#749 hazy

We're nearing that glorious time in the summer when school seems long ago and also far in the future.  Students forget about the books, and the routine even changes for many employees.  People are on vacation, leaving offices with less than full staff, and the pace slows somewhat.  The "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" is more than a song title.

It seems that the "hazy" part isn't just referring to the weather either.  Today is National Summer Learning Day, created to remind parents to engage their children in activities that counteract the summer learning loss that occurs.  The "summer slide" creates significant achievement gaps, causing students to lose months of math and reading skills.  The day aims to motivate families and communities to provide "stimulating activities" to keep children's brains engaged during breaks.

I think Summer Learning Day is something that all of us could benefit from.  What have you done this summer -- or what can you do today -- to fill your brain with a "stimulating activity."  Travel, visiting new places locally, engaging in something for the first time, reading, conversing with someone who has a different background or putting pen to paper (fingers to keys?) all are examples of things that you can do.

Most of us are taking in new information every day, but make the commitment to consciously experience something for the sake of learning.  Devour more than watermelon at your next picnic; feed your mind with new knowledge.  You'll be better in the long run if your summer is a little less lazy.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Sources:
www.summerlearning.org
Learning more fun than a summer slide by Eric Dregne, Telegraph Herald, 6-23-13, p. 15A.