Some schools require students to complete summer projects to assure they continue learning during their break. Summer projects provide teachers with a way to insure that their students continue to learn while they are on their big break during the summer thus, making sure that the students are prepared to learn again once the break is over. Opponents may say student-designed summer projects are superior to teacher-designed summer projects since they produce more creative end products or becuase the student does not get confined by guidelines. Although some believe summer projects should be be student-designed, it should be known that summer projects must be teacher-designed.

Teacher-designed projects benefit the teachers in many ways, one of these ways is the ease of grading. For example, if a teacher designs the summer project than all of the projects grades can be based on the same rubric thus making it more efficient to grade them. Another way teacher-designed projects benefit the teacher is the potential for a larger turnout. To elaborate, if the project is designed by the teacher than presumably the instructions will be easier to follow than if the student had to make it up on their own meaning that students who would normally give up and not do the project due to not being able to come up with ideas would now be able to complete the project and as a result, more projects would end up being turned in. Finally, teacher-designed projects benefit the teachers as they are easier for the teacher to design. For instance, it is a lot more efficient for the teacher to type a set of specific instructions rather than a large list of things the student can or can't do for the project because the set of instructions is much less broad of a topic and hence easier to design for efficiency.

Although teacher-designed projects have many benefits for the teachers them selves they also provide many benefits to the students, one such benefit to the students is the easy to follow guidelines. To elaborate, when the teacher provides a set of guidelines for a given project it is a lot easier for the student to complete it since they don't have to worry nearly as much about where to start or how to set it up. A secondary benefit of teacher-designed projects for the students is the new perspective it provides. For instance, the student may already be biased about the topic they are doing their project on but if the teacher sets up the project in a specific way than that may give some perspective to the student and as a result, the student will create a better project. A final benefit of the teacher designing projects for the students is that it insures the students are learning what they need to know. For example, if the student designs their own project then there is a high likelihood that they will design it around something they already know a lot about to make it easier on them selves, but if the if the teacher designs the project than it will push the student to learn new things and they will be better off for it.

Although some believe summer projects should be student-designed, it should be known that summer projects must be teacher-designed. The opposition may suggest that student-designed projects are better because they give students a voice or allow more students to be able to do the project however, teacher-designed projects are superior as they benefit teachers by increasing submission turnout, making grading more efficient, and making it easier to design furthermore, teacher designed projects benefit students by providing easy to follow guidelines, giving students new perspectives, and teaching them what they need to know. In conclusion, more classes should hand out teacher-designed summer projects over student-designed summer projects.