April 2023

When most kids think about summer, they imagine popsicles, trips to the beach, and playing with friends. They’ve worked hard the entire school year and deserve time off as a reward for their hard work. Teachers will also enjoy their time out of the classroom. But as the summer closes, they’ll imagine the next school year’s start and the effects of the summer slide on student readiness.

You pick up your child from school and ask them how their day went. If you’re lucky, they may grunt a one-word answer like “fine.” But, sometimes, they don’t answer you at all. 

Even more mysterious, the teacher tells you that your student is the life of the party, or that she always raises her hand to answer questions, or that he spends the whole class talking to his friends. Or on the other hand, you may find out that your child is struggling in math, doodles during independent reading, or hasn’t turned in any homework.