Ah, Summer! For many students, summer is the perfect time to chill out and relax.

It’s the perfect time to catch up with friends.

It’s the perfect time to lounge by the pool and hit the beach.

It’s also the perfect time to develop bad habits, to get off track, and to lose academic standing.

In summer, one of two things can happen to the average student:

1. They can lose learning momentum, fall behind, and end up starting the new school year at a disadvantage.
2. They can catch up in trouble areas, and get a head start on the new school year.

Enter summer learning. Summer learning is not a new concept, but it is becoming increasingly important. Education is becoming more competitive. Students don’t have time to slack off…not even for a couple of months.

Summer school is no longer a punishment for under-performing students; it’s an opportunity for students to improve their learning abilities and get a jump on their classmates. In fact, statistics show that summer school enrollment is up—and not just for students who need extra help: students looking to get ahead and make the upcoming school year easier are choosing summer school in lieu of traditionally popular summer activities.

While there are many ways to keep the brain active during the summer,(see the ABCs of Summer Learning) the best way to avoid the summer learning slide is to engage in some type of formal academic learning all summer long.

After all, the brain never stops learning, so why should students?

In terms of a child’s education, summer is just as important as the rest of school year. Oxford Learning has many great summer programs available to help students avoid the summer learning slide. Contact your local Oxford Learning centre for more information.