Classes, such as Art, require students to complete projects over the summer. In the example of

AP

Art, their works are part of their end-of-year graded portfolio while also working to ensure that students are still prepared and ready to complete magnificent pieces over the school year. The teacher of the class should be the designer of such projects because they know the previous year's material, know what next year's material is, and they need to learn what their students understand.

While teachers may remember the material they teach to students year after year, students themselves may forget over the course of their summer break. That's where summer projects come into play; they require students to refresh their knowledge and understand it in order to apply it. A summer project designed by a student may not touch on enough material or dig deep enough to re-solidify the knowledge learned in the previous school year. In the case of the summer before Art 3, the class was assigned with going outside their comfort zone and creating at least two art pieces they were happy with. Over my summer, I got into painting. The piece I had the most trouble with took me over a month, but by the time I'd finished, I was comfortable with blending paints, color theory, and realism. Then, in Art 3, we spent an entire semester working on blending colors and realism, which I was experienced in by then. If I had not been told to leave my comfort zone, I never would've painted or practiced realism, which are both incredibly important skills in art. If I had designed my own project, I would've simply decided to further refine the skills I was more comfortable with.

Over the summer, most students relax and enjoy their homework-free life, which is why it's jarring to return to school and get homework the same day. An assigned summer project eliminates that problem by preparing students for the workload and expectations of the class. Bringing back the Art 3 summer project, our teacher wanted us to continue doodling and working on art, but he also wanted two show-worthy art pieces, which is what the class revolves around. In class we spend an entire month practically slaving over one piece. On more than one occasion, I've had to start an entire piece over from scratch after I've finished it. Teachers know the classes they teach and, with pre-class projects, help adapt students to their expectations for the actual class. While more dedicated students may prepare for their more favored classes before school starts, not every student will know what to do.

The biggest issue with returning to class after break is not understanding something. This is especially terrible if a student doesn't even know what they don't understand. If a summer project works students to properly summarize and utilize their knowledge of the class, students will see the flaws in their understanding when they can't answer certain questions or apply certain topics. For example, one of the biggest problems I faced with my painting was that I simply couldn't comprehend how to paint shadows without using inked-out lines. When I came back to school, I talked to my teacher and learned from him how to better define my painting by using shading instead of lines. I may love art, but I wouldn't naturally subject myself to the suffering that lies outside my comfort zone, at least, not without it being required.

A problem I've faced with summer projects is the lack of personalization. What I mean is that sometimes teachers assign projects that just don't fit certain people, maybe because they don't fully understand the mind of their students. Last summer, I was tasked with writing a series of short stories, each with a different requirement. While I enjoy creative writing, I suffer when tasked with short stories; I just can't put my ideas into the format. However, all students should be able to display the necessary material on a standardized plane, at least to help the teacher know what needs improvement. Due to the mixed results of the project, my teacher later taught the class how to break down a story into different aspects so that I could understand the structure like a novel-length story. Even though the project didn't properly display our fullest potential, the class was able to move forwards and learn new skills to better ourselves.

As a student, I dislike working over the summer. I'd rather spend my time working on my hobbies, spending time with my family, and forgetting about school in general. I understand the need for summer projects and appreciate it, but if I had the choice, I'd make an easy project that could be done without even cracking open a textbook or looking at my notes. Also as a student, though, I like and even enjoy understanding class material and doing good work. It's a compromise, but if a teacher assigns a project over summer, I happily do it because I trust that the teacher is doing it because it will help students. I alone cannot prepare myself for a year of next-level material, whether it be art or writing or even math. Projects help me retain the information I need for the class and keep me sharp for the work that comes with it. While I can't design the perfect project to prepare myself, I know my teacher will.