My fiance is an elementary school teacher and sometimes I think she gets more excited about summer vacation than her students. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t do anything school-wise during her break; summer reading is a big part of her R&R. In fact, last week she went to the local library, checked out a couple of books and finished reading them within three days.
It would be great if her students showed that much enthusiasm for reading during the summer. According to Serve.gov, studies have shown that if children don’t read during the summer, they can lose 2-3 months of academic progress. Children who participate in summer reading programs can maintain their academic progress and be better prepared for the new school year. My fellow blogger Joanne is wise to have her children read every day during summer vacation.
When I used to volunteer at the local library, the summer reading programs were always very popular but there are some children who do not have access to books. The "Let’s Read, Let’s Move" initiative, created by Serve.gov, encourages people to volunteer to read to children and even organize book drives in their communities. Along with some other organizations, they are striving to make 2010 a summer of a million books for children everywhere.
Do your children read during the summer?