RAFT Helps Educators Prevent Summer Learning Loss with Over 700 Idea Sheets
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) June 29, 2016 -- On average, students lose two months of academic skills over the summer, and studies show that teachers spend large amounts of time re-teaching material once students go back to school. To curb this decline in education advancement, some school districts are investing in structured summer reading programs to ensure students are on track to read proficiently as they approach the end of third grade (Summer School and Reading Proficiency).
“Consistent summer learning programs have shown to improve STEM skills, reading skills, and overall comprehension skills. Math skills are especially important for many career paths, and any extra emphasis during the summer will build a student’s self-esteem and motivate better relationships with peers and teachers,” says Jeanne Lazzarini, Mathematics Master Teacher and Education R&D at RAFT.
According to Oxford Learning Summer Loss Statistics, it only takes two to three hours a week during the summer to stop loss. Some simple steps parents and educators can work in together to prevent summer learning loss include: (1) Reviewing the previous year’s course material and have students reread the assignments they completed, (2) Set aside specific times for learning, (3) Improve overall comprehension of subject, and (4) Encourage creativity and imagination.
Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT) has developed hands-on Activity Kits and over 700 free Idea Sheets that parents, daycare providers, camp leaders, and summer school teachers can use with their students over the restless summer months. These Idea Sheets help develop spatial skills which will lead to success in the STEM subjects.
RAFT’s 700, free Idea Sheets can be searched in a variety of ways to pinpoint activities that are suited to specific grade level, subject area, and content standard. This search capability also allows searching by keyword, making it even easier to find Idea Sheets which match specific interests. Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards Idea Sheet correlations are also available to download for free via the standards grid at http://www.raftbayarea.org/idea-grid and on the individual detail page for each Idea Sheet.
RAFT Activity Kits package the most popular Idea Sheets with all required materials and step-by-step instructions to bring engaging math, science, and art experiences to students. Many are available with materials necessary for either individual student use or packages with materials for 10 students, to help reach audiences of all sizes. RAFT Activity Kits can be purchased at RAFT resource centers, or online at http://www.raftstore.net/.
About Resource Area for Teaching
RAFT believes the best way to spark the love of learning for the next generation of thinkers, innovators, problem-solvers, and creators, is through hands-on learning. A nonprofit organization since 1994, RAFT supports over 10,000 educators each year who teach over 835,000 students. Find out more about RAFT and how to get involved at http://www.raft.net
Brittany Coleman, RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching), http://www.raft.net, +1 408-213-7208, [email protected]
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