I know it’s right smack dab in the middle of summer vacation and I’ve been enjoying every minute of it. The kids have been swimming everyday and enjoying their time off. Until yesterday. Yesterday this momma pulled out something they aren’t too excited about. I pulled out their GRASP workbooks.
What is GRASP?
The GRASP program is a nine week correspondence summer program written by Grand Rapids Public Schools staff in math and reading. It is designed for children who have completed grades K-8. Children receive a packet of materials for the nine weeks of summer, and mail in a lesson a week. The lessons are scored, results recorded, and lessons returned to the children. An online version of GRASP is also available for grades 4-8.
Children successfully completing (70% accuracy) at least seven lessons are awarded a certificate, and those successfully completing all nine lessons receive a medal.
According to the GRASP “calendar” they are a few weeks behind, but I felt it was important to give them a little break from school and let them enjoy being kids without a focus on their studies. They will need to complete 2 lessons a week (just to catch up), but Colton was able to do 2 Math and 2 Reading lessons last night. He actually enjoyed doing it. I was so proud of him. This is his first year.
This is Ashley’s 5th summer doing GRASP. She is not a happy camper. Obviously the older you are, the more difficult your assignments are, and she was struggling with the math portion. I was a “mean” mom because I would not give her the answers and expected her to at least attempt solving them on her own. They are multiple choice questions, and the correct answer is always a choice. It took her well over an hour (they estimate it taking about 1/2 hour) but she finished it and with only one incorrect answer! She did fantastic, although she complained the ENTIRE time and was driving me crazy. She’ll fall into the routine of doing it soon, and it won’t be such a hassle to her.
Have you or your kids participated in a similar summer school program? What are your feelings about kids following a structured program during the summer? Or is my daughter right - am I the “meanest mom ever” for making them do school work over the summer?
6 comments:
I wish the school district I teach in had a program like this! It would make such a huge difference when kids came back to school!
Carly
www.lipglossandcrayons.com
Oh at that age I might have grumbled too, but that's really cool thing. My step-daughter could use one for spelling!!
Summer homework is important!! Our school district has put together summer homework every summer that I can remember. Different things depending on the grade, but I think always some math and sometimes a big reading project or summer book and report... (We have never done GRASP though...are your kids in the NPS district?)
I think it's a great idea to keep some of their education fresh in their minds. It isn't like your making them go to summer school all day long LOL!
You're a mean mom, kids shouldn't have to do homework or wear shoes all summer.
Um yeah I'm sure it is great for their progress but man would I have been upset when I was younger, lol.
My dad did make us to book reports during the summer and we absolutely hated it, haha.
But it is for their own good so good mama ;)
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