Summer projects are about the students learning something beneficial, not just doing some random work that the teacher assigned. That is why I believe that the summer projects should be student designed. Student designed products are beneficial to students and teachers in so many ways. It gives the teacher a bit less work, and the students get the ability to be a bit more independent. You can never put a limit on a students creativity ad interests.

The amount of students that actually turn in the summer project is equivalent to about half the classroom. Why?, it's because the students arent interested in the project. Most of the time if the summer project isn't interested in the project, they don't do it. Students can be doing anything else on summer break other than a boring project a teacher assigned. It's proven that students learn more about subjects that they are more interested in.

Another reason is, they can base their projects on what they are planning for summer break. If they arent planning anything and is planning to stay home, they can base it on something they are interested in. It also lets the teachers learn more about the student and what they are planning to do for the summer. Also if they arent planning anything it will be good for them to learn more about what they like as well. For example, if a student is planning to go to Hawaii, he can base his project on different sites or volcanoes that are significant to Hawaii.

These projects are also helpful to parents and students for getting them more active and let their brain work as well. Based on the projects they want to do, it could influence or persuade them to go outside. For example, students can go to the library to do research or research a certain plant in the area that their project requires. Parents will also be grateful that a school related activity was able to get their child out and learning. It encourages students to not only go outside and flex their physical muscles and mental muscles.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that the students are learning and being independent. Teachers having less work to do and parents being happier is just a plus side to student designed projects. Teachers also get to learn more about the student and their interests. The teacher learns what the student did over break or not. It also lets the students learn more about themselves and what their interests are.