Summer
is a great time for kids to
be kids. Backpacks and homework
are usually the last thing on
kids’ minds as they head
to the lake, hang out with friends,
and enjoy the sunshine. After
all, they deserve a break after
the busy school year. But does
this break have to cost them
in the classroom?
Too
many kids will have forgotten
what they learned last year
by the time they dig their
backpacks out of the closet
this fall. Read professional
storyteller and Institute
speaker, Mike Mann’s
article for simple solutions
to the summer slide.
No
more pencils, no more books,
by Mike Mann
On
my way to Ohio for a speaking engagement
recently, I looked down the airplane
aisle, calculating where my seat was
located. Halfway down sat a man for
whom airline seats are not made. He
wasn’t overweight; he was just
oversized. He wore a plaid shirt and
baseball cap. I quickly realized my
seat was next to his. As I tucked
my carry-on into the overhead, I saw
that he was reading a very thick book.
A big man, a big book. My super-sized
seatmate unfolded himself from his
seat to let me by; he leaned his head
forward to keep from bumping the ceiling.
I squeezed by and asked what he was
reading. He refolded into his seat
and said, “Harry Potter –
summer is coming and my fourth grader
and I read books together. I’ve
been out of town and she’s already
got a head start on me. I’ve
got to keep up.” We were instant
friends. I thought to myself, “Here’s
a father who understands how to avoid
the summer slide.”
