Before the kids left for the summer, I informed them of some homework they need to do over the summer. That homework was this: when doing anything, don't just do it, think about it.
I've seen lots of kids say words like "I never get the ball" or "That's not fair". While supervising recess one day, someone told me he never got the ball. I continued watching. There were 6 people on his team, and he got the ball twice...out of 14 plays. That's one out of seven, which is almost one out of six. After explaining this to him, he was still upset, but had a better understanding.
Someone also made a great connection in math. We were learning about volume, and she said that she wondered how many cubic feet of water were in the city pool. She now knows how to find that out, but it's just a matter of doing it.
Lastly, and this to me is a no-brainer, read. Each day, our class enjoyed reading independently and within groups for 45 minutes. When they have been conditioned to do so for that period of time, reading is incredibly enjoyale and rewarding. However, if kids aren't given that 45 minute time for only reading, it's hard to enjoy reading when it comes in 5 minute segments.
Mark Twain writes, "I've never let school interfere with my education." I don't completely agree with this, but outside of school really is where the skills developed can be used. Enjoy your summer.
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