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March 2021
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Why Sign Up for Thinking Organized's Summer Programs?
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Why Sign Up for Thinking Organized's Summer Programs?

The end of the academic year is fast approaching, and many students are looking forward to a summer break filled with hours of gaming, socially-distant get-togethers, and more. This relaxation is needed now more than ever, as many students are wrapping up a challenging year of virtual or hybrid learning. However, while it is important that they recharge over the summer, it is just as crucial to keep up with academics to ensure they are prepared for the upcoming school year. Enrolling in one of Thinking Organized’s summer programs is a great way for students to keep their skills sharp without feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of more work. If your children ask why they should sign up for our summer programs, we have the answers for you!
Prevent the Summer Slide
The “summer slide” refers to a decrease in a student’s academic abilities due to a lack of engagement with the target skills. For example, when students do not read, practice Spanish, or play the trombone for a sustained period of time, their proficiency in these areas decline. By enrolling in a Thinking Organized summer program, students can both keep these skills sharp and prepare for the upcoming school year. 

  • Reading. As children progress in school, their reading content becomes more complex. Additionally, students are asked to engage more with their reading by comparing two texts, predicting character actions, and more. If students opt to not read over the summer, they put themselves at a disadvantage for when the new school year begins. To help students develop their reading skills, Thinking Organized’s Ready Reader summer programs offer assistance on everything from decoding words to note-taking to high-level analysis. Using either assigned summer reading or short texts, we will help your children build their comprehension skills. 

  • Writing. When students struggle to communicate their ideas, they often grow frustrated. Writing, in particular, can be a large source of anxiety when children cannot translate their ideas to the page and subsequently feel misunderstood. Without adequate, consistent practice, students might enter the new school year feeling defeated when assigned their first writing project. Thinking Organized’s Just Write summer programs provide students with strategies to begin writing, elaborate with details, and provide sufficient analysis to demonstrate original thinking. With clear steps and templates to follow, students will learn strategies for every step of the writing process. 

  • Math. Mathematical concepts build on one another in each passing school year, but many students do not see how seemingly different concepts, such as algebra and geometry, may be connected. As a result, they do not practice “old math” because they perceive no benefit in doing so. Consequently, they struggle to keep pace in a new math class because they have to spend extra time reviewing previous material. Thinking Organized’s Master Math summer programs aim to provide students with an appropriate level of review but to also demonstrate how math topics are interconnected. By learning effective strategies and previewing upcoming material, students will enter the new school year with a higher level of confidence. 
Learn New Skills for a New School Year
Summer is the perfect time for students to reflect on what went well and not so well during the previous academic year and set goals for the new school year. In doing so, students can endeavor to learn and develop new skills that will enable them to reach their goals. 

  • Organization and Time Management. During virtual learning, many parents saw firsthand how challenging it was for their children to keep track of assignments, submit work by the deadline, and remain focused. If these issues are not addressed during the carefree days of summer, students will have an even harder time transitioning back to school in the fall. To help students strengthen these skill sets, Thinking Organized’s Operation: Back to School program teaches them how to organize their physical and digital environment, effectively manage their time, advocate for their needs, and more. By exploring new tools and methods to develop key elements of their executive functioning skills, students will be better prepared for the new school year. 

  • Studying and Memory. Studying can be challenging for students of any age, and oftentimes procrastination wins out over careful preparation. Without tests and quizzes over the summer, many students neglect practicing effective memory strategies. As a result, students struggle to retain information in their working and long-term memory when the school year begins. Thinking Organized’s Exceptional Executive Functioning Program introduces students to a variety of memory and studying strategies that are tailored to their learning style. By identifying the methods that work best for them, students will learn how to alter their approach to tests based on the content, format, and more. 
Prepare for Life Post-High School
For rising seniors and rising college freshmen, summer seems like an ideal time to relax before new pressures are applied during the school year. However, it is actually in their best interests to get a head start on their post-high school plans by using the summer to begin particularly time-consuming tasks. 

  • SAT/ACT. Standardized tests are never easy, and the SAT/ACT can feel particularly daunting. While many colleges waived the need for these exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that may not be the case in the future. Thinking Organized’s SAT/ACT Prep program is designed to help students use the summer to their advantage by identifying strengths and weaknesses, taking practice tests and receiving feeding, and learning effective test-taking strategies. This program is particularly beneficial for students with executive functioning or attention challenges, as it provides specific structures to address those needs.

  • College Applications. Beginning college applications over the summer is an easy way to avoid stress when the school year begins. The Common App releases its essay prompts around July, which enables students to begin outlining and drafting far in advance of deadlines. In Thinking Organized’s Just Write: College Applications summer program, students learn effective time management strategies to complete multiple essays and supplements, pre-writing strategies, and more. Students also receive support in crafting their essays at every stage of the writing process.

  • Prepping for College. Once students are accepted into college, they may feel unsure how to proceed; after all, the hard part appears to be over. However, college can feel like an overwhelming prospect once students step foot on campus if they are not prepared for this transition. To increase students’ comfort level with this new stage in life, Thinking Organized’s summer programs Next Stop: College and Just Write: The College Level introduce them to the big differences between high school and college, including writing, studying, time management, and more. By previewing these variations over the summer and practicing new strategies to adjust, students will feel more confident as they embark on this new adventure.
Final Thoughts
Summer is a time of relaxation, but it is also a time of preparation. By reviewing past academic material, students can keep their skills sharp while simultaneously preparing for the upcoming school year. Thinking Organized is offering several exciting programs for students in different age ranges this summer, and we cordially invite you to sign your children up for them!

Please refer to our programs for elementary school, middle school, high school, and college on our website.
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How (Not If) You'll Find Success

As a speech therapist, parents often ask me if their child can be successful in spite of learning differences, disorders, and other challenges. People are sometimes given a label due to these challenges and feel that they need to completely lower their hopes, expectations, and goals. However, children and adults alike can overcome learning difficulties and absolutely thrive in life! Here are several famous individuals you almost certainly have heard of that prove how successful people can be despite the difficulties they face.