School is finally out. Students are buzzing with excitement over summer break. They’re breathing a sigh of relief that daily Algebra lessons are a thing of the past, even if just for a few months.
But what happens when the new school year draws closer? Is your student brimming with excitement or anxiety? Did they forget about those Algebra classes a little too much?
New school year jitters are completely normal — and summer learning loss is real. Summer tutoring programs are the antidote to both of these problems.
Keep reading to learn more about how students can benefit from engaging in a summer tutoring program.
Is Summer Tutoring a Good Idea?
Absolutely! Summer tutoring is NEVER a bad idea.
We will go into more detail on the benefits of summer tutoring programs below. Here is a preview of six reasons why summer tutoring is a good idea:
- Summer tutoring can fill in knowledge gaps from the previous year.
- Summer tutoring can help build on knowledge learned from previous school years.
- Summer tutoring provides a one-on-one learning experience that prioritizes the student’s individual learning and growth.
- Summer tutoring allows students to learn at their own pace.
- Summer tutoring helps students get a head start on the upcoming school year and boosts their confidence in their academic capabilities.
- Summer tutoring can help students prepare for the upcoming workloads and new expectations associated with the grade level they are preparing to enter.
Which Students Benefit Most From Summer Tutor Programs?
Typically, we see kids in grades 6-11 benefit the most from summer tutoring. The start of year six is when academia starts to become more in-depth and advanced. Students tend to either excel really well with these new concepts or struggle with their learning.
Summer tutoring provides the opportunity for a yearly check-in to brush up on learned skills and prepare for new concepts before heading into a new school year.
How Do I Know if My Student Should Join a Summer Tutoring Program?
As we said before, any student can benefit from summer tutoring. But how do you know if your child needs a summer tutoring program to help keep them from falling behind?
- Talk to the student’s teacher. Ask them if there are any specific topics your child seemed to struggle with throughout the school year. Did they have trouble paying attention in class? Are there certain topics or skills they may need extra help with? Your student’s teacher is a wealth of insight when it comes to your child’s academic performance.
- Talk to the student. Ask them how they feel about the upcoming school year. Are there certain classes they are worried about? Specific topics they still don’t fully understand? If so, summer tutoring may be the perfect tool to help strengthen their academic skills before heading into a new school year.
- Talk with a tutor. A skilled tutor can assess your student’s performance to determine which areas, if any, they need to brush up on to prepare for the new school year.
Keep in mind that not all summer school tutoring programs are created equal. It’s important to talk with a tutoring company first and determine whether their program is the best fit for your child. The best summer tutoring programs are flexible and highly customizable to each student’s learning.
At Emergent Education, we put students’ needs and comfort levels at the forefront. Contact us today to learn whether your child will benefit best from an online or in-person summer tutoring program.
What Makes Summer Tutoring Programs Different From Summer Boot Camps?
You may see tutoring centers or even the public schools in your area offer summer “boot camps.” These programs are aimed at helping students prepare for the upcoming school year.
They are typically:
- Group-oriented
- Fast-paced
- Condensed into a short amount of time
Looking for a summer tutoring program in Portland or Seattle that is more personalized? Consider Emergent Education. Below, we will highlight some of the ways our summer tutoring programs differ from traditional summer boot camp programs.
Summer Tutoring Programs Offer a More Personalized Approach
At Emergent Education, we offer online and in-person one-on-one summer tutoring programs.
Whereas summer boot camps take a blanketed approach to tutoring subjects, our tutors can customize tutoring lessons specifically to the individual needs of a student. This approach allows our tutors to build upon the existing knowledge of a student and effectively use session time to focus on areas that need strengthening.
Summer Tutoring Programs Provide In-Depth Learning Opportunities
Because our summer tutoring programs are one-on-one, there is no set schedule or deadline for signing up for tutoring sessions like there is with summer boot camp programs. We allow our students and their parents to choose the duration and learning pace for their tutoring sessions.
We recommend at least four weeks of tutoring — this is so students have time to learn at their own pace and absorb new information.
Due to the one-on-one nature of our tutoring sessions, our tutors can focus on building important learning foundations that will help set students up for success in the following school year at a pace they are comfortable with.
6 Ways Students Benefit From One-on-One Summer Tutoring Programs
Still not sure if summer tutoring will be beneficial for your child? Let’s talk about six amazing ways summer tutoring programs can benefit students.
#1: Overcome “Learning Loss” That Comes With Summer Vacation
Did you know that children can lose anywhere from 17-30% of learning over summer break? This phenomenon is known as “learning loss”, or the “summer slide.”
Grade school curriculum is designed to build upon concepts learned from previous years. Learning loss can create a gap in knowledge that makes it difficult for students to thrive in the following school year.
There are numerous studies that support summer tutoring programs as an effective tool to combat and reduce learning loss. Summer tutoring programs keep learned concepts fresh in mind so they can be properly expanded upon in the upcoming school year.
#2: Allow Students the Opportunity To Learn Without Distractions
While schools are an institution of learning, they offer a lot of distractions for students.
It’s easy for students to pay more attention to their friends passing notes than what the teacher is presenting. Your child may get lost in thoughts about after-school activities or what is being served for lunch.
One-on-one summer tutoring cuts out all the noise and distractions so students can hone in on learning and engaging with their tutor.
#3: Start the School Year With Confidence
Almost every student gets the “school year jitters” in the fall.
Think back to your own school memories. You may remember feeling nervous about:
- Whether you’d like your new teacher.
- Whether your friends would be in any of your classes.
- Trying to figure out where you were going to sit for lunch.
- Another year of trying to keep up in Algebra.
Enrolling your child in a summer tutoring program isn’t going to help them sort out their lunch eating arrangements. But it can help establish a new school year secret weapon — confidence.
By preparing and arming students with knowledge that will help them meet standards and succeed in their new grade year, we can help students shift their mindset about starting a new year in school. Students can confidently begin the school year knowing that they aren’t behind and are fully prepared to excel academically.
#4: Students Can Work at Their Own Pace Before Heading Into Fall With Momentum
Since summer tutoring programs are individualized, students can learn at their own pace. One student may need the whole summer to focus on multiple concepts and skills. Other students may only need a 4-week tutoring session.
Regardless of the duration, tutoring sessions are fully customized in areas where students need the most help. Unlike other summer programs, like boot camps, you don’t have to worry about “wasting” session time going over concepts that a student is already proficient in. Each tutoring session is optimized to provide the most learning value possible.
#5: Get a Head Start on Higher-Level Learning
Summer tutoring programs aren’t just for students who are behind or are worried about falling behind. Students who are already excelling academically and have a natural hunger to learn can also benefit from summer tutoring programs.
Summer tutoring may be an opportunity to help strengthen academic skills even further to get a head start on advanced placement classes and testing for the upcoming year.
#6: Understand How To Handle Upcoming Workloads
Students entering middle school or high school especially have to adjust to new expectations and responsibilities. Suddenly, there is a lot more writing involved as students regularly have to write essays. Math concepts become more advanced each year. Science lab safety and activities are now at the forefront.
Summer tutoring is a great way to make sure students are prepared to meet new grade expectations and handle increases in workloads and responsibilities. This can help students feel more prepared and confident moving into a new school year.
Emergent Education’s Summer Tutoring Program Sets Students up for Success in the Fall
If you’re looking for summer tutoring in Portland, contact us today to learn more about our summer tutoring programs. Our tutors are highly skilled and can assist with nearly any level of subject support.
Our summer tutoring programs are geared toward helping students learn and master new skills by using a Growth Mindset approach. Students learn how to build upon their existing knowledge to unlock new skills and strengths they never knew they could attain.
Send your children into the next school year prepared and rocking newfound confidence in their academic capabilities with the help of Emergent Education.
