At Chapel Hill Preparatory School, students traded in their usual textbooks for compasses, multipurpose vests, canteens, and binoculars to embark on an educational journey.
In June, these students participated in Summer Cool, a month-long program that helps develop the skills they need to navigate the next school year. For the first half of the day, students attended math and reading classes, which consisted of teacher-led instruction and discussion, group work, and independent practice, followed by online math and reading games to end the class.
The second half of the day was for enrichment activities centered around children expressing their creativity. Students were able to make friendship bracelets, draw lizards, lions, and recreate their favorite artists’ album covers, and give fun facts.
One student’s love for Michael Jackson led him to share his video tribute with his classmates to honor the late legendary artist. He also made them aware that June 25 was the day that Jackson passed away, which explained his intense focus on completing his drawing of Jackson in his legendary outfit for the song “Thriller.”
Throughout the day, instructors found ways to keep campers motivated by creating a class “playlist” instead of an agenda, which encouraged them to plan their own activities once they completed their lessons. This gave students the autonomy to choose their preferred method of learning, finding themselves in an environment where they learned to become more self-reliant.
“They know what they have to do first and then what their options are after their work is done,” said Suzanne Paiz, a fourth grade teacher. “When students completed the assignments that the instructors had listed on the playlists, they were given the autonomy to do online learning games or more engaging worksheets that tied into the lesson.”
One camper, Jiaxi X., appreciated the ability, structure, and concept of the playlist.
“They would make fun questions out of the subjects we were doing at the time. It was really fun. I sometimes got questions wrong, which was okay because I was able to figure out my mistakes on my own,” she said.
As Summer Cool unfolded, students stayed focused on its true purpose–gaining the skills and confidence to thrive in the year ahead. What started as a journey of self-reliance and friendship led them to discover their true capabilities and confidence to maneuver through the terrains of a new school year.
Xavier R., who is going into fourth grade, said he is ready for the next step in his education.
“I understand fractions way more,” he said, slightly pushing his glasses up onto his face. “Since I’m moving to fourth grade, I need to know these skills by heart.”
