The first day of school can be one of the hardest days for students. Transitioning back to books and calculators from the haze of warm summer days is nearly a Herculean task. According to Former Secretary of Education Paul Revile, students who have mentally stimulating summers will not only have an easier time falling back into a school schedule, but are more likely to succeed academically.
“Kids who get constant enrichment... summer camp, travel, interesting vacations, constant stimulation, they move forward in terms of academic achievement when they get back to school,” Reville said on Boston Public Radio Thursday.
The issue though that Reillve pointed out is that not all families can afford to give their children these type of stimulating opportunities. “Those of us who have upper middle class privileges are able to do all kinds of interesting and enriching educational things for out children in the summertime; and if you don’t have access to those privileges your children don’t get nearly that kind of opportunity. There is a huge opportunity gap.”
Reville believes that more attention needs to be paid to how students spend their summers. He says that school systems do not focus as much on this issue because of budgetary restraints and their inability to implement untested changes. “We haven’t developed that sense of urgency to do something about it,” Reville said.
“This should be an entitlement. Every kid ought to have access to enriching learning experiences in the summer.”
Listen to Paul Reville's entire interview on Boston Public Radio Above.
