Do you remember the summer projects that you had to do during summer break? Even now as fewer places require summer projects for all class,they are still an important thing for both students and teachers. They allow both so see how the other is either by teaching style or how they did on the content. The summer projects should be teacher designed because it gives the teacher a chance to gauge the students academic level,base it on what they will be learning that year,and learn the learning style of students.

Some say that student designed summer projects are better because they allow the student to pick something that they find interesting and that they understand. And while it may be good that the student is interested in the topic they are working on it sort off defeats the purpose of the project. Because the projects are suppose to be a introduction into the next year and a way for the teacher to learn about the students. A student who is knowable able about history may design a project about Ancient Egypt,but if they already know the topic,they aren't learning anything. And while having the students create the projects may allow for more originality in the type and topic of them. That dosen't give the teacher the view of the student that they are meant to give teachers. Most students will design the project if given the chance to be easy so that they can have a good grade to start the year out. But that dosen't let the teacher see their strength and weakness,and the puts them at a disadvantage because the teacher wont know were the need help till it might be to late. If a student knows they have an English timed writing in Ms. Generic_Name class when they get into school,and they get to pic the book they analyze for it. They will pick and book probably that is on the easier side and that they understand. But if they are assigned a book by Ms. Generic_Name, she can see what skills they need when they do the writing.

Teacher-designed summer projects allow teachers to gauge students academic level on various topics. The teacher can create different problems bases on different levels of understanding to see which students get what level. This allows them a more direct view then viewing grades or passed assignments because the students may have improved since that was done. Once the teacher can see what academic level the students are on it allows them to create curriculum that allows everyone to understand and be successful during their class. If Mr. Generic_Name has a majority of people in his algebra 2 class that dont understand functions,he might spend some more time on the basics since a majority of the year will be using functions of some sort.

It also allows them to see who might need extra help in a subject and who can do it by them selves. Teacher designed summer projects also allow teachers to give a glimpse into the years curriculum.

Students can get a glimpse into the curriculum of the year from teacher designed summer projects because they can insert preassesment questions to get a handle on prior knowledge or have questions that tie ideas from the previous year into the new one. For example,Mr. Generic_Name could put in a questions about the cold war to see what people know. If a majority of the class has an understanding they can spend less time on that during the year and more on areas they are more shaky on. English and Math teachers can have problems were they have student uses old methods to solve new types of problems. This allows them to see if they need to spend more time on the basics before moving on to more advanced topics. Teacher designed summer projects in addition allow teachers the ability to see the students learning style and learn them.

Teachers can see the learning style of students by including different types of questions bases on different learning styles. In the projects,they design they could included questions that appeal to visual learners as well as topics that appeal to mental learners. In math and science,they can included different ways of getting to the solution to see which way the student do the best on. This allows the teacher to create assignments that cater to the students. Since every batch of students is different this allows the teacher to change their curriculum to fit the students they have this year so that they can leave successful and ready for what ever next. Not all years are going to be the same, Ms. Generic_Name might have a bunch of auditory learners one year but the next she has a bunch of tactile learners and if she designs her projects to look for that. She can plan accordingly and change her style a little so the students still leave her class successful.

Those are some of the reasons schools should have Teacher designed summer projects. Schools should have their summer projects be designed by teachers because it allows the teacher to gauge students understanding of principles and topics,allows introduction of new material,and learn learning styles. All schools that do summer projects should allow Teachers to designed them because that will help the year go better for both the teacher and student.