Not every kid who's struggling in school needs to be enrolled in high school summer school. For some kids in high school, summer school options won't meet their needs. So who should go? Check out the list below to see if your high school student really needs summer school or not.
Top 5 Reasons NOT to Send Your Teen To Summer School
1. Your kid's guidance counselor recommends summer school.
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Guidance counselors are there for a reason. Use them. Make appointments to see them. Chances are good if you're concerned about your child's progress in high school, his or her guidance counselor is too. Guidance counselors have statistics, up-to-date grades, and an understanding of how to best motivate students, maybe even yours. If your child's guidance counselor is recommending their high school summer school for any reason, then by all means, make your kid get out of bed and go.
2. Your kid's favorite teacher recommends summer school.
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As a teacher myself, I know details about my students' work ethic, reading abilities, motivation and other intangibles not accurately expressed on a progress report. If your child has a favorite teacher – one he or she trusts, talks to, relies on – ask him or her if high school summer school is a good option for your kid. We teachers know. We're paying attention to our students. Ask!
3. You've tried tutoring and it hasn't helped.
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Tutoring programs help many students, most of the time. But tutoring is a different idea altogether than summer school. With tutoring, a student is required to sit one-on-one or in a small group with a teacher who works individually with him or her. Sounds perfect, right? The problem? It requires a bit of self-motivation because tutoring isn't for credit. Summer school is. If they complete the work, they get the credit, which is a huge motivator. If they complete the work assigned by their tutor, they'll make you happy, but for many kids (as you well know) this doesn't come close to being enough.
4. Your kid isn't going to graduate on time.
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5. Your kid needs to raise the old GPA.
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Oops! Your kid's grades are down a couple notches from where they should be for the scholarship you're banking on. Wanna raise his or her GPA? Summer school is a viable option. They can take a few extra classes and get the GPA up a little bit. When it comes to many scholarships, college admissions, and graduation rank, a few minute points can add up to a big deal. Summer school can help raise your kid's GPA when he or she has slipped up a little bit during the school year.
