Watkins Unveils Summer Learning
Program
Gongwer News Service, June 4,
2003
Read the MDE Press Release -
click here.
For more articles like this
visit
https://www.bridges4kids.org.
Before a rapt audience of 6, 7
and 8-year-olds, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom
Watkins unveiled a new program that could have them doing
school work throughout the summer. The new FAMILY
FUNdamentals for Summer Learning program provides teachers
and parents a variety of activities to assist students with
reading over the summer.
The pilot program is intended to
prevent "summer slide" for those students who traditionally do
not have access to learning activities during break. The
initial packet is targeted to reading for preschoolers through
second grade, but Mr. Watkins said an expanded document due
out in the fall would expand into math.
"For many children, especially
the most needy, education can wane during the summer months,"
he said.
State Board of Education member
Liz Bauer (D-Birmingham) urged the students to ask their
teachers from projects form the packet. "If you are good
readers you can do anything," she said. "I'm hoping that you
as students will be asking you teachers to develop summer
learning plans."
The packet is available at the
Department of Education
Web site, but Mr. Watkins
urged local schools and parent groups to print and distribute
the materials to parents who may not have ready access to the
Internet.
Department Of Education Spearheads Effort To Curb Summer
Learning Decline
Michigan Dept. of Education Press Release, June 4, 2003
LANSING – Michigan unveiled a new state effort today to reverse
the summer learning decline that affects more than half of all
of the state’s students.
“For some students, summer is usually a time for fun and play.
However, this period also is the time when students do not
attend school and they lose some of the reading and mathematics
skills gained during the academic year, “ said Michigan
Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Watkins. “As a result
of this decline, schools and teachers are forced to spend
valuable time during the next school year helping students
relearn lost knowledge and skills.”
To increase student achievement throughout the summer, the
Michigan Department of Education has developed FAMILY
FUNdamentals for Summer Learning – a kit that contains more than
200 literacy building activities teachers can select for
students advancing from preschool through second grade to
practice with their parents at home.
Learning activities are aligned with state education standards
and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Literacy activities in
the kit focus on the five essential components of reading
instruction including phonemic awareness, phonics,
comprehension, fluency and vocabulary, contain varied degrees of
difficulty, and are separated by grade level.
“Summer is ideal for families to provide the time, learning
experiences and practice needed to reinforce and promote
learning,” said Kathleen Straus, State Board of Education
President. “Providing children and parents with easy activities
to practice over the summer will assure steady academic
achievement for all students and is especially critical for the
children in our low performing schools.”
These activities are being distributed on a pilot basis over the
Internet and are available to download in PDF on MDE’s web site
at:
http://www.michigan.gov/mde.
In September, schools will be receiving an additional Family
FUNdamentals Compact Disk (CD) containing hundreds of school
year take home activities, as well as math and literacy summer
learning activities. The September CD will be made possible
through a partnership with the Michigan Department of Education,
Wayne RESA, and Partnership for Learning.
Please share this information with your teachers, members, staff
to fully utilize this valuable resource.
Thank You.
Janet L. Ellis
State of Michigan/MDE-OSE
608 W. Allegan, 4th Floor, Suite D-19
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 373-9391
(517) 373-1233 fax
Email:
ellisjan@michigan.gov
|