What Do 'Smart Students' Do in the Summer?

I have been writing a blog series this semester because of the misconceptions about “smart students.” People are quick to say, “Oh so-and-so is just smart, top grades are easy for him/her.” It is true that students have different talents, but as every teacher and coach knows that effort and attitude beat talent every time and over time.

The truth is: those “smart students” are making good use of their time over the summer. Here is why and how:

1. I can’t say this enough; research supports that students who keep practicing academic skills such as reading on their own over the summer do much better academically than the students who don’t read. The best part is – it is never too late to start. Academic skills need the same practice and growth as athletics or fine arts. Parents are quick to put money and time into sports because it is so visible, and there is tremendous value to extracurricular activities, but the bottom line is few athletes become varsity athletes in college. Even then, athletes have to meet an academic minimum for college. I have seen too many athletes be disappointed because of their low SAT score.

2. The world is changing quickly but that is not always obvious from our nice, safe campus. At the risk of sounding negative, competition has never been as fierce in many career areas as is witnessed by the number of students currently graduating from college who cannot gain employment. On the other hand, employment opportunities abound for career choices like engineering. There have never been so many students dropping out of college – the statistics on this are truly scary. That is why preparation for college is more important now than ever. Competition to get into a good school is fierce because those students tend to get the internships and jobs at a much higher rate. Conversely, good quality colleges will pay top students to come to them. Translation: good grades in rigorous courses convert to scholarships.

3. Other cultures are ready to work harder and compete for college spots and jobs. American children are accustomed summers off, but other countries don’t have that tradition. Plus, they are well aware they need to work hard and compete to earn a better lifestyle. The American standard of living has been high enough since WWII that many scholars believe we have become a complacent nation. Statistics show that many American children slip academically backwards in the summer. Poor children don’t have a choice, but Darlington students do have a choice of many academically self-enhancing opportunities.

So what can Darlington students do this summer to help their academic skills and facilitate the love of learning? First, reading is so easy! Books, magazines and newspapers are a great way to relax (instead of television and computer games). This can be done for zero cost from the public library. Trips to museums, aquariums and zoos are a great way to encourage natural curiosity and learning. Summer camps that are theme/skill based – like science, writing and math – are also good choices.

Depending on the age of your child, you might want to encourage him or her to write for fun (texting does not count) because many students lag in writing skills. Buy your child a diary or nice journal; they can be the family scribe or write a story as a summer project. Then there are short courses in multiple topics – Darlington offers several – but other places are plentiful. It is also very valuable for older children to go away for a few weeks in the summer. Finally, get out the board games that involve strategy and thinking skills; there are many wonderful games available.

Putting the time, and if possible money, into your child’s summer is invaluable. It will pay off in so many ways for their future.