November 30, 2010

Education reformers have talked about extending the school years, but have run up against resistance from local amusement park which gain money from shorter school years.

November 28, 2010

Summary:

This paragraph is comparing Widow Douglas to the reformers.

November 23, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

November 23, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Paragraph 4 & 5

Summary:In this part of the article its talking about how the students that don't do anything academic end up losing a lot of what they learned during summer. As said in the article "We expect the athletes and musicians would see their performance suffer without practice.

Summary 2: This paragraph in the article is explaining to us on the growing movement to stop the summer slide. There are many organizations that are helping to expand and improve summer enrichment programs for children, especially low-income children by offering to donate money. 

David Von Drehle bio

David Von Drehle was born on February 6, 1961 in Denver, Colorado and raised in Aurora, Colorado with his family. He is a writer and a journalist. He has written three books and many journalistic articles in his 32 year career. He earned his B.A. from the University of Denver in 1983. In 1985 David graduated from Oxford University with a Masters in Literature as a Marshall Scholar.

SECOND READING QUESTIONS: READING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION

What is summer associated with? And school?

Summer is red, white and blue. It's flags and fireworks, hot dogs and mustard, cold watermelon and sweet corn. We associate the summer months with liberty and nothing is more American than liberty.

We associate the school year with oppression.

Why is larking through summer a luxury we can no longer afford?

American students are competing with children around the world who are in many cases spending four weeks longer in school each year.

Is summer really a lark for many children? What is it really? 

No. Summer is a season of boredom, inactivity, and isolation. Kids cant go exploring if their neighborhoods aren't safe. Its hard to play without toys or playgrounds or open spaces.

Is that your experience as well?

My experience during summer was filled with boredom because of the fact that I had nothing to do but sleep.

What is healthy stimulation during the summer months according to the authors?

Children with access to high-quality experiences keep exercising their minds and bodies at sleepaway camp, on family vacations, in museums or libraries and enrichment classes.

If they keep the same schedule when you are parents, what kind of summer activities will you plan for your children and why?

I would send my children to summer camps or put them in something that involves having fun but at the same time the activities they are doing have learning skills.

Monday November 8, 2010

The main topic of "The Case Against Summer Vacation" is mainly about education. Students are missing learning skills and comprehension skills during summer.