What do you like to do in the summer? I'm sure the answer wasn't doing your summer projects for the next school year. In fact most high school students wait until the last month or even the last couple days of summer to do their summer projects, why is that the case? Summer projects are in place to help assure you are learning over the summer, and most of the time are assigned to you by the teacher. Doing the projects should be something you enjoy doing because it is break. However, most of the time they aren't enjoyable, so not doing the project and pushing it back is easier than doing the project. This brings the question should summer assignments be student-designed questions or teacher-designed questions. I believe that if high school students were to have a student- designed summer project rather than teacher-designed project then they will have interest in the project and able to showcase themselves as individuals, it will help them learn on a different level, but a teacher-designed project is purposeful and could help them in the future.

If high school students were allowed to have student- designed summer projects instead of teacher- designed projects then there would be more interest in doing the projects. Students wouldn't feel that there is an obligation to do the projects, but it's something to do for fun while on break. The project is whatever they want it to be. This gives them the opportunity to be creative, political, reflective, observatory, artistic, etc. Furthermore, this implies that there's more freedom in which they have the ability to use their imagination to create something for really what interests them. This would give the students an opportunity to be express themselves however they would feel to do so before the school year starts; it let's the teacher get to know them a little before being able to know them personally, like they would in the school year. Most summer projects do go in the grade book, and do count as a grade. Waiting until the last minute to do the project because you aren't interested in the topic, and then half fast doing it is no a good way to start the year. If student's got to choose their summer projects then there would be more interest in doing the summer projects, and less procrastination because students will actually find joy in doing the projects. This would also give the teacher a good reflection on who they are as a student before those connections are made.

Students will have the ability to learn a lot in a student- designed project. They will have the opportunity to learn in a different a way, a way that might be easier for them to understand. Students will also be able to gain knowledge about the subject they chose to do their project on. Since it is still a school project they will need to gather all information on that topic, which means research will have to be done to complete the project. However, in doing the research then they will learn a lot on the subject they are doing the project on. It gives them an opportunity to learn how they like to learn an gain information from how they wish to gain information from: interviewing people, online research, reading books, etc. They have total free range of how they would like conduct their project. Whereas, if a teacher is assigning a book report they would be forced to read the book, and forced to write however many pages on that book for a book report because those are the instructions, and that is what the teacher asked for. They wouldn't be able to express themselves, their views, or who they really are as individuals. The students would be constricted to only what the teacher has assigned, but the student-designed project would give them the opportunity to learn beyond what is being asked. A student-designed project will give the students free range of how they wish to conduct the project, and be able to learn beyond with no constrictions.

However some people may make the argument that to assure you are learning in the summer a teacher-designed projects would be the best bet. Having the teacher assign the project will ensure you that students will be learning from the project. These projects tend to go with the curriculum that you are going to have to have over the course of the school year: it's the sneak peak of what's to come. However, sometimes the projects aren't a sneak peak and are actually going to be your first topic that you will have over the school year, so it's imperative that you do them, so you can be prepared for class. Also with a teacher-designed project there will be more direction and instruction because there is more directions and or rules that will go along with the assignment, which may be better for some individuals so they can have a sense of direction for their project. It gives them more purpose in doing the project because they know what the outcome should be, and how it's planned out. This will give students a set plan of what to do. Some students may find the teacher-designed project better because there is more direction in the project, and you are able to ask questions about it if you truly don't understand what is going on or what is expected. A teacher-designed project is purposeful and will prepare you for the next year, but will also give you a better sense of direction for the project.

Although both arguments can be made that both a teacher-designed project and student-designed project will assure that you will continue learning over the summer's. In my opinion is better because a student-designed project will allow you to express yourself more and give you the opportunity to be more creative rather than a teacher-designed project where there are more rules and instructions that you will have to follow. There is less freedom when it comes to a teacher-designed project, and less ways to express yourself. Summer projects should be fun and a student-designed project is fun.