Generic_Name

Writing SOL

March 11, 2020

English 11 adv

When students leave out of the school building doors for their summer break, I can promise you that the last thing they are thinking about doing is more work for their teachers. In different scenarios, It would be very convenient and unique for kids to continue their learning while enjoying their summer at the same time. They would go to school the next year and only need very little, if any, reminders of what they should've been learned the previous year. I think student-designed summer projects would be an awesome addition to student learning over the summer.

Many students either get left behind a grade, have to do summer school, drop out, or just barely pass and end up going into summer not knowing any of the material their teacher has tried to teach them. Things they should've previously been learning would seem new to them. As a student I will admit that some of the material is quite confusing at times. If you pay attention, study, and do your class/homework , it gets way easier. Projects are designed to help teachers grade the student on how well they know material or a subject. Projects help the teacher get a better understanding of what the child may need help with in order to get better at the subject and/or to pass their upcoming Standards Of Learning test.

There is a boy at my school that we are going to call Generic_Name. Generic_Name does not understand the WWI subjets in his history class. He's been doing his class and homework, been paying attention, he's been writing his notes, but he still does not understand the subject. He's asked his teacher for extra help and has recieved it. While his knowledge for the unit is growing, he still just barely passes his Standards of Learning test with a 401. Over the summer, his school required all students to make up their own project about anything they may have learned. At first he did not think it was going to help him but he decides to give it a try anyway. Generic_Name decides that if he has to learn about something over summer, he might as well learn about something he's been having trouble with. He completes his project with just a month left of summer and now has a better understanding of the war for his next year of highschool.

In order to help kids better undertsand things, not only should we do projects at the end of every quarter during school, we should do them during summer too. Students will get smarter and teachers would be much happier when their whole class can raise their hand and answer questions about the new material they are going over. Students should be able to do the project on anything they have learned from any class over the past year.

To ensure we would have less drop-outs, students who have failed for the year, or kids who simply do not understand the material, public schools should take part in making the project a requiremnt that students must complete a summer learning project of their desire, as long as it is something they know little about. The project is expected to be taken serious as an SOL would. It is a great way to make sure that students would not forget any knowledge over their summer. Also, it would be a great excercise for thier brains as well as it would get them ready for college if they plan on furthering their eduction.