Preventing Summer Slide: Guest Post from School Director and Author Darius Husain
Many thanks to Darius Husain, co-author of Road Map to Power, for this guest post!
Looking to stop the “summer slide?” Start
by challenging an outdated tradition.
As the last fireworks celebrating our nation’s independence bursts
into the air, parents with school aged children across the country turn to one
another and ask the question: “Now what?” With summer break not even at
the halfway mark, many families have already exhausted their once optimistic
to-do list.
Parents are not the only ones feeling the heat. What is the
most joyful phrase for every student, “schools out for summer,” creates
headaches amongst education experts concerned about academic growth and
development. These advocates are troubled by the negative impacts of the
“Summer Slide” and the significant learning loss that takes place while
students are away from their classrooms.
Yes, for some young people, summers are filled with family trips,
camps, experiential activities, internships, and job opportunities. For
other students, there is a lot of time on phones, screens, or other devices
while waiting for the start of the new school year.
Face to Face Academy, where I have served as Executive Director
for nearly two decades, works with adolescents most at-risk for dropping out of
high school. The majority of our students and families do not have the
resources for an enriching summer. The achievement gap, which is already
considerable when they begin school as kindergarteners, only widens during
summer vacation.
So, what is our solution to combat “Summer Slide?” The
answer is simple if not extreme on the surface: get rid of summer
vacation.
Before you accuse me of being the warm weather version of the
Grinch, let me offer a clarification. Face to Face Academy employs a
year-round calendar. This doesn’t mean students are required to attend
more school days. The number of instructional days and hours are
equivalent to most learning institutions, but instead of cramming it into nine
months like most traditional schools, students attend school every month of the
year. The tradeoff is that learners and teachers both receive shorter,
more frequent breaks throughout the year.
As for the concern that teachers and students should be able to
enjoy the benefits of summer, being a Minnesotan, I wholeheartedly agree.
One of the tradeoffs of thirty below wind chills and 15-inch snowstorms are
long and often comfortable summer days relaxing at one of our many beautiful
lakes. That’s why Face to Face Academy shuts down for most of June only
to return after the Fourth of July break. With more than a month off, you
may be surprised to find that students are anxious to return to school in July
where we are cognizant to incorporate more activities and experiences to take
advantage of the nice weather.
Not surprising, the benefits of a year-round model are
substantial. Students remain in consistent contact with the adults in
their life that are not only providing an important education, but also playing
essential roles in the young person’s overall wellbeing. The consistent
breaks (the Academy’s learning sessions usually last about 5 weeks followed by
a week off) keep students fresh and most importantly, addresses the
ever-increasing concern of teacher burnout.
While the anecdotal evidence for this approach is significant, the
empirical evidence is even more astonishing. Face to Face Academy has one
of the highest growth scores in the state for free and reduced lunch qualifying
students on math, reading, and science assessments. In addition, staff
retention rates each year hover around 95% -100%. The year-round calendar
is not a panacea - nothing can be accomplished without a warm, welcoming school
environment that students want to be a part of - yet it is an important tool
that makes Face to Face Academy successful where others have failed.
Many of my fellow educators agree. More than any other topic that I have presented on over the past two decades, the year-round model generates the most buzz. Almost everyone I talk to immediately sees the potential. The problem is that very few have overcome the obstacles of implementing something similar. The biggest culprit is complacency fueled by the powerful headwinds of how we have always done things. For reasons most of us can’t even remember, students have always had their summers off. Resistance to change is remarkably stubborn. If we are to combat the challenges facing education in a post-pandemic world, however, it is going to take courage to open our doors during all seasons and embrace innovation.
For more posts about Darius and his books, click HERE.
For more posts on summer slide, click HERE.
Note: The paperback edition of Road Map to Power can be purchased on 25% discount with code FF 25 at the MSI Press webstore.
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