8 reasons that a tutor is one of the best educational options for the summer

As soon as that final school bell rings for summer break, your son or daughter will fly through those school doors with a huge smile, ready for vacation and summer activities.

But you’re thinking big.

You know that the best summer is a well-rounded summer ... and that includes keeping up good learning habits!

You have a lot of choices for educational activities over the summer. Here are 8 reasons why teaming up with a summer tutor will make all the difference in the fall, whether your child is starting 3rd grade, 6th grade or college.

#1: Avoid summer brain drain ... and head into the fall with momentum

Academic skills are like other skills. You have to use them — or you lose them. Over the summer, most kids lose about 1-1/2 months of skill gains from the school year.

Think about that for a moment. You know how much hard work went into school this February and March. How would you feel if the majority of those skills were just forgotten?

Poof, gone!

Summer learning loss can make re-entry rough in the fall.

Your child will play catch up for a month or longer with “summer brain” rather than “learn new skills brain.” And you know what that sounds like at
home ... More nagging. More arguments. More unnecessary struggle.

When you team up with a summer tutor, your child will be ready to roll in the fall. You’ll keep up learning habits AND strengthen skills and confidence. It will be a MUCH smoother transition back into schoolwork.

#2: Fill in skill gaps while moving at your child’s pace

During the school year, teachers need to move quickly, whether your child fully understands a topic or not. Your child is constantly chasing a moving target.

Over the summer, though, your child can move at his or her own pace. There’s no chasing other students. You don’t have to worry about the class getting way ahead.

With a tutor, your child can spend the time needed to fill in gaps in learning from the school year and build a strong foundation for the next grade level — or better yet, get ahead!

#3: Head into big transition years with confidence

Throughout your child’s academic journey, there are certain grade transitions that represent BIG jumps in responsibility and independence.

These big transitions include going from:

• 2nd grade into 3rd grade

• Elementary to middle school

• Middle school to high school

• High school to college

Why 2nd to 3rd grade, you wonder? 3rd grade is the year that the training wheels come off.

Your child is no longer learning to read, he or she is reading to learn. If your child isn’t ready for that transition, he or she will start the year behind.

For older kids, the transition to college academics can be a shock, particularly the rigors of college-level writing assignments.

With a tutor, your son or daughter will be well prepared and eliminate the risk of stumbling.

#4: Get a jump on higher-level math skills

If you know your child is going to be digging into higher-level math skills in the new school year (such as fractions, pre-algebra or algebra), use a summer tutor to get a jump on these subjects. Algebra, in particular, offers a whole new way of thinking for kids.

If your child isn’t used to the critical thinking skills that are used for this type of math or doesn't understand the basic concepts in pre-algebra, it can take longer to get on the algebra train.

A tutor will introduce your child to higher-level math concepts and to thinking in new ways. When the new school year arrives, your child will be comfortably on the math train at the start of the school year, not left behind at the station.

#5: Learn how to tackle ever-growing workloads

We expect kids to be master jugglers of homework, projects and tests ...

rehearsals, practices and games ... friend time, social events and family time.

But most kids aren’t born with these skills. They need to learn them.

Over the summer, a Sylvan tutor can help your child develop and master skills such as:

• Time management and organization
• Study skills
• Test taking strategies
• Research skills
• Effective presentation skills
• Note taking
• Digital skills (including how to avoid plagiarism)

Imagine heading into the fall knowing that your child will take ownership of schoolwork (yes!), keep a manageable backpack and feel more in control, even with all the challenges of a tougher school year.

Imagine a school year without last minute scrambles and nagging over schoolwork.

Summer is the perfect time to build these skills for school — and for life!

#6: Raise ACT or SAT scores with summer help

Did you know that summer is the most popular time to get a tutor for SAT or ACT preparation? There are good reasons!

• Over the summer, your teen can focus on test-taking strategies and fine-tuning skills without all the stresses and distractions of school.
• If you have a soon-to-be senior, your teen has likely taken the exam already. Your tutor will be able to look at the results and know exactly where focus to help your teen improve results on the next exam.
• One of the subjects that we see teens struggle with on the ACT and SAT is algebra. Why? Their skills get rusty. (Use it or lose it, right?) Your tutor can make sure your teen gets an awesome refresher before the big test in the late summer or early fall.

#7: Give your child extra time to prepare for Advanced Placement® (AP®)

With AP courses, your child takes an exam near the end of the school year. If the score is high enough, your child can earn college credits.

This means your child may be able to take fewer courses in college, and you may not have to pay as much in tuition. We have students who have earned enough credits to get up to a semester of college free!

It can also mean that your son or daughter can skip the basic courses, focusing on courses in his or her major.

Here’s what you need to know about AP courses in high school. They’re very intensive, and there is a significant amount of material to cover. Plus, the test is grueling.

Because these courses are so demanding, you’ll give your child a real advantage if you team up with a tutor over the summer to get a jump-start.

#8: Avoid paying extra fees for remedial courses in college

When your teen transitions from high school to college, you may get a surprise.

Approximately 30% to 40% of incoming freshmen aren’t performing up to standards in basic English and math. Often times, these students have to take remedial courses in college. You’re paying tuition money, but your son or daughter isn’t getting any credit for these courses. Your son or daughter is simply getting caught up. Investing in a summer tutor can help your child get on track with college expectations, so you don’t have to pay unnecessary fees later.

No schoolwork this summer? No problem!

At Sylvan, our certified tutors have a variety of tools available to make your child’s summer learning as effective as possible.

For example, let’s say you want to focus on math skills. Your tutor can give your child our unique Sylvan Insight assessment to get deep insights into your child’s math strengths and skill gaps. Then, your tutor can use Sylvan’s proprietary teaching curriculum — SylvanSync™ — to tailor interactive lessons and learning to your child’s exact needs.

• If your child is on pace with school, he or she will get awesome skill practice to make sure skills stay sharp over the summer.
• If your child is ahead, he or she will get enrichment activities, so he or she can move further and faster in the upcoming grade level.
• If your child is behind, your child will get the instruction and practice to get up-to-speed.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if your child headed back to school with the same enthusiasm he or she had for the start of summer?