All teachers fear the inevitable "summer slide" that comes during summer break. In order to combat this trend, many schools are starting to assign summer projects to students in order to help them retain information and further their education. However, many people disagree on whether the projects should be designed by the teachers or the students themselves. Some say that students would be able to effectively pursue their own interests while others say teachers' experience would prove to be more effective. Summer projects should be designed by the teachers because of their previous experience in designing projects, their ability to ensure critical information will be retained or learned, and their ability to ensure that all students will receive the same amount of work.

A common argument for students to design their own projects would be that by allowing students this freedom, students would be able to actively pursue the topics and ideas that interest them and this would drive them to work more enthusiastically on their projects. Just as Frederick Douglass fervently pursued his dream of learning to read, these students would also be self motivated to learn about their own interests. However this is incorrect because teachers can design the projects to include all students' interests but do so in a more effective way. Teachers develop a personal bond with students throughout the year. This bond that develops informs the teachers on the students' skills and interests which would allow the teachers to develop the summer projects in such a way as to facilitate eager emotions for learning. This way, the students would still be inspired by their interests to learn while being guided by their teacher to learn everything that they should.

Teachers have valuable experience from their work that allows them to be skilled at designing summer projects. All high school teachers have a collegiate level of education as required by their job. The teachers have years of experience studying the best ways to facilitate learning through all mediums, including projects. Due to this large gap in understanding the intricacies of learning, teachers are extremely more skilled at designing projects than students. In addition, because the projects are meant to facilitate learning and recall, the teachers' understanding of how learning is best achieved allows them insight to the most efficient ways to do this. It is a common saying among athletes that "practice makes perfect." This principle can also be applied to other skills such as designing projects. Teachers, through their years of work and experience, have created multitudes of projects. Their experience of creating projects allows them to master the craft to produce quality material. While students have little to no experience creating projects, teachers do. Their superiority in this way allows them to more effectively combat the "summer slide" than the students would. Though experience is important, essential information also plays a large role.

Teachers can make sure that essential skills and knowledge will be retained by students to ensure future success. Teachers are required by their school to be familiar with the course and curriculum that they teach. With this knowledge, teachers can implement the essential material into the projects. By doing this, the students remember and learn vital information without even realizing it. Teachers can equip students with knowledge that will prove to be vital later on in their schooling careers. If students designed their own projects, this extra benefit would not be at all possible because of their obvious lack of knowledge that they have yet to learn. One essential skill that is taught by professors to retain information for long periods of time is to review what you have already learned. This memory skill can be hidden within projects by the teachers to cement certain information into students brains. Teachers would be able to strengthen old knowledge while providing new knowledge and skills through their projects. Though knowledge is important, equal opportunity is as well.

Teaches would ensure that all students are given the same amount of work to complete for their projects. Steve Jobs said that he always gave the hardest jobs to the laziest people. Students, like everyone else, have a tendency to be lazy. If students were allowed to design their own projects, many would do the bare minimum to get it out of the way. By allowing teachers to design the projects, this would be mitigated and ensure all students worked hard. The College Board works to ensure that all students are treated equal during standardized tests. If Colleges give everyone equal work and opportunity, it only makes sense for all other levels of school to do this as well. Through teacher designed projects, teachers could ensure that everyone is on an equal playing field. By doing this teachers would not allow students to unknowingly disenfranchise themselves of necessary skills. This way all students will be equal ready in their college readiness. All students would equally benefit from the teacher assigned projects.

Though students may enjoy designing their own projects, teacher-designed projects would provide greater benefit to all students. Through the teachers' intellectual maturity and experience they would provide better practice with the purpose and skills within the projects. Their knowledge of whats to come would also provide students with solid foundations for the upcoming school year, starting them off on the right foot. Teachers ability to provide equal opportunity for all students would ensure future success by ensuring proper habits are formed. Teachers, not students, should design summer projects to combat the summer slide because of their acquired skills in teaching, their insight to the students' futures, and how they can instill success equally to their students.