Many schools assign summer projects as a way to ensure that students continue learning throughout summer break. It would be more beneficial if these summer projects were student-designed as opposed to teacher-designed because students would be allowed more creative freedoms with their projects, individualized learning, and students would be more apt to starting and completing their projects. While teacher-designed projects are easier to create, they leave students unmotivated and bored, but learning shouldn't be boring.

Teacher created projects are boring; with student-designed projects, students can be as creative as they want with their learning. When students are allowed to create their own projects, they are able to have more fun with what they are doing and in turn, are able to enjoy learning. While having complete freedom of how they may design their projects, students might have a difficult time; this is why there must be some structure and guidelines to lead students along the right path in their learning. Creativity is very important when it comes to learning because students won't remember things that they were bored learning, but when teachers find ways to make learning fun it is easier to retain information. Many students at Generic_School are given projects that allow students to go about their project in many different ways that appeal to them and their learning style. Often times projects are immediately related to PowerPoint or posters, but now medias such as Prezi, video, games, etc. are available to students, projects incorporating different medias are more fun to complete, allowing students to learn easier. When it comes to summer, students don't want to be bored, so allowing them to create their own projects in fun, creative ways makes them more excited to do their projects.

Every student is different and so is the way that they learn. Some students have no problem cranking out teacher-designed projects, but others do not find them so easy to complete. Allowing student-designed projects allow for more individualized learning. These projects would allow students to learn and review what they need to in order to be successful. While a broad and general review is good, sometimes students need extra love in certain areas of content. Giving students the freedom to come up with ways to learn what they need to is important to ensure that content is locked down and that students are on the same level. Many high schools across the country give out summer assignments, but they're not the best, at Generic_School students are given summer assignments but the assignments are only a general review or unnecessary work, they don't teach and leave students confused, but most importantly they don't allow students to heavily review confusing topics which can lead to students being left behind in their learning before the new school year even begins. There are just too many students with different learning needs that cannot be satisfied by teacher-designed projects. When students are given the ability to help themselves and learn what they need to how they need to, they will be more successful in their learning.

Students knowing that they are able to learn what they want, how they want makes them more motivated to do their work. When work is fun and exciting, it is much easier to complete and to want to complete. Teens and kids are so used to the same type of learning and the same projects that they have been asked to complete their whole lives that it is boring and extremely hard to find the motivation to do something they are bored with, they just don't want to do it. However, when students are given the ability to learn how they want to, it is exciting, especially when students are passionate about what they are doing. Not only will students be more motivated to do their summer projects, but student-designed projects would also lead to less academic dishonesty. At Generic_School, summer assignments have been the exact same thing for all students and they haven't changed in years, this means that it is extremely easy to find and/or get the answers to the summer assignments. This being said, it would be a lie to say that students don't cheat, because they do, but with student-designed projects, each project would be more individualized to each students needs, eliminating the ability to cheat. It just makes more sense to allow students to learn what they need to, how they want and need to, it gives them the ability to catch up to where their peers are, on their own time and terms.

It is time to revolutionize learning, and the first step is to let students take control of their own learning. Teacher-designed projects just aren't cutting it anymore, it is time for a change. Students need to be given the opportunity to work hard to get to where they not only need to be academically, but also were they want to be. No more students left behind in the dust of their classmates when they don't grasp the content of their course. Student-designed projects could be the end of cheating but also the beginning of a new way of learning where creativity is embraced. Student-designed projects could make students more motivated to do well because they don't feel stuck and confused. Every now and then, we need to allow students to take charge of their own learning, with their teachers as a guide on their path to success and understanding.