Education

Back-to-school means back to schedules, back to learning, and sometimes back to stress. With new supplies and clothes, plus new classrooms and teachers, sending your child back to school can often feel like walking into a war zone.

You might wonder what expertise I have. Nope — I’m not a trained teacher. Rather, I personally struggled to learn how to read, and so did my son. Also, when my kids were little, I fussed at them more than I care to admit. But when we sat down on the couch with a stack of books, we entered a magical world together. All the “shoulds” melted away, and “time” became suspended.

Everyone talks about the summer slide, but is it really a thing? Try these summer learning activities and tips to create a summer learning routine.

Putting down a good book is hard—finding one shouldn’t be. You don’t want your students to stop reading because they can’t find a good book to read, yet this may be a reality in your classroom: 73 percent of boys and girls surveyed said they would read more if they could find books they like.

The summer holidays await, and with the distractions of warmer weather, trips abroad or the latest Xbox game it can be difficult to make sure pupils read for pleasure. So ahead of the break, the National Literacy Trust has highlighted 16 recommended titles for all ages to inspire children to pick up a book wherever they are – whether in bed, climbing a tree, or even on their trampoline.