assume your child will be chipping away at those math packets one day at a time (and the thicker they are, the more daunting they’ll seem).

Truth be told: we get lots of calls from parents mid-August, panicked that their kid hasn’t read and annotated a three-hundred-page book and completed a bunch of review worksheets – even though the parent has reminded him at least ten times!

This situation isn’t unique.

The value to any summer learning is doing a little bit at a time over a long stretch. The brain retains information best in bit sized chunks, not by cramming.

And this is even more important for math because it’s a subject that continually builds on itself. So if you miss something early on, you’re probably going to have to back-track when you run into that same concept again in the future.

So just like with reading assignments, if your son or daughter are assigned a math packet (or any other type of subject packet) over the summer, make sure to site down and set the plan early.

Aside from your typical reading lists and workbooks though, you can also encourage learning in other (more fun!) ways this summer…

Creative ways to make Summer Learning fun

Below is a recent interview I did with WTOP’s Every Day is Kid’s Day podcast (interview starts at 0:53) on how to bring a fresh perspective to summer learning, and make things more fun and interesting for your son or daughter this year.

Give it a listen for some more tips on:

• Using the Amazon Method to make summer reading more fun
• Alternatives to summer workbooks that are actually fun and effective
• Whether you should spend the time to try and “preview” material they’re going to see in the coming year
• And a whole bunch of other useful ideas for staying engaged over the summer

Here are some of those great ways to get your child into learning, outside of school recommended assignments:

For writing: use a dialogue journal.

One of the best ways to get your child comfortable with writing on a regular basis is to make a game out of it.

So try designating a “special” notebook or journal that lives in your kid’s room that you can use to communicate with them through writing.

Then, simply leave them a note each day, that they read and respond to.

Maybe you say something like, “I noticed how you helped your brother pick up those puzzle pieces. What a nice idea. How did you know he needed your help?”

Leave the journal on his bed and allow him to write back that evening. The next day, you respond.

And be sure not to fix grammar or spelling, just let these be a carefree way to practice writing and even illustrations.

At the end of the summer, not only will they have improved their writing skills, but you’ll also have an amazing keepsake to look back on for years to come.

For reading: listen to audiobooks!

Don’t forget that audio books can be very helpful for developing comprehension and fluency.

Studies show that when kids want to read a book just above their level and listen to the book while following along with the lines, they improve their skills more than if they read independently.

So using a site like Audible.com or going to your local library website to download audio versions of the books your son or daughter has picked out (or has assigned) for the summer isn’t cheating, it’s just another way to “open the door” to getting them involved in reading.

Plus, it’s great for long summer road trips!

For math: play (math) games on the iPad.

For most of us, it’s a constant battle to keep our kids AWAY from the devices over the summer… but it need not be either or.

One of the best ways to “bridge the gap” is to give your child the opportunity to use educational apps or websites on their phone or iPad that will keep them learning, without feeling like math always has to involve drudgery.

Multiplication.com is great site for staying sharp on math facts. And pretty much every elementary schooler needs to practice their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division over the summer to stay sharp.

Funbrain.com is also perfect for allowing a little screen time in-between reading or homework sessions, while still learning at the same time.

For learning that’s fun: find local adventures!

Yes, you could have your kids spend their summer doing workbooks and refresher material, and that would probably help them stay sharp… but most kids find that to be a drag on their motivation to learn.

Instead, find a local museum or science center and take field trip!

Use the outing to ask your kids to guide the learning session and pick out what they want to explore… and then tell you about it.

And then watch in amazement at how excited they are, not even realizing that they’re “learning,” but just enjoying the moment and experiencing something new.

Summer camps are great for this too, so do some Googling and find out what’s going on in your area.

Now let’s hear from you..

How have you handled the balance between required summer schoolwork and fun?

What have you done that’s helpful in your family to keep summer learning alive without going overboard?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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LESSON PLAN

Should schools give summer homework.

Analyzing Authors’ Claims

Read the Article

YES: Harris Cooper, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University NO: Nancy Kalish, co-author, The Case Against Homework

Analyze the debate.

1. Set Focus Frame the inquiry with this essential question: What factors should officials take into consideration when creating curriculum?

2. R ead and Discuss Have students read the debate and then answer the following questions:

• What is the issue being debated? How does it relate to current events? (The issue is whether schools should assign homework to students over the summer break.  The issue is timely because disruptions to education stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in significant learning loss for many students.)
• Evaluate why these two authors might be interested in and qualified to comment on this issue. (Harris Cooper is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. Nancy Kalish is the co-author of a book that argues against assigning homework.)  
• Analyze Cooper’s view. (Cooper argues in favor of schools assigning summer homework. He says that a long summer vacation without schoolwork leads to forgetting and results in teachers having to waste time reviewing old material in the fall. He says summer homework can minimize these negative results the way summer school has been proven to.)
• Analyze Kalish’s view. (Kalish argues against assigning homework over the summer. She says that doing so might result in more harm than good, such as by stealing time away from play and other forms of learning, reducing time spent on being physically active, and turning reading into a chore. She says students should start the year refreshed.)

Extend & Assess

4. Writing Prompt In an essay, evaluate one of the debaters’ arguments. Assess whether the reasoning is valid and whether it’s supported with evidence. Point out biases or missing information.

5. Classroom Debate Should schools give summer homework? Have students use the authors’ ideas, as well as their own, in a debate. 

6. Vote Go online to vote in Upfront ’s poll—and see how students across the country voted.  

Download a PDF of this Lesson Plan

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How To Finish Summer Homework Assignments: 14 Tips To Save Your Child’s Summer

• July 19, 2018

Many schools assign homework for students to complete before they return to class in September. This results in both parents and students having to learn how to finish summer reading and homework while balancing fun summer activities.

This summer, school is out and homework is in.

If your child has been putting off a pile of summer homework and reading assignments—he or she is not alone.

Reading books and writing assignments during the summer may not sound appealing to many students—or parents. Students can also get UK homework help if they need the some help with completing their assignment! But summer assignments are a great way to combat the effects of Summer Learning Loss and keep your child’s brain active over the break.

The Facts On Summer Learning Loss

Six weeks in the fall are spent re-learning old material Two months of reading skills are lost over the summer One month of overall learning is lost after summer vacation

With the right mindset, goals, and structure, you’ll have no problem finishing summer reading and homework between BBQ’s, ball games, and beach trips.

Follow these 14 steps to learn how to complete summer homework—without sacrificing summer fun.

14 Tips For Finishing Your Summer Homework Assignments

Make a game plan, tip 1: take a (quick) break.

It’s hard to go from a full year of schoolwork to tackling summer homework right off the bat. Let your child take a week off of homework at the start of the summer. This will give his or her brain a chance to relax and reset, and enjoy taking part in fun summer activities like sports.

Tip 2: Review Project Requirements

Don’t have your child dive head-first into his or her homework assignments. Review the expectations of each project with your child and discuss how much time he or she will need to complete them.

It would be a shame to waste time redoing a project because your child didn’t understand it initially. Reviewing all requirements is an important first step to starting off on the right foot.

Tip 3: Break Down Each Project Into A Series of Goals

Think about which assignments will take the longest and what your child will need to complete them during the summer. Break these larger assignments into a series of goals that need to be met to complete the project.

Examples of goals include “read 2 chapters per week” or “write essay introduction by July 15th”.

Set Aside The Right Amount Of Time

Tip 4: plan a weekly summer homework schedule.

This should be similar to a school year homework schedule, but altered for the summer. T he ideal amount of time to spend doing summer homework per week is 2-3 hours , so figure out where that time fits into your child’s average summer week.

Tip 5: Make A List Of Supplies & Resources

Your summer adventures could take you and your child to a wide variety of places. Make sure you both know what to bring with you so your child can tackle homework when not at home.

Examples of supplies include:

• Textbooks or Assigned Novels

Tip 6: Choose Assignment Topics Based On Interest, Not Length

Sometimes students are given options when it comes to topics to research or books to read over the summer. Encourage your child to make these decisions based on the topics that interests him or her most—not which is “easiest”. This will result in your child enjoying his or her work, and allow him to benefit more from it.

Help Your Child Do Work On-The-Go

Tip 7: adjust your homework schedule for trips & vacations.

Exploring new places is an amazing learning experience, so don’t feel like you should sacrifice them for more homework time. Instead, plan your child’s homework schedule around these day trips and vacations.

If you know your child won’t have time to complete work while you’re away on a longer trip, make up those hours in the weeks before and after your trip.

Tip 8: Tackle The Work Your Child Can Do On-The-Go

While writing an essay is a project to save for when you return home, there are assignments that your child can tackle from just about anywhere. Options for homework to do on vacation include projects that are doable in small chunks—like reading a book or completing a math worksheet.

Tip 9: Bring Your Child’s Supplies With You

Remember that supplies list you created? Make sure you pack that backpack and bring it with you on your trip! It’d be a waste to find a spare hour to finish that math assignment, only to realize your child left his or her calculator at home.

Tip 10: Capitalize On The Quiet Times

Even the busiest trips include some quiet time. If you’re early for a dinner reservation, have your child complete a chapter of reading while you wait. Or, encourage your child to wake up 20 minutes early to answer some math questions without disruption.

Build A Support Team For Your Child

Tip 11: schedule a weekly workdate for your child & a friend.

There’s no reason your child has to work through summer homework alone. Make a weekly work date with a friend where they can tackle summer assignments together. If that friend is in the same class as your child, they can even discuss questions and challenges together. Build A Support Team For Your Child

Tip 12: Review Your Child’s Progress Every Week

Each week, speak with your child about the work he or she accomplished, and what is planned for the week ahead. If you know your child will be busy soon, work together to reorganize his or her homework schedule.

Tip 13: Touch Base With a Tutor (Or Enrol In Summer Learning Program)

A new set of eyes can make all the difference in making sure your child gets his or her summer assignments done efficiently and effectively. Your child’s tutor will be able to give constructive feedback and turn this feedback into goals for the upcoming school year.

If you want an extra head start for your child this school year, enroll him or her in a Summer Learning tutoring program to get started on the right track.

And Most Importantly…

Tip 14: reward your child with summer fun.

While schoolwork is important during the summer, it doesn’t have to come at the sacrifice of having fun. Whenever your child completes a new project or achieves a goal, reward him or her with a treat or fun summer activity.

Work Hard—And Play Hard—This Summer

Summer might seem like it will last forever, but the school year will be here before you know it. Don’t let your child fall into the habit of procrastination—instead, make a plan together and stick to it.

If you follow these tips, your child will finish summer homework and summer reading in no time…and develop great learning and study habits that will already be in place for next year!

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Should Schools Give Summer Homework?

For most students, the school year is winding down. Many kids are looking forward to a couple of months off to swim, take family trips, or hang out at amusement parks. But some kids will need to take a break from the beach to do homework. At many schools across the country, the assignments don’t end when the school year does.  

Some educators who assign homework over the break say it helps kids practice the skills they learned all year so they don’t forget them over the summer. That way teachers won’t have to take time in the new school year to reteach lessons from the prior year. 

But others argue that kids deserve a break after working hard all year. Many families travel in the summer, and parents say it can be hard for kids to do homework while they are away. Plus, they point out, homework isn’t the only way to squeeze in summer learning. Kids can visit museums and historical sites during their time off. 

Here’s what two of our readers think.

Doing homework over the summer helps kids continue to learn between school years. It can also help students feel more confident as they enter the next grade. They’ll be prepared and have the skills they need to understand assignments. 

Homework could be a better solution than summer school too. I went to summer school after first grade and thought it went too fast. I would have learned more by doing assignments over the course of the entire summer.

Over summer break, kids deserve time to just have fun with their families and friends. It is important for us to have downtime and relax so we’re refreshed when the new school year starts.

There are so many things I get to do over the summer because I don’t have to worry about homework. I go to camp, which gives me the opportunity to make new friends. I also go on trips with my family. If I had to find time to do homework, my summer would be stressful.

Should schools give summer homework?

¿Deberían las escuelas dar tareas de verano?

Para la mayoría de los estudiantes, el curso escolar llega a su fin. Muchos niños están deseando disfrutar de un par de meses de vacaciones para nadar, hacer viajes en familia o ir a parques de atracciones. Pero algunos tendrán que tomarse un descanso de la playa para hacer tareas escolares. En muchas escuelas del país, las tareas no terminan cuando termina el año escolar. 

Algunos educadores que asignan tareas durante las vacaciones dicen que sirve para que los niños practiquen las habilidades que han aprendido durante todo el año y no las olviden en verano. De este modo, los maestros no tendrán que dedicar tiempo en el nuevo curso a volver a enseñar las lecciones del año anterior.

Pero otros argumentan que los niños merecen un descanso tras trabajar duro todo el año.

Muchas familias viajan en verano, y los padres dicen que puede ser difícil para los niños hacer las tareas cuando salen. Además, señalan que las tareas no son la única forma de dedicar tiempo al aprendizaje en verano. Los niños pueden visitar museos y lugares históricos en su tiempo libre. 

Esto es lo que piensan dos de nuestros lectores:

Hacer tareas escolares en verano sirve para que los niños sigan con su aprendizaje de un año a otro. También da más seguridad a los alumnos al pasar de grado. Estarán preparados y tendrán las habilidades que necesitan para entender las tareas. 

Las tareas escolares también serían una mejor opción que la escuela de verano. Yo fui a la escuela de verano después de primer grado y me pareció que pasó demasiado rápido. Habría aprendido más haciendo las tareas durante todo el verano.

En las vacaciones de verano, los niños se merecen tiempo para divertirse con sus familias y amigos. Es importante que tengamos tiempo libre y nos relajemos para estar renovados al comienzo del nuevo curso escolar. Hay muchísimas cosas que puedo hacer en verano porque no tengo que preocuparme de las tareas escolares. Voy al campamento, lo que me da la oportunidad de hacer nuevos amigos. También voy de viaje con mi familia. Si tuviera que encontrar tiempo para hacer las tareas, mi verano sería estresante.

The Mayfield Crier

Summer Homework: Too much, too little, or just right?

Mia Maalouf , Opinion Co-Editor-In-Chief | September 14, 2020

Karissa Ho '21

Senior Karissa Ho’s desk space featuring a double monitor and an inspirational reminder to “Just Breathe.”

Summer homework: vacation busywork or imperative educational upkeep? Mayfield girls decide! Both teachers and students struggle to find that balance of summer homework that isn’t too overwhelming but also allows scholars to retain skills and to be well-prepared for the school year. However, sometimes this equilibrium is not reached and it becomes difficult to distinguish between summer and the regular school year. 

On one hand, summer work is beneficial as it allows students to keep their minds sharp and equipped. The amount of summer homework can also be associated with the difficulty of a specific course, as APs and honors classes will require more preparation to ensure success during the year. On the other hand, summer is supposed to be a break from constant school work and dedicating hours to assignments every month may not allow students to get the rest that they deserve. When is it necessary to draw the line? 

A survey at Mayfield Senior School was conducted to analyze the attitudes of under and upperclassmen concerning summer homework. There were a total of 141 participants, resulting in a variety of responses. Some students believed that the amount of work is justified while others feel overburdened and criticized the workload. On average, the participants of the survey had a moderate to slightly heavy class schedule for the coming school year and spent 4-9 hours a month on their summer assignments. Underclassmen who had lighter workloads spent less time on their summer homework while upperclassmen with heavier workloads spent an average of 15-20 hours a month on their assignments. 68% of the participants agreed that summer homework is useful as it prepares a student for the school year. The participants were almost evenly split on the issue of changing the workload with 49% of students suggesting that the amount of summer work should be maintained (they were neutral) while 48% believed that the amount of work should decrease. Why are some in favor of summer work while others strongly oppose it? 

“Summer assignments definitely help me see what Mayfield’s homework will look like and it’s also a really good refresher to have before the school year begins,” said Kayley Bao ‘24, an incoming freshman who highlights a popular belief among her fellow classmates. 

Some upperclassmen also appreciate the benefits of summer work as it is a widespread perspective that summer homework allows students to hone skills. Kerry Zhang ‘22 observed that, “ The amount of summer work is just right and it is beneficial because the math problems help me remember previously learned concepts.” 

Students are also self-aware and understand that the amount of homework among peers changes drastically due to the kinds of classes one chooses. Mia Pippert ‘21 believes that the summer homework, “Is a reasonable amount, for my classes at least. I think if it were any less, the beginning of the year would be difficult because my work stamina would be way too bad.”

On the opposing side, the addition of summer assignments during a time designated for relaxation can seem both daunting and unnecessary, especially to students who have a variety of extracurricular activities, elective summer courses, or college preparations to focus on.  

“ It should be taken into account that we have work from multiple other classes as well as wanting to enjoy our summer and have free time” said Elise Sigler ‘22 who believes that teachers can do a better job at balancing the amount of work given.  

Rising seniors expressed concern about not having enough time to focus on the college application process. “ This year, I am drowning in summer homework,” said Emma Anderson ‘21. 

“Especially as an incoming senior, I feel like I should be spending more time on my college applications and ACT/SAT prep rather than stressing about my summer homework,” said Anderson.  

Kathryn Parry ‘21 agrees with this sentiment, “We need more of a break before the homework is given. Honestly homework-wise there is no distinguishable boundary between school and summer.”

Overall, as Mayfield students get older, their summer workload increases which makes it more difficult for them to focus on various activities or responsibilities that also need an immense amount of attention. It is imperative for teachers and students to communicate in order to draft a balanced plan for summer work that both prepares the students for success during the year but also allows the girls to live out the definition of summer vacation: a time of relaxation that works to ensure that students do not burn out before September. A healthy portion of summer assignments will allow Mayfield students to maintain previously acquired skills and will help them reach their full potential.

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Mia Maalouf is a senior at Mayfield Senior School. She will serve as opinion Co-Editor-In-Chief this year on the Mayfield Crier. At Mayfield, she is the...

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What Is Summer School? Guide for High School Students

Coursework/GPA

When you think of how you want to spend your summer vacation, sitting in a classroom is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. However, summer school can be a great way for you to get ahead in high school and give yourself an advantage in college admissions.

These days students with all kinds of grades take summer classes. You might take summer school to understand a particular subject better, to free up more time in your schedule during the school year, or to take an advanced class at your high school, nearby college, or online.

Read this complete guide on summer school for high school students to learn everything you need to know about what summer school is, why people take it, and how you can use it to get ahead.

What Is Summer School?

You probably know that summer school refers to classes that students take during the summer, outside of the regular academic school year. However, more specifically, summer school for high school students can be a lot of different things: It can be a way for you to retake a class you found difficult, take specialized courses in areas that interest you, get a head-start on prerequisites and college classes, and more.

Summer school can be classes done through your high school, at a community college or local university, or through a program that includes classes, such as a summer camp.

Online summer school, where students take classes primarily on a computer at home, is becoming more popular. Many of these classes require students to visit the school once or twice to take exams or turn in final projects, but some classes are also offered completely online. Online classes may be offered through your high school, a college or university, or through a specialized online high school program.

Why Do Students Take Summer School?

Reason 1: to improve their grades.

Historically, the most common reason that people took summer school was that they needed to improve their grades in one or more classes.

There are still many students who take summer school for this reason, and many of them find it easier to earn better grades during the summer because summer school often has smaller classes, more one-on-one interaction with the teacher, and fewer distractions, such as other classes, school sports, or clubs to worry about.

Reason 2: To Take Specialized Classes

Sometimes, students will also take summer school classes in order to take a certain class they wouldn't be able to enroll in during the school year. This could be a class they don't have room in their schedule for or a specialized class, such as a course on a specific subject or an intensive foreign language course. Some schools also offer short certificate programs over the summer. These can cover a variety of topics, such as entrepreneurship, computer science, and more.

Sometimes schools offer classes during the summer that they don't normally offer during the school year. You will likely have an even wider variety of summer school class options if you look at classes at community colleges or online . Taking a specialized class can allow you to learn more about a topic you're interested in and help you gain new skills and knowledge.

Reason 3: To Prepare For College

Summer school can also help you get a head start on the rest of your education, including college.

Some students take summer school as a way to get prerequisites out of the way so that they can take more advanced classes during the school year. At my high school, every student was required to take a basic typing class before they graduated, and many students took this class over the summer because it wasn't very challenging and could be taken online. This gave us an extra space in our schedule to fill with an elective we wanted to take.

You can also take community college classes over the summer, which you may be able to get high school or college credit for. These classes can help you get more used to what college classes will be like so that you feel more prepared and confident once you start college. Having college classes, even introductory classes from a community college, will also strengthen your college applications because it will show schools that you can handle the rigor of a college course.

How Can You Do Well in Summer School?

Whatever the reason you're taking summer school classes, it's important that you do well in them. They're using up some of your important summer time, and you want to make sure you don't waste that time by doing poorly in the classes. Summer school classes are a bit different from classes taken during the school year, and there are a few strategies you can use to maximize your chances of success.

Tip 1: Take Fewer Classes at a Time

Unless you absolutely need to take multiple classes in order to graduate, it's a good idea to only take 1-2 classes at a time during summer school. Summer school classes are often shorter than regular classes (often 6-8 weeks long, compared to a whole semester), so they are usually more intensive and require a greater time commitment.

Taken fewer classes is especially important if you are retaking a particular class because you'll be able to be able to focus more of your time and energy on getting a higher grade this time around if you don't have other classes to worry about.

Tip 2: Create a Study Schedule

Taking summer classes can be hard. There are probably a lot of things you'd rather be doing like seeing your friends, being outside, playing sports, etc., and it can be easy to get distracted.

Either before or right after you start summer school, create a study schedule that lets you plan when you will put aside time to study and do homework. If you can set aside the same time every day, like 4:00-5:30pm every afternoon, that can make it easier to stick to your study schedule and plan other activities. Set goals for what you want to accomplish each day or week, whether it's a project you need to complete, papers to read, or just general studying and homework.

On the other hand, make sure you are giving yourself enough time to take a break and relax. Summer school can be demanding, and if you overtax yourself, you may end up burned out by the time the school year starts, which you don't want to do because it could cause your other grades to suffer. If you need help creating your study schedule, ask a parent or teacher for some guidance.

Tip 3: Ask For Help Early

Summer school classes are often smaller than regular classes, and this means you'll have more interaction with the teacher.

Use this to your advantage by asking for help early if something confuses you or doesn't make sense. Particularly if you are retaking a class you struggled in before, you want to make sure you don't repeat the same mistakes you did the first time. Teachers are happy to help students who ask, and they won't think any questions you ask are dumb, so don't be afraid to let them know you need something explained more or in a different way.

If you've already taken the class before and know which areas you struggled in, you may want to tell this to your teacher early on so they can prepare you for the topic better and possibly give you some additional material to look over to make sure you understand the subject.

Asking a teacher for extra help as soon as you don't understand the material can help you keep your grades up in summer school.

Should You Take Summer School?

If you're wondering whether or not to take summer school, ask yourself the following three questions. If any of the scenarios apply to you, then you may want to consider summer classes. For each scenario, the best way to take these summer classes is also mentioned so you can be sure you get the benefits you want out of summer school.

Question 1: Do You Want, or Need, to Improve Your Grades?

Is there an especially low grade on your transcript that you wish you could erase? If you did poorly in a certain class, summer school is a great way to redeem yourself and retake the class for (hopefully!) a better grade.

Even just one especially low grade, such as a D or F, can really bring down your GPA and hurt your chances of getting into competitive colleges. Even if the class shows up as a retake on your transcript, if you got a good grade in it the second time around, that will look much better than having a very low grade.

Best option: If this is the case for you, you will probably take your summer school classes through your high school in order to improve your grade in a particular class.

Question 2: Are There Specific Classes You're Interested in Taking?

Is there a class you'd like to take that is only offered in the summer or you don't have time to take during the school year? Summer school could be a way to fit it into your schedule. You could get creative here and take a class in photography, wilderness skills, a foreign language, or a different interest you have. Summer school doesn't have to be boring!

Best option: Depending on which classes you're interested in, you can take them through your high school, at a community college, at a summer program, or online. Talk to your academic adviser if you're not sure which classes to take and want to know what your options are. If you take classes at a place other than your high school, make sure you understand exactly if and how you will receive credit for them.

Question 3: Do You Want to Get Ahead on Classes?

Are you trying to get prerequisites out of the way or want to take advanced classes to improve your chances of getting into a competitive college? If so, taking summer classes can be a way for you to have more space in your schedule for other classes, strengthen your transcript, and be more prepared for college.

Best option: If you're trying to take some prerequisites over the summer, you'll probably take them through your high school because courses through other schools may not meet the prereq requirements. If you want to take classes to prepare you for college, you will likely take these at a community college or nearby university. You may also be able to take advanced summer classes through your high school.

Should You Do Online Summer School?

Online summer school for high school students is becoming more and more popular, and it's easy to see why. Online classes often allow you to do schoolwork on your own schedule and reduce the time and hassle of traveling to class. However, is online summer school a good idea for everyone?

Online classes can have several drawbacks including the following:

• Less direct interaction with the instructor
• Requires more self-motivation
• Can be more challenging to understand

If you're trying to decide whether or not to take summer school online, you should talk to people who know your study habits, such as teachers and parents, to help make the best decision. However, in general, you shouldn't take online summer school classes if you struggle to motivate yourself to study and complete work on time, or if you struggled with the class before and want more guidance from and interaction with the instructor. Both of these issues can be exacerbated with online classes.

You should also base your decision on how difficult you expect the class to be. For a relatively easy class, you need to take as a basic graduation requirement, such as typing or health, online classes will likely cause you fewer problems than if you were taking a more challenging course. Because the class you're taking isn't that difficult, you'll be able to handle the issues that online classes can sometimes create, and you'll be able to easily get the class out of the way and focus on tougher classes during the school year.

• There are many reasons for students take summer school, whether it's to improve their grades, take a certain class they couldn't take during the school year, or become more prepared for college.
• Summer school can be taken through your high school, at a community or local college, or through a company or organization that offers summer classes. Most summer classes are in-person, but online classes are becoming more popular.
• You don't want to waste your summer taking a class you end up not doing well in. In order to make sure you get good grades in summer school you should limit the number of classes you take, create a study schedule, and ask for help early on if you don't understand the material.
• If you're not sure whether you should take summer school or you don't know what classes to take, talk to a teacher, parent, or academic adviser to figure out what the best option for you is.

What's Next?

Want to learn more about online high school? Check out our guide to online high school and learn if it's the right choice for you.

Is there a certain class you want to take, but it isn't offered by your school or doesn't fit into your schedule? You may be able to take an independent study! Read this guide for everything you need to know about independent study classes and how to take one yourself.

Trying to decide whether to take an AP class or a class at a community college? We go over the pros and cons of each to help you make the best decision.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Summer homework may start as early as elementary school, but you don’t have to do it the way it’s always been done! Veteran educators like third-grade teacher Alycia Zimmerman have spent time thinking about how to make summer homework meaningful and interesting enough that students buy in—and even want to do it.  

Read on for Zimmerman’s summer homework game plan and ideas for how to make summer assignments more fun for everyone.

1. Try a New Student Meet and Greet

If possible, meet your incoming students before summer break (even if it’s virtual!) to instill the importance of summer learning.

At the end of the school year, coordinate with the teachers of your incoming students to swap classes for a period. Introduce yourselves to your future students and build excitement for the fun and challenging learning ahead and the very “grown-up” summer homework you will assign.

“We’ve been far more successful in instilling the importance of our summer assignments when presenting about it face-to-face rather than just sending a packet of directions home cold,” says Zimmernan. “The students sit on the edges of their seats as we talk about the importance of summer reading and our certainty that they will do everything they can to 'keep their brains healthy, pink, and strong’ over the summer.”

2. Emphasize the Importance of Summer Reading

Talk about the best summer assignment of all: diving into books!

Reading should be a treat, not a menial assignment, so Zimmerman doesn’t feel guilty about making reading the bulk of her summer homework. Here are some of her most effective strategies for promoting summer reading:

Have students fill out a log  to keep track of the books and other texts they read over the summer. It isn’t necessary to require a certain number of books or specific titles. Simply ask that they find books they love and spend lots of time reading them.

Have your current students write book reviews of their favorite titles to send home with your rising students. Invite your current students to serve as reading ambassadors and speak to the younger students about the importance and joys of reading. When coming from slightly older peers, the message is very well received.

And of course: Sign your students up for the Scholastic Summer Reading Program ! From May 9 to August 19, your students can visit Scholastic Home Base to participate in the free, fun, and safe  summer reading program . As part of the program, kids can read e-books, attend author events, and keep Reading Streaks™ to help unlock a donation of 100K books from Scholastic – distributed to kids with limited or no access to books by Save the Children. 

3. Share Fun and Educational Activities

Direct your students to fun (and educational) activities.

When considering other homework, the best options are activities that students will be motivated to do because they’re entertaining. 

Give your incoming students the “everything is better in moderation” speech so they understand that they shouldn’t play hours of computer games every day this summer. If possible, send them home with printable and book-based packs to polish their skills for the year ahead (you can even pair these with your own assignments): 

4. Connect Through the Mail 

Stay connected with your students over the summer through cards.

Giving incoming students the opportunity to connect with you and with each other can motivate them to complete summer assignments. Here’s one plan for connecting via letters:

Have your incoming students mail you a letter of introduction. Explain that you want to hear about their summer activities, their hobbies, their families, and anything special they want you to know before the school year begins.

When you receive letters from your students, send a postcard back with a brief response. Tell them a bit about your summer plan, and let them know you can’t wait to see them in the fall. 

Encourage them to write again!

You can also pair up students and have them write to each other over the summer. In September, they can bring their pen pal letters to class to display on the bulletin board.

Take advantage of everyone’s increasing familiarity with virtual resources by connecting online, too! Post a short video, article, or question once a week on your classroom's online platform, and invite both incoming students and rising former students to write their thoughts in the comments section. Be sure to moderate their comments and enjoy their back-and-forth dialogues as they engage with each other.

Get started by shopping the best books for summer reading below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store .

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Should All High School Students Have Part-Time Jobs?

What can teenagers learn from working?

By Shannon Doyne

Have you ever had a part-time job? If so, where did you work and what did you do? If not, do you want to have this experience by the time you graduate from high school? Why or why not?

What do you think teenagers can learn from working?

In the Opinion essay “ The Best Extracurricular May Be an After-School Job ,” Pamela Paul, a columnist who worked multiple jobs in high school during the late 1980s, presents an argument for why students today should work:

Lots of American teenagers need to work after school to help support their families. But there’s a case to be made that those who don’t need to work should get a job anyway. Conditions couldn’t be more optimal. Unemployment, close to a 50-year low , has made the kinds of jobs well suited to kids — no prior experience, minimum wage, part-time — more widely available. Yet fewer teenagers work nowadays than a generation ago. The share of teenagers in the work force has risen from a low of roughly a quarter in 2010 to about a third of older teenagers holding down a job of one kind or another since the pandemic. But when I was in high school in the late 1980s, around half of 16- to 19-year-olds held jobs. Gen X parents who grew up working after-school shifts at the local drugstore often lament the fact that their own children haven’t always had the same opportunities. Many instead favor an array of extracurricular activities that burnish their college applications, like student government and peer tutoring. This may be a mistake even for those parents and kids more concerned about college admissions than about what happens after that. Consider that having an afternoon job cultivates skills like time management and instills a sense of independence and personal responsibility — attributes that many college administrators say some students today lack . But after-school jobs teach more concrete lessons as well. Personally, I learned more from working outside school — starting with three afternoons a week when I was 14 and ending with three jobs juggled, seven days a week, my senior year of high school — than I did in the classroom.

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Talking Points: Should students be required to complete homework over the summer?

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Students spend three times longer on homework than average, survey reveals

Sonya Kulkarni and Pallavi Gorantla | Jan 9, 2022

Graphic by Sonya Kulkarni

The National Education Association and the National Parent Teacher Association have suggested that a healthy number of hours that students should be spending can be determined by the “10-minute rule.” This means that each grade level should have a maximum homework time incrementing by 10 minutes depending on their grade level (for instance, ninth-graders would have 90 minutes of homework, 10th-graders should have 100 minutes, and so on).

As ‘finals week’ rapidly approaches, students not only devote effort to attaining their desired exam scores but make a last attempt to keep or change the grade they have for semester one by making up homework assignments.

High schoolers reported doing an average of 2.7 hours of homework per weeknight, according to a study by the Washington Post from 2018 to 2020 of over 50,000 individuals. A survey of approximately 200 Bellaire High School students revealed that some students spend over three times this number.

The demographics of this survey included 34 freshmen, 43 sophomores, 54 juniors and 54 seniors on average.

When asked how many hours students spent on homework in a day on average, answers ranged from zero to more than nine with an average of about four hours. In contrast, polled students said that about one hour of homework would constitute a healthy number of hours.

Junior Claire Zhang said she feels academically pressured in her AP schedule, but not necessarily by the classes.

“The class environment in AP classes can feel pressuring because everyone is always working hard and it makes it difficult to keep up sometimes.” Zhang said.

A total of 93 students reported that the minimum grade they would be satisfied with receiving in a class would be an A. This was followed by 81 students, who responded that a B would be the minimum acceptable grade. 19 students responded with a C and four responded with a D.

“I am happy with the classes I take, but sometimes it can be very stressful to try to keep up,” freshman Allyson Nguyen said. “I feel academically pressured to keep an A in my classes.”

Up to 152 students said that grades are extremely important to them, while 32 said they generally are more apathetic about their academic performance.

Last year, nine valedictorians graduated from Bellaire. They each achieved a grade point average of 5.0. HISD has never seen this amount of valedictorians in one school, and as of now there are 14 valedictorians.

“I feel that it does degrade the title of valedictorian because as long as a student knows how to plan their schedule accordingly and make good grades in the classes, then anyone can be valedictorian,” Zhang said.

Bellaire offers classes like physical education and health in the summer. These summer classes allow students to skip the 4.0 class and not put it on their transcript. Some electives also have a 5.0 grade point average like debate.

Close to 200 students were polled about Bellaire having multiple valedictorians. They primarily answered that they were in favor of Bellaire having multiple valedictorians, which has recently attracted significant acclaim .

Senior Katherine Chen is one of the 14 valedictorians graduating this year and said that she views the class of 2022 as having an extraordinary amount of extremely hardworking individuals.

“I think it was expected since freshman year since most of us knew about the others and were just focused on doing our personal best,” Chen said.

Chen said that each valedictorian achieved the honor on their own and deserves it.

“I’m honestly very happy for the other valedictorians and happy that Bellaire is such a good school,” Chen said. “I don’t feel any less special with 13 other valedictorians.”

Nguyen said that having multiple valedictorians shows just how competitive the school is.

“It’s impressive, yet scary to think about competing against my classmates,” Nguyen said.

Offering 30 AP classes and boasting a significant number of merit-based scholars Bellaire can be considered a competitive school.

“I feel academically challenged but not pressured,” Chen said. “Every class I take helps push me beyond my comfort zone but is not too much to handle.”

Students have the opportunity to have off-periods if they’ve met all their credits and are able to maintain a high level of academic performance. But for freshmen like Nguyen, off periods are considered a privilege. Nguyen said she usually has an hour to five hours worth of work everyday.

“Depending on the day, there can be a lot of work, especially with extra curriculars,” Nguyen said. “Although, I am a freshman, so I feel like it’s not as bad in comparison to higher grades.”

According to the survey of Bellaire students, when asked to evaluate their agreement with the statement “students who get better grades tend to be smarter overall than students who get worse grades,” responders largely disagreed.

Zhang said that for students on the cusp of applying to college, it can sometimes be hard to ignore the mental pressure to attain good grades.

“As a junior, it’s really easy to get extremely anxious about your GPA,” Zhang said. “It’s also a very common but toxic practice to determine your self-worth through your grades but I think that we just need to remember that our mental health should also come first. Sometimes, it’s just not the right day for everyone and one test doesn’t determine our smartness.”

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Anonymous • Jul 16, 2024 at 3:27 pm

didnt realy help

Anonymous • Nov 21, 2023 at 10:32 am

It’s not really helping me understand how much.

josh • May 9, 2023 at 9:58 am

Kassie • May 6, 2022 at 12:29 pm

Im using this for an English report. This is great because on of my sources needed to be from another student. Homework drives me insane. Im glad this is very updated too!!

Kaylee Swaim • Jan 25, 2023 at 9:21 pm

I am also using this for an English report. I have to do an argumentative essay about banning homework in schools and this helps sooo much!

Izzy McAvaney • Mar 15, 2023 at 6:43 pm

I am ALSO using this for an English report on cutting down school days, homework drives me insane!!

E. Elliott • Apr 25, 2022 at 6:42 pm

I’m from Louisiana and am actually using this for an English Essay thanks for the information it was very informative.

Nabila Wilson • Jan 10, 2022 at 6:56 pm

Interesting with the polls! I didn’t realize about 14 valedictorians, that’s crazy.

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Extracurriculars.

82 Summer Activities for High School Students

What’s covered:, what types of activities should you do over the summer, how do summer activities impact your admissions chances, summer activity ideas for high schoolers.

Summer is a time when you can get some much-needed relaxation, but it’s also a great time to work towards your goals. Admissions committees like to see that you’re being productive and accomplishing something during your breaks. At a loss for what to do this summer? Here are 82 of our favorite ideas. Do one, five, ten—or come up with your own original ideas!

It might seem a bit overwhelming with the number of different things you could do during the summer, but there are some ways to narrow the list of possibilities down to good, productive choices.

First of all, you don’t want to spread yourself too thin by committing to too many activities. Rather than devoting a few minutes here and there to 50 different things, consider setting aside a larger amount of time to just two or three substantial activities.

Second, think about extracurriculars that can either help you develop or hone a skill, and those that might boost your admissions profile. Of course, don’t do something solely because it looks good, but try to find an activity that’s also meaningful or useful to you . When we talk about extracurriculars, we often refer to finding your spike —a particular passion or interest in a specific area. Ideally, the activities you engage in over the summer should contribute to your spike and show your commitment and dedication to that interest. 

Extracurriculars you might want to consider include things like research projects, self-driven projects, internships, jobs, community service, and selective summer programs that offer financial aid. While formal research projects and jobs may be a little difficult to find, there are plenty of ways to volunteer and give back to your community. You can also conduct a self-driven project from the comfort of home !

Since just about every student applying to college will submit transcripts, grades, and test scores, summer activities can be a good way to show admissions officers something unique about yourself that isn’t captured by those academic indicators. Who are you outside of the constraints of a busy school week? How would you ideally spend your free time? Your summer activities provide insight into these questions.

These activities can influence your chances at college admission, but the scope of that influence depends on many factors, which include:

• What the activity is
• The activity’s difficulty
• The activity’s prestige/if the activity is offered by an organization or institution
• Your individual role and performance in the activity
• The activity’s relevant connections to or sponsorships by certain colleges
• How much weight a college places on extracurricular activities in general

That said, colleges do care a good deal about summer activities. Everyone in high school gets a summer break, and colleges like to see students who fill that time with productive, high-impact extracurriculars.

Needless to say, if students have family responsibilities and, therefore, lack the time for traditional extracurriculars, colleges will understand. If those are your circumstances, be sure to note that on your application. Unless you explicitly tell colleges your situation, they won’t know your reasons for not having as many summer extracurriculars under your belt as your peers.

It should be noted that not all extracurriculars carry the same weight with admissions officers—there are four tiers of extracurricular activities that colleges think about when reviewing applicants’ activities. More selective, competitive, and prestigious activities are often found in the top tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2.

Tier 1 includes accomplishments like being a highly recruited athlete or an award-winning national science fair competitor. Tier 2 is for more common activities that have a similar level of prestige or rigor like student body president or being part of an all-state band. Tiers 3 and 4 are reserved for the most common extracurricular achievements, such as holding school leadership positions or being a member of a high school club, respectively.

Curious how the summer activities you’re doing impact your admissions profile? CollegeVine can help you figure that out. We’ve created a free chancing engine that factors in your high school GPA, course rigor, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and more, to estimate your odds of getting into over 1,600 colleges and universities around the country! It even provides feedback on how you can improve your profile.

Take Classes

• Enroll in college classes: Just because you haven’t matriculated at college yet doesn’t mean you can’t dabble in the coursework. If you take classes now, you may get a head start on credits when you start your college career, which could save you time and money in the long run. Community colleges and some state schools will allow you to enroll in individual courses at a low cost. For more information, check out our article, Should I Take College Classes Over the Summer?
• Take online courses: If you’re unable to take classes in person, there are still plenty of opportunities to learn online. Many online course databases, such as LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare, offer online subscriptions that allow you to access thousands of courses with video tutorials, teaching important skills like coding or SEO.
• Participate in pre-college programs: Colleges and other institutions across the country offer summer programs to high school students looking for a taste of college life. In most cases, students live in dorms and take classes, much like they will when they matriculate as college freshmen in a few years. In some cases, you might even be able to earn college credits that you can apply to your degree later on.
• Attend an academic STEM camp: Similar to pre-college programs, academic camps often allow students to live in a dorm and participate in a college-level curriculum. However, these camps are generally focused on a specific niche or talent, such as science, as with the National Youth Science Camp . These camps are ideal for high schoolers who have a specific passion or definite idea of the discipline they want to pursue.
• Attend an academic camp in the humanities or liberal arts: The same idea as STEM camps applies, but different subjects appeal to different students. Again, this kind of camp is ideal for high schoolers with specific interests already in mind that they want to expand upon.
• Attend performing arts classes or camps: Future actors will enjoy classes and camps that cater to prospective theater majors. Check out our guide to theater arts summer programs for ideas.
• Participate in visual arts classes or camps: There are several art institutes, such as the Rhode Island School of Design, that offer summer courses and programs for aspiring artists. You can also find art classes in your local community that will give you a chance to express your creativity and grow your portfolio over the summer.
• Study for the SAT or ACT: Summer is a good time to enroll in standardized test or college prep classes, since you don’t have to study for your regular high school tests. CollegeVine’s SAT tutoring program will help you prepare with proven strategies and tutors from top schools.
• Take private lessons in an area of interest: Now is a great time to learn something you’ve always wanted to know how to do—sing, speak French, play the clarinet, sew…whatever you want!

Learn a New Skill or Discover a New Interest

• Study a foreign language : Whether you want to gain proficiency in a language you study at school or learn a new one, summer is a great time for practice. Try an app like Duolingo, or connect with a native speaker online through a language exchange platform like italki (you’ll need a parent’s permission to set up an italki account if you’re under 18).
• OR a programming language: Have you always wanted to create an app or build a website? Learning how to program can set you up with the skills you’ll need. There are countless online resources to help you learn Python, Java, HTML, and countless other coding languages.
• OR sign language: Becoming proficient in ASL will give you a unique, not to mention extremely useful, skill. If you’re really interested in delving into this form of communication, you could even learn a foreign sign language!
• Hone your leadership skills through a program or independent activity: Leadership is an invaluable asset for students to have that colleges place a lot of importance on. There are countless established programs you can attend to grow your leadership skills, or you can develop independently by assuming a leadership role in a local organization or business.
• Take singing lessons: Warm up those pipes and learn how to sing your favorite songs. 
• Take dance lessons: You can pick what style you like and learn anything from ballet to hip-hop to tango to square dancing! You can even do it without leaving the comfort of your home with YouTube tutorials and online videos.
• Take acting lessons: Who knows? If you get proficient enough in singing, dancing, and acting, you might find a passion for musical theater, where those three talents combine to create one wonderful experience!
• Join your local theater group and audition for a local production: For theater kids looking to continue their passion when school’s not in session, local theater troupes are a great resource. Most groups even have behind-the-scenes roles if things like lighting or audio interest you.
• Join a sports team: For just about every spot you might play, there are local, club, or regional teams you can join over the summer to retain your skills. It’s also a great way to meet other students who share a love for your sport outside of your school. 
• Learn how to cook or bake: Julia Child didn’t learn how to cook until she was in her late 30s, so it’s not too late for you to become a master chef ! You can even have a bake sale and raise money for charity or put it aside for your college savings.
• Pick up a musical instrument: Playing an instrument is a fantastic way to work your brain over the summer, plus you get to enjoy some music. If you already know how to play an instrument, summer is a great time to learn a new one.
• Speaking of music, join a community or school orchestra: Playing an instrument on your own is fun, but playing with others can be so much more enjoyable. Go out and join an established band in your community, or get together with other students from your band class and practice over the summer and play at gigs.
• Study a visual art discipline, such as painting or photography: Whether you want to try your hand at watercolors or perfect the art of the perfect photo, getting creative with visual arts is a great hobby to pick up over the summer.
• Learn to play chess: In the last few years, chess has grown exponentially and is now a more popular game than ever!
• Take up knitting or crocheting: With some basic knitting skills, you can make clothes for yourself, your loved ones, or even your pets! 
• Become proficient in a marketable skill, such as using Photoshop like an expert: Skills that you can put on your resume that will differentiate you in the job market in the future are so important. Depending on what you are interested in, knowing how to use Photoshop, Excel, Google Analytics, etc, will be incredibly useful in the long run. You can teach yourself or find a private tutor or class to help you learn these skills.
• Start a garden: Summer is prime time for gardening because everything is in bloom. You could even help out your community by creating a community garden, and you might learn a good deal about food cultivation while you’re at it.
• Learn basic car maintenance skills, such as changing a tire or checking oil: You never know when you might need to put those skills into practice!
• Learn to do basic home repairs, such as fixing a leaky faucet or a squeaky hinge: Just as knowing how to fix a car is useful and can save you money in the future, becoming handy around the house will pay off as well. You can even sell your services and make some extra cash.
• Learn a martial art or self-defense: Not only will you get a good workout from practicing martial arts and self-defense, but knowing how to defend and protect yourself is always a good thing.
• Learn to swim: Besides being a fun recreational activity, swimming is an important skill that may help you save your own life or others’ lives!
• Get CPR certified: Sometimes, jobs like lifeguarding or childcare will require you to get CPR or First Aid certification, but even if you aren’t required, knowing how to save a life is extremely useful. It’s pretty easy to get certified, but the knowledge you learn will stick with you forever.
• Write: One of the best ways to maintain your skills over the summer is to simply write . Try exploring different kinds of writing—like poetry, short stories, and essays. You could also enter writing contests and try to get your work published. 
• Start journaling: Writing in a journal has incredible benefits for your mental health and can alleviate stress and anxiety. Not to mention, it’s great practice for getting in touch with yourself and understanding who you are—skills you will need to write your college essays!
• Practice interviewing: Draft lists of questions you have about topics you’re interested in and email college professors who specialize in those topics. While many professors may not see their emails during the summer, a large number do and would be happy to help! Also, conducting an interview from the interviewer’s point of view can help you when you eventually do college interviews.
• Learn about another culture: It’s important to broaden your perspective and expand your worldview, and learning about other cultures is a great way to do that. Read books about that culture and its history, watch movies and documentaries about that culture, and even take trips to local restaurants or cultural centers.
• Shadow a professional in a field you’re interested in: Granted, this can be hard if you don’t know someone in that industry, but you have nothing to lose by reaching out and asking! Getting professional experience in high school is an amazing way to show your dedication to your interests and start building connections for future internships and jobs.

Practice Leadership or Work Toward Personal Growth

• Practice mindfulness or meditation: Life as a high schooler is undoubtedly stressful, so having techniques to manage life when it gets too hectic is very important. Especially once school starts up again and you eventually enter college application season, you’ll thank yourself for building mindfulness habits over the summer. 
• Practice role-playing exercises: These can help you think on your feet more quickly or creatively. It’s never too late to work on your decision-making or problem-solving skills!
• Join a public speaking workshop: Do you get stage fright, or do you find yourself stumbling over your words more than you’d like to? Practicing presentations or speeches can help boost your confidence and increase the ease with which you speak publicly.
• Look into mentorship programs : Everyone has different experiences in life, and we all have something we can teach somebody else. In fact, it’s a great idea to learn from both older and younger people , as their amount of life experience and outlook on things can be very different!
• Write down and accomplish personal goals: Make a list of goals for yourself and try to meet or exceed as many of them as you can during the summer. They can be anything you want, from reading a book every week to mastering a song on the piano to doing 20 pushups by the end of the summer.
• Consider joining a team-building retreat: Although these are usually offered to companies, there are some retreats for high school students designed to improve how they work with peers.
• Create a personal budget and learn about money management: While this might not seem like the most important thing to know now, it will become absolutely essential very soon in life!
• Learn about investing: Just as it’s important to know how to save, it’s also good to know about how you can make your money grow. While you have to be 18 to start investing on your own, it’s never too early to start learning about the stock market and investing strategies. Also, you can invest before your 18 with the help of a parent or guardian.

Get a Side Hustle

• Find a side job and earn some cash to put aside for college: Having a job can be an impressive extracurricular activity ! 
• Be a camp counselor at a local or sleepaway summer camp: If you love going to camp and are sad you’re too old to be a camper, why not be a counselor? It’s a nice way to keep doing what you love while getting paid, not to mention it’s good practice for working with kids and taking on responsibility.
• Start your own business : This shows colleges that you have many of the skills they’re looking for—leadership, innovation, and gumption. The sky’s the limit when it comes to what your business could be!
• Land an internship : Internships are incredible opportunities to get exposure to industries you want to work in. They can be challenging to find, especially since many internships go to college students, so a good place to start is asking family friends or teachers if they have anyone you could contact.
• Perform services and chores for others : Ask your family, friends, and neighbors if you can be of any service with things like babysitting, lawn mowing, or car washing. Services like these that don’t require hard skills are easy for high schoolers to pick up, and if you charge less than professional services, you could gain a lot of business.
• Sell old clothing: Summer is a great time for a closet cleanout, but don’t throw away all the clothing you no longer wear. Instead, sell your clothes on apps like Poshmark or Depop, or bring them to a second-hand store and see if you can get any money for them.

Volunteer or Do Community Service

• Do a service project, such as Habitat for Humanity : Get out and help your community. You can also find countless community service projects you can do online now, too.
• Tutor peers or younger students at your school or within your community: Tutoring is a great way to help others in a subject you excel at. You can join existing tutoring programs through your school or a community center, or offer up your services independently.
• Visit a senior center: Your youthful energy can bring so much joy to senior citizens. You can read to them, play games like chess or cards, play an instrument, or just sit and talk with them. 
• Volunteer with your library: Libraries are always looking for volunteers to help out, whether that’s with working at the desk, organizing and shelving books, or helping out with youth programs where you might have the chance to read to little kids. 
• Visit a soup kitchen or homeless shelter and help people in need: Helping the less fortunate is an incredibly rewarding way to spend your summer. If you like to cook, volunteering to make and serve food for a soup kitchen is a great idea. Or, you can organize drives to collect items for shelters.
• Work with animals at an animal shelter: For those of you who love animals, volunteering at an animal shelter would be a great summer activity. 
• Write a column for your local newspaper : Getting involved in your local community and supporting small media is a great option for any student, especially those who like to write. You could ask your newspaper for a column to write about whatever you like—sports, movie reviews, political debates, best local restaurants, etc—or you could submit opinion pieces every few weeks.
• Volunteer with a local campaign: Depending on if it’s an election year, summer is a busy time for political campaigns, and they are always looking for more help, especially from younger generations. You could reach out to candidates running for anything as small as the school board up to the president.

If service is important to you, check out our list of colleges for people who want to make a difference .

Check out these posts for more info about volunteering:

• Finding Volunteer Service Activities: Tips for Freshman & Sophomores
• Can I Volunteer If I’m Under Age 18?
• Study abroad : Studying abroad is one of the most rewarding experiences of your life as you get to fully immerse yourself in another culture. There are numerous programs that give high schoolers the opportunity to spend a summer in another country, where you will not only learn about the culture, but also take classes to expand on your academics.
• Spin a family trip into an extracurricular : Just because your family is going away for a few days or weeks doesn’t mean you have to put all your extracurriculars on hold. You might take classes on your trip, learn a new skill, or volunteer.
• Tour colleges : Now that you have extra free time, it’s a smart idea to tour colleges , especially those farther away from you. It’s normally not essential for you to visit a college before applying, but be aware that some colleges consider demonstrated interest to be important and prefer for students to physically visit.
• Engage in service opportunities abroad: If you want to go abroad, but don’t want to spend your summer taking classes, you can volunteer! You can find organizations that have international branches and sign up for service trips.

Check Something Off Your Bucket List

• Train for a marathon: Summer is a great time to get outside and go for a run in nature. If you like having something to work towards, turn your recreational running into a training routine for a 5K, half-marathon, or full marathon.
• Tackle some books you’ve always meant to read: Summer is prime time for reading; you don’t have to worry about required readings for class and you can take a book to the pool or beach and just relax.
• Hike a mountain or embark on another adventure you’ve always dreamed of doing: Let your adventurous side run free! If you’ve always talked about a certain hike or camping trip you want to go on, why not do it now?
• Plant a tree: You could even turn it into a community service project by gathering a group to plant trees across your neighborhood.

Do Something Informative/Productive With Your Friends or Community

• Document your summer through photography, film, or a scrapbook: What better way to record and look back on the adventures you had this summer than to make a photo album, video, or scrapbook with fun moments and memories.
• Host a trivia night or karaoke night: A fun way to bring your community together would be to organize and host a trivia or karaoke night at a local restaurant, bar, or community center.
• Start a book club: Book clubs aren’t just for adults! You can start one with your friends to stay connected over the summer, or start one with your family. It’s a nice way to check some books off your reading list while also staying in touch with your loved ones.
• Create a podcast: Get your friends together and talk about a subject you’re all interested in. This can be anything really—a video game, a sport or sports team, an academic subject, history, art—the sky’s the limit!
• Start a YouTube channel: Just like the podcast, you can start a YouTube channel on a topic you find interesting. If it becomes successful, you will even be able to make money from it!
• Challenge your friends to join you on a particular fitness plan: Whether it’s a complex workout challenge or something as basic as jogging or biking regularly, this is a great way to bond and hold one another accountable on their fitness journey.
• Start a band: If you and your friends are into music and play instruments, a band is a great opportunity. Nowadays, it’s even easier to learn, create, and publish music than ever before.

Plan for Next Year

• Brainstorm your college essays: If you’re a rising senior, developing essay ideas now will help you during the busy application season, when you’ll also need to study for your classes and exams.
• Narrow down your college list: When it comes to building your college list, it requires a lot of time and research to figure out which safeties, targets, and reaches are right for you. Start thinking about what you want now and find schools that match your criteria.
• If you’re a rising senior, start working on college applications: The Common App officially opens August 1st, but you can actually start filling out your personal and extracurricular information prior to that. Check out our complete guide to the Common App to help you navigate applications.
• Research and apply for scholarships: In the same vein as the previous point, many scholarships and grants will be published prior to the fall, so summer is a good time to get a headstart. Do this with a parent though, as financial endeavors can get a bit tricky.
• Plan a club to start: For younger high schoolers, you can continue to grow your extracurriculars throughout the year by starting a new club. Here are some ideas .
• Brainstorm new ideas for your existing club: Come up with a schedule for club meetings, figure out philanthropy events and fundraisers, research competitions and conferences you can attend, and so much more.
• Connect with teachers to ask for advice or college recommendations: Teachers are also incredibly busy during the school year too, so summer is a good time to maintain relationships from the previous year by asking for advice or help with the college process. Just remember, teachers need a break too and might not answer during the summer which is okay.
• Create an action plan for the coming year: What better way to set yourself up for success than taking time to plan out your goals and how you will achieve them for the upcoming school year? 

And don’t forget…

• Relax: Just because you want to show colleges that you’re being productive and not wasting the summer doesn’t mean you can’t take some time to relax and recuperate. 

Check out these posts for more advice on summer activities:

• What Do I Do If My Summer Plans Fall Through?
• Seven Important Tasks to Complete the Summer Before Sophomore Year

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Fantastic Summer Homework Ideas for High Schoolers

If your high schoolers are anything like my high schoolers, they love spending time talking about how bored they are. Yet for whatever reason, that talk never turns into action. Nothing seems to change at the end of the year, as kids are making plans for what they will be doing, or not be doing, over the summer. I always enjoy making an addition to their plans–a little bit of summer homework from their (not always) favorite art teacher. For me, there are always a few of ways to go about it–required summer homework and optional summer homework.

Required Work

For my students who will be in AP Studio Art , I require that they complete 2 projects over the summer that are “portfolio-worthy”. I type out assignment sheets for 3 projects with in-depth explanations. However, each of the three has enough open-endedness within a theme to allow students room for expression and personal voice. If students don’t like any of those 3 projects, or don’t want to do them, I allow them to complete projects of their own choosing. As long as the quality is there, I am open to just about any idea they bring to me.

Photography List

In addition, I send AP students home for the summer with a checklist of photography subjects. The photos students take are referenced and utilized throughout the year in a myriad of projects. The more images they come in with, the better. Many students end up using the cameras on their phones, which is OK because the quality doesn’t have to be stellar. The idea here is not for the photos to serve as the art project, per se; the idea is to have a library of images that can serve as backgrounds, design elements, and inspiration for them come fall.

You can download my 3-page PDF list by clicking the image below, or get a customized Word version by clicking here .

Download Now

Optional Work

For the rest of my students, summer homework is optional. I have a list of projects that I give to whoever may want it, and to a few others that I think might just take on the challenge. These are more lighthearted, fun projects that could take all kinds of different directions. I think it goes without saying, but if kids enjoy the work they are doing, they are more likely to complete it.

Here are a few ideas I like to use:

• Have a friend pose for you. In 20 minutes draw 20 poses. Go!
• Create a drawing or painting inspired by song lyrics or a piece of writing.
• Create a time-lapse video of you working on a drawing or sculpture.
• Sculpt your favorite food out of mud or sand. Photograph it from multiple angles.
• Visit someplace colorful–a farmer’s market, a flower shop, a candy store, or a museum. Make art inspired by the location.

Media Consumption

Lastly, I love to have students take the time to look up interesting artists using not only books and websites, but videos and other media. Artists my students really respond to are Banksy, Robert Longo, Maya Lin, Cheeming Boey, Kara Walker, James Turrell, and Kehinde Wiley. The Art 21 series from PBS is also a great resource. The key is to make the artist interesting enough that kids want to look at more of their work and learn more about the art being made.

Whether your students are making work because they want to or making work because they have to, summer homework is a great avenue to keep them involved and engaged over the summer. There is undoubtedly a challenge in seeing that work is actually completed, but if it is, students come back to the next school year with renewed energy, more confidence, and hopefully a little better understanding of their own art and the art of others.

Do you assign summer homework? Why or why not?

What summer homework assignments have been successful for you?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Timothy Bogatz

Tim Bogatz is AOEU’s Content & PD Event Manager and a former AOEU Writer and high school art educator. He focuses on creativity development, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking skills in the art room.

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• Get the Summer Homework Done Fast

Summer Homework: Is It Worth Student’s Time?

An Advanced Placement (AP) is a special educational program available in the United States and Canada. The College Board developed it to propose college-level curricula and tests for high school students. It is a perfect way to get ready for the college life. Doing AP summer homework increases the chances of the participating students to achieve high goals. The article explains how to do summer homework and, to persuade students in its importance, gives reasons to train during vacation.

Students who have no desire to handle assignments in summer can contact online writing services. Our academic company offers such services. With more than 10 years of experience in academic writing & tutoring industry, we can handle any type of essay, research paper, lab report, or other assignments upon student’s ' do my homework for me cheap ' request. The prices are attractive – check it out!

Is Summer Homework Beneficial?

To make it short: yes, summer homework  is beneficial. We will name top benefits the students get while studying in summer:

• Summer homework helps to master time management;
• Students develop problem-solving skills;
• It is one more chance to review & understands studied material better;
• Ability to learn the ways to set priorities;
• Working independently = becoming independent;
• Summer assignments make the students organized and decisive;
• It evaluates the level of current knowledge;
• Such practice points to the weak points;
• Spend more time with parents if they understand the subject;
• Taking responsibility.

How to Do Summer Homework? Useful Tips & Tricks from Clever Students

1. planning saves.

To begin with, it is important to create a schedule. Summer homework is like a daily job in some company: it will not be productive without a details plan of actions. AP summer homework is more responsible than a regular school or college after-class assignment. Students who manage to succeed with their AP classes may obtain a grant or extra course credits and prepare gor the hardest majors in college . Another way is to write a powerful scholarship essay, but completing summer homework assignments at the highest level is an easier way.

No matter how long your summer vacation seems, start early and don't wait for the school year to start. Postponing summer homework assignments is the worst thing high school/college students may do because it is a recipe for disaster. Buy a cheap calendar to come up with milestones manually (or use a calendar on the favorite mobile device). Leave time for breaks. Are there several books offered by the AP English Composition & Literature teacher? Students usually have to read a couple of books during the summer vacation, and they should pay attention to the page counts to divide the total amount by the days-off. The obtained amount would be a minimum amount per day.

2.Think About Valuable Rewards to Solve Summer School Homework

While teachers reward their students with the highest scores, students should think about personal rewards when it comes to summer homework assignments. Base the rewards on personal milestones. Student’s tastes & references matter to motivate one to try hard. Take some index cards to add purposes/milestones and put down the type of reward you gain depending on the level of complexity. The most effective way is to place these cards on a refrigerator as stickers. Seeing an anticipated film, having favorite cheesecake, dating with a close friend, spending some time on video games, and some other things will do.

3.Keep in Touch with Classmates/Teachers

This idea will create a learning atmosphere every student needs in summer. Without a corresponding atmosphere, students risk forgetting about education. In case a student does not understand the particular summer homework task, a tutor or peer will lend a helping hand with the following disciplines (most students call them the most challenging):

• AP United States History
• AP Calculus BC Problems
• AP Literature
• AP English Composition

4.Explore Related Learning Materials

Do not stop learning! Summertime is the best season of the year to explore the world around. Thanks to the Internet and IT progress, students have access to various types of sources. While on vacation, do not ignore the importance of repeating the studied material with the help of the following sources:

• Academic journals
• Scholarly articles
• Documentaries

5.Combine Education and Leisure

Go to the New York state's Finger Lakes to study geology. This destination has one of the best glass and other minerals museum titled the Corning Museum of Glass. To learn more about the history of the United States and the rest of the world, one should attend Washington, D.C.'s plethora of museums and monuments. It is a chance to see the US capital! If a student studies history or archeology in-depth, Indianapolis and Dinosphere are the two best options to find in the United States. A Space Camp is a dream of every young astronaut. Students have an opportunity to ride real spaceships, study the Milky Way, contact aliens, etc. the great idea is to visit these destinations with family or friends. These ideas prove that homework is fun . 

6.Do not Stop to Face Challenges

Is summer homework beneficial? The answer is 100% because it prevents the students from forgetting what they know and sets new challenges to face. We can say the same about new challenges such as learning one more language, attending computer courses, preparing independent research, keeping a journal, etc. facing your phobias is one more interesting option! You can discuss the way you overcome the fear of the dark in class later. So next time you ask ' Why is homework important ,' remember: the top physicians, nurses, tutors, lawyers, and students improve their performance at their trades by setting up challenges. That is why experts recommend taking minimum one AP class in summer. It will not be overwhelming to pass a single course. Choose one based on personal interests, preferences, purposes, and future career goals.

Trick: Courses like AP Biology and Statistics are easier than those students face in college. It makes sense to get enrolled in some difficult classes during the summertime to handle them simpler when the opening college semester comes.

7.Summer School Homework Can Be Fun

Another good idea is to utilize the problems you may face to detect the course-specific strengths and weaknesses. Any problems with literature-heavy courses? Find every subject’s list of recommended literature to obtain a kick start on the books that the tutor will assign during the semester.

To learn how to do summer homework, start practicing! Sooner or later, each student discovers it is better to keep on training at least a bit to impress the tutors and peers at the beginning of the school semester. Earn yourself a cookie! Do not forget about the opportunity to order professional summer essay writing help online to speed up the learning process!

 So, Should Students Be Given Summer Homework?

Are you a parent who wants to encourage his kid to study? Or you are a student who just wants to find out how to do homework effectively. No matter who you are and how hard the homework is. Our homework service made an article that will teach our readers how to make homework fun and deal with it eff...

Each day you return home after school and classes, tired and annoyed. And instead of having a rest, you have to start working on your studies. It is tough to focus on homework when you want to join mates or spend some time on the net. "So how to stay focused to do my homework?" you would ask. We hav...

Have you ever wondered who was that "good man" who invented a bunch of problems for students all over the world who need to do homework? Nothing appears from nowhere, so there are several versions concerning invention of this type of academic activity.The first claim belongs to the group of people w...

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Watch CBS News

These are the best U.S. employers for high school graduates

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

August 7, 2024 / 6:53 PM EDT / MoneyWatch

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Lowe's and Walgreens are three completely different companies with one thing in common: They're each one of the top places to work as a high school graduate.

That's according to a new  study  from Harvard Business School, the Schultz Family Foundation and research firm the Burning Glass Institute which examined the hiring trends of 400 large U.S. companies, with a focus on how often those employers hire entry-level workers and promote internally. 

In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, Walgreens said it's proud to be recognized for its "competitive wages and benefits, plus opportunities for learning and growth." 

"Being named the best place for high school graduates to start a career further validates our commitment to our team members' development and career growth, which includes a 90% internal promotion rate goal, along with competitive compensation and world-class benefits," Ilene Eskenazi, chief human resources officer at Chipotle, told CBS MoneyWatch. One of the company's proudest accomplishments is that former cooks and cashiers at their restaurants now hold leadership roles, she added.

Lowe's didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. 

Along with Chipotle, Lowe's and Walgreens, researchers listed Best Buy, Chewy, Foot Locker, Gap, Goodyear, PNC Financial and Starbucks among the top 10 best employers for high school graduates. 

Growing frustration over cost of college

A larger pool of job candidates without college degrees may be entering the labor market as Americans have grown increasingly frustrated with the rising cost of higher education. A July poll from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation found that Americans believe the U.S. higher education system is headed in the "wrong direction." 

At the same time, opportunities for high school graduates are increasing as one in three U.S. companies have eliminated bachelor's degree requirements from some job postings this year,  according  to college prep company Intelligent. 

Careers in retail have become a strong pathway to upward mobility, the Burning Glass researchers said, noting that Home Depot, Dollar Tree and Macy's are also among the best employers. Taking a job at a bank or insurance company can also lift high school graduates into upper levels of employment, the study found, naming State Farm, Nationwide and KeyCorp as promising options. 

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

More from CBS News

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NPR wants to know: How is your grade-school student preparing for a successful year?

Brittney Melton

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: An electric bus is parked as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan visits during an event to highlight funding for electric school buses at the Coral Reef High School on March 11, 2024 in Richmond Heights, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption

As we head into August, many children, parents and teachers across the U.S. are preparing to begin a new school year. Some may have already started classes. This month, we want to hear from students themselves about what they need to have a successful school year. Your tips could help set the next student up for success.

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Getting California kids to read: What will it take?

California Student Journalism Corps 

Why do college students choose summer school?

The california student journalism corps, august 5, 2024.

Summer school is often associated with students who fell behind in their schoolwork during the regular academic year, or who failed classes and need to retake them in order to graduate.

In fact, there are many college students in good academic standing who choose to take summer school classes for various reasons, like getting ahead in their degree plan, easing their workload during the academic year, keeping busy, and being able to take courses at their own pace and with greater flexibility.

At the same time, some have expressed reservations about summer courses due to the cost, the burnout from the lack of a break and how the often-online format strains information retention and class participation.

In order to learn why university students are opting to keep busy in school during the summer — and what the pros and cons of their experiences have been — EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps asked a few of them the following question at seven California colleges and universities: “What classes are you taking over the summer? Why did you decide to take them now, and what do you think are the pros and cons of taking summer classes?”

Below are their responses.

(Click on the names or images below to read what each person had to say.)

Maxine Romano

First-year latin american studies graduate student at cal state los angeles.

“I’m kind of a dork, and I feel like it took me a long time to get my undergraduate degree,” said Romano, who is taking multicultural psychology and sociological theory. “Now that I’ve got some momentum, I just don’t want to stop learning. I just want to keep going.”

Although Romano was able to find her academic mojo, it wasn’t easy. It took her 10 years to get that undergraduate degree.

“It was a really difficult journey for me. Stopping and going and dropping out. Having financial things and self-doubt,” Romano said. “In my late 20s, I was finally able to really want it. It was all intrinsic, you know, for me to better myself and the community.”

Romano is now using that momentum to complete her master’s degree. She also plans to pursue a second master’s degree to become a marriage and family therapist for people of color.

“I think with Latinx and people of color getting mental (health care), it’s so cultural and historical,” Romano said. “There’s so much nuance to (providing appropriate care) that unless you really study it, how can anyone make a difference?”

Romano feels there are pros and cons to taking summer classes. She looks forward to learning and doing the work. On the other hand, the summer heat is something she would rather do without.

“It’s really hot right now,” Romano said. “Both of my classes are online, so it’s easy for me to log in, but I’m on campus right now because I need to get out of my apartment.”

Reported by Xavier Zamora

Julian Moreno

Fourth-year communication studies major at sonoma state university.

“I wanted to get ahead in internship credits since I haven’t really started and to keep myself busy over the summer,” Moreno said. “I always get cabin fever at home, usually during breaks when I have nothing to do.”

Moreno is enrolled in one course for the summer session — COMMS 499, an internship course. For his internship, Moreno assists with running the university internship program for the arts and humanities department.

Moreno said he likes taking courses throughout the summer because “getting ahead (makes) it easier on yourself for the (next) semester.” However, he said that it can be a stressful schedule with a summer job.

Reported by Ally Valient

Janet Merino-Aguirre

Incoming first-year applied math major at uc berkeley.

“I’m taking Chem 32 and Math 96 right now,” Merino-Aguirre said. “Since I’m an incoming freshman, I wanted to get ahead, be prepared and have a flow of what I can do, and not get lost on campus.”

However, while Merino-Aguirre said that while she sees the pros of summer school in getting a head start and making friends more easily, she also noted that summer school is no easy feat.

“While it’s made the transition from high school to college a lot easier, I also feel like it causes burnout and being lazy, because you don’t really get a break from school.”

Reported by Emily Hamill

Vianey Flores

Incoming first-year microbiology major at uc berkeley.

“I’m currently enrolled in college algebra, which is Math 96, and integrative biology,” said Flores, who is originally from Los Angeles and fresh out of high school. “So, since I’m an incoming student,:I wanted to get a head start and get to know how it feels to be here so I don’t feel lost in the fall.”

Continued Flores, “Lectures teach you a new thing every day, whereas in high school, they would go over the same topic for like a week. I like how (summer school) has given me a head start in getting used to it.”

Fourth-year biotechnology major at CSU San Marcos

“I feel like I don’t learn as much as I do in person,” Phea said of the asynchronous accounting course she is taking over the summer. “Do I retain some of the information? Yes, some — it’s like 50-50.”

This lower division requirement became necessary after switching her biochemistry major to biotechnology.

In discussing the pros of summer school, Phea says she appreciates completing assignments at her own pace while enjoying summertime activities.

She has a preference for taking online summer courses, but she says it can impact her learning.

Reported by Jazlyn Dieguez

Clarissa Hernandez

Fourth-year zoology major at san francisco state university.

“I took them (summer classes) now so I could graduate next semester,” Hernandez said. She is taking two biology classes over the summer session to advance her degree progress and graduate a semester early.

The tradeoffs are what she expected. “The pro is that you graduate early, but I guess the con is that your summer’s kind of busy with school stuff … you don’t get a break,” Hernandez said.

Reported by Layla Bakhshandeh

Adriana Damian

Fourth-year ceramics major at california state university, long beach.

“In the ceramics program, they actually do a thing where they have a summer course where they don’t really have teachers there, but you can go into the studio and work,” Damian said. “But everybody there is really committed and (they) spend like the entire summer there.”

Damian said she’s taking this class now to build up her portfolio as she starts applying to grad schools while having fun working on this “addicting craft.”

“During the summer we get the luxury of expanding. Normally whenever you build something you have to clean up and put it in your space, but during the summer, you can take over whatever section you want, basically,” she said.

Damian said she likes taking this summer class because “you have so much space, all the resources and you don’t have to do assignments — we can work on whatever we want.”

The only downside of taking this class now is it gets very hot in the art building because it doesn’t have air conditioning yet.

Reported by Ashley Bolter

Rohan Tawade

Rising junior at uc berkeley, studying biology and cognitive science.

“I like to have a very chill summer, but I was making my (class) plan and I was like, ‘Wow, to graduate I would need to take like 17-19 units each semester,’” Tawade said.

He is taking physics 8B at UC Berkeley and a discrete math class at a community college this summer, primarily with the goal of graduating with a double major in four years. Tawade said the price of summer classes is a significant drawback — $419 per unit plus a $434 campus fee — but he’s cutting back on costs by taking math at a community college instead of Berkeley.

Tawade noted that he’s taking physics specifically so he can devote more attention to the class in the summer term, which he said is “less painful” than having to balance it with other coursework during the year. The class includes a 90-minute lecture and two hour-long discussions, four days a week.

His courses have been going “surprisingly well,” Tawade said, describing campus over the summer as having “retirement home vibes.” He noted that libraries close earlier and there are far fewer students, but that he enjoys the more personalized attention and resources.

Reported by Clara Brownstein

Hasana Sidbiqui

Rising senior in high school taking summer courses at ucla.

“I was interested in the (summer) classes but also just really want to go to UCLA,” Sidbiqui said.

She decided to spend her summer away from home in the Bay Area to take oceanography and communication. She’s staying with her sister who lives in Los Angeles and is commuting to campus during her time here.

“I think that (summer school) is not that bad. I know it obviously keeps you in the mindset of studying and taking notes and studying for tests. There’s so much to do outside (of campus). There’s a lot of fun to do in LA.”

Reported by Laura Dux

Yashaaditi Teki

Rising fourth-year business administration and it management major at california state university, east bay.

“I’m able to space out more of my classes, (since) I can take more in the summer and go a little easier in the fall and spring, which helps me out,” Teki said.

Enrolled in two asynchronous courses — global economic analysis (ECON 385), a major class, and ethnic studies, a GE requirement — Teki said she is taking advantage of her school’s summer course offerings.

“Asynchronous classes give me the freedom to do my work at my own pace. (It) is easygoing considering it’s summer, and it’s also easy to make plans on the side,” she said.

Teki’s classes began in May and will run until August, and she spends around 12 hours per week focused on schoolwork.

Additionally, Teki said, “I’m using this (semester) to catch up because I did have a gap semester fall of 2023, so this is definitely a great opportunity for me to catch up on my courses.”

Teki recommends taking more summer classes as long as students are able to balance it with other commitments like a part-time job or internship.

“I play sports as my extracurricular, and the way I’m balancing it out is that I’m trying to work as much as I can during the day and then leave my evenings open,” she said.

Reported by Riya Parekh

Thailyah Miller

Rising sophomore at san jose state university studying public health with population data science.

“This summer I am taking MUSC 10A: Music Appreciation and AFAM 25: Changing Majority.” Miller said. “I decided to take them now so that I can get some of my GE classes out of the way.”

She feels that there are some pros to taking classes in the summer such as, “taking less credits in the normal semesters,” and “being able to learn year-round.”

Despite being able to get some classes out of the way early, there is one overarching issue that comes with taking summer classes.

“The cons of taking classes during the summer is the cost. Depending on where you go the cost is expensive. Like at SJSU I paid for the five-week courses and it was around $4,000.”

Reported by Maya Pettiford

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