The Complete Guide to Summer Math Programs

In the last few days of the school year, you probably received flyers and messages from school about different summer programs your child could participate in either at school, within the community, at a local college or online.  With so many different options, it can be confusing trying to figure out which one is the right fit for what your child needs as well as what works with your schedule and wallet.  

Before you dive in, it's important to first consider your child’s needs.  Take a moment to answer these questions and think about your responses as you consider each option.

1. My child struggled academically and needed intensive support throughout the school  year.
2. My child did ok, but needed support throughout the year and could use some extra help
3. My child maintained average grades with little support 
4. My child maintained above average grades independently and honestly needed to be challenged more.

1. My child needs extra instruction and practice on important skills that they struggled with this past school year in order to be successful next year.
2. My child needs to brush up and stay sharp on important skills they learned this past school year through review in order to be prepared for next year.  
3. My child would probably be fine not revisiting anything from this past year, but I would like for them to be prepared for next year by previewing important skills they will be taught.
4. My child needs a program that focuses on higher level thinking and applications that challenge them intellectually.

Now, let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of each category in an effort to help you make an informed decision. 

Summer School Programs Offered by Schools

Since the influx of COVID-19 relief funds into public school districts, traditional summer school programs and after school tutoring programs have made a comeback.  However, whether or not summer school is an option for your child depends on several factors that vary by school district. Some schools may only allow students to attend that were referred by their teacher(s), while others will make exceptions for parents requesting that their child attend the program if there is a need.  Based on my own experience as a teacher combined with research I have done on the subject, summer school can be very beneficial or not at all depending on the planning, organizing and staffing.

• Transportation is usually provided
• FREE!!
• Instruction and support is provided by Licensed Teachers.
• The curriculum used is the same that students used throughout the school year
• Held in an environment that is familiar to your child making them feel more comfortable which promotes learning.

• Limited availability 
• Staffed by burned out teachers that do not want to be there
• Shortage of teachers leads to students with multiple grade levels with diverse needs and abilities being put into one classroom with one teacher making it difficult for any real instruction to occur.
• Even in the best organized summer school programs, students may experience burnout fatigue due to it significantly reducing the time available for students to relax, recharge and engage in non-academic activities.

Community-Based Summer Programs

Community-based summer programs can be educational, recreational or a combination of both. These programs are organized and implemented by local community organizations, non-profit groups, or government agencies. Depending on the community you live in you can find a wide-range of engaging and beneficial programs and “camps” for various age groups.

• Affordable
• Offer a wide variety of choices
• Provide opportunities for learning AND personal growth, socialization, and community engagement

• Transportation is usually not provided
• Provides learning opportunities, but not necessarily what your child needs to focus on to prevent learning loss over summer break and prepare them for the upcoming school year.
• Academic aspects of these programs are usually not led by an experienced teacher. 

Programs Offered through Colleges and Universities

If you live near a college or university, chances are that you received a beautiful flyer listing an impressive selection of camps and classes available for your student to participate in.  I must admit, that these are usually the ones that your student wants to sign up for.  And why wouldn’t they? Colleges have the money and manpower to offer some of the coolest classes that integrate learning with things kids LOVE like Legos, robotics, space exploration, music and art just to name a few.  In addition, these programs take place on campus which can add an additional layer of coolness.  

• Offer unique and appealing educational experiences
• Usually very well organized
• Classes may be led by a college professor or experienced teacher’s assistant
• Expose students to a higher level of education that fosters intellectual growth, and allows for the exploration of specific interests. 

• Can be Expensive
• Transportation not provided
• May have limited spots available that fill up quick especially for the most popular classes
• Unfamiliar Environment: While the chance to attend a program on a college campus may seem exciting for some kids, it can be intimidating and overwhelming for others.

Online Learning Options

There is no denying that online learning has skyrocketed in the past few years.  You can find classes online for your student to participate in over the summer on literally anything and everything. These programs and classes can be live with either 1 on 1 or group options or pre-recorded/complete on your own format.  Other online options that are not teacher-led, provide diagnostic elements along with drill and practice through software-based intelligence.  Having so many options within one category can be overwhelming as a parent trying to decide what to choose for your child’s needs.  If you are thinking of going with an online learning option for your child this summer, here are some important points to consider for each broad category.

Live Online Learning Classes

• Can be taken in the comfort of your own home
• Participating in online tutoring classes helps students develop technological skills and digital literacy.
• If you do your research, you can find qualified teachers and tutors online that specialize in your subject of interest

• Can be very expensive to take the number of classes needed to make an impact.
• Since classes are live, they will need to be scheduled into your calendar.  
• Internet connectivity problems, software glitches or hardware limitations can disrupt the learning experience and cause frustration for both students and tutors during live classes.

• Availability and Flexibility - most are accessible anytime and anywhere with an internet connection.
• Many offer diagnostic elements to help you identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses and track their progress over time.
• Great source of repeated practice and reinforcement of math skills.
• Usually affordable

• These programs often lack a meaningful instruction element with students being taught by either a) reading an explanation themselves of how to solve a problem or b) are taught by a cartoon character or voice over and not a real teacher
• Offer rewards in the form of games that too many times end up in students playing more online games than actually receiving quality instruction and learning.  (As if kids need one more source of video games)
• Many formats used in these online programs may lead to “performance pressure” and generate anxiety and frustration as students develop a need to achieve certain outcomes or reach certain scores and levels.

Online Pre-recorded/Complete at Your Own Pace Classes

Hey! This option is near and dear to our hearts because it is the category that Ignite Learning Company falls in! Digital courses are on the rise in a BIG way as a source of learning all kinds of things from the best teachers and experts in their fields.  Just visit any of the top digital course hubs like Udemy and take in a sample of the enormous selection of digital courses available.  Even more exciting is the digital course website Masterclass, where classes are taught by your favorite celebrity teachers!  You can take a writing class from James Patterson or learn basketball techniques from Stephen Curry!  So we thought, why not develop digital courses in math to provide quality math instruction and repeated practice packaged in an affordable and easily accessible way? Here are the pros and cons of our courses:

• Quality Instruction: Research-backed instruction planned & taught by a teacher with real-world experience in 3rd-6th grade general education and special education classrooms.  
• Courses come with not only step by step instructional videos, but also printable worksheets, posters, tips and tricks, skill sheets and more.
• Affordably priced between $50 - $100 for an entire course.
• Convenient: accessible anytime and anywhere with an internet connection
• Watch again and again:  When you purchase one of our digital courses, it’s yours to keep forever and the videos & resources can be used as often as your child needs

• Since classes are pre-recorded, there is no immediate opportunity to ask questions to the teacher. (You can email us though!)
• As with other online options, some students may miss the in-person interaction especially if they are not involved in other activities

With so many options it can be easy to let the overwhelm take over and just pick a random program and be done with it.  Taking time to assess your child's needs and understand the pros and cons of each program are essential steps in making an informed decision. Good job! By carefully considering these factors, you can find the summer program that offers the right balance of academic enrichment, personal development, and enjoyment for your child during the summer break.