When assigning mandatory summer projects for students, they should be student-designed rather than teacher-designed. The first reason is because the students can make it whatever they want and however they want to do it. The second reason is it is more fun and creative for the students if they do their own designed project. Lastly, it is a lot easier for the students to complete the project if they design it themselves.

However, some may argue that these summer projects should be teacher-designed. Assigning projects that are teacher-designed will probably make it easier on some students because then they do not have to think about what their project could be about. They can just follow the teacher's instructions and the rubric, if given one, and then complete the project based off the teacher's design for it. Nevertheless, there are other viewpoints to consider.

The first reason for having a student-designed project would be that the students can make it whatever they want. They can think of their own ideas and how they want to do their project. If a student has an interesting and unique idea for the project that he knows will benefit him more than whatever a teacher could have designed, then he should be able to carry out that idea for his project. Not only would he/she be doing a project they can actually learn from, but it will be interesting for them to do.

Another reason for a student-designed project would be that it is more fun for the students. You are already assigning them a mandatory summer project that they have to do and take away from their summer break, the least you could do is let the students decide how they want to design their projects. Sure you can give them a general idea of what the project has to look like and an overall basis of what it should include and be about, but I believe the main point of the project and how they create it should be up to the students.

Lastly, a student-designed project will overall be easier then what a teacher would design. The students are just trying to relax and enjoy their summer and will probably just not do the project at all if a teacher designs it to be hard or uninteresting to the students. If the students decide what and how they want to do the project, they are more likely to complete the task because they chose something that is interesting to them which will not only benefit them, but also fulfill the school and teacher's requirements to complete a summer project.

In conclusion, if schools require that students have to complete a summer project, the least they could do is leave it up to them to decide how the project is designed. It would not only benefit them more if they designed it, but also make it more interesting for them so they actually want to complete it. I can personally guarantee that the majority of students either do not finish any summer assignments they are given or just don't bother to do them whatsoever. That is because they find it pointless to them and they know it will not benefit them in anyway. That is why teachers should assign student-designed summer projects rather than teacher-designed projects.