MANILA, Philippines - “When summer comes around, we don’t think of it as our students going on vacation from school and taking a break from learning,” says headmaster John-D Borra of Bannister Academy in Quezon City. “We think of it as the time when our partners in educating our students take over.”
The headmaster is referring to Bannister Academy’s home partnership program, which looks at a student’s friends and family as equal partners in education. During the school year, the home partnership program allows teachers to work with parents and guardians to ensure that students get the support they need at home to enable them to learn outside the classroom. This shouldn’t stop during the summer break, says Borra. “Just as we keep emphasizing that learning extends outside the classroom walls, we also believe that learning extends outside the school year.”
Furthermore, other educators worry about the so-called ‘learning loss’ over summer the deterioration of knowledge and skills students have acquired over the school year, which happens when learning isn’t reinforced for long periods of time. What parents can do for their summering teenagers, Borra says, is to lead them towards the right learning opportunities: those that are fun and rewarding and, more importantly, those that never make them feel that learning is a chore. “Pay attention to what your teens want to do. Don’t force them to take time away from things that are important to them; instead, listen to what they are telling you, and work with it,” Borra advises.
For example, if your teenaged girl is into music, then ask if she would like to learn how to play a musical instrument. If not, just keep her talking about her favorite musicians, and go deep into the discussion it’s a way to keep the brain active, and also to spark curiosity in your teen. If you ask enough questions, then it might spur her into doing some research.
If it’s movies or TV that your teenaged boy is into, be creative and see how his choices of things to watch might lead into meaningful discussions about other things. “For example, lots of parents don’t pay attention if their teens are into science fiction. But the truth is that many of these science fiction movies provide good social commentary on very real issues. You can use nearly anything as a springboard for discussion,” notes Borra.
Then, of course, there is travel. Everyone likes to travel, especially during summer, and each travel experience is a real-world lesson in everything from everyday social interaction to foreign cultures. Get them enthused about the sights, about the food, or about the culture.
Bannister Academy is located inside Eastwood City’s Circulo Verde, Bagumbayan, Quezon City. Find out more by visiting http://bannister.edu.ph/ or call 975-9625 or 09177110100.