Summer break has always been an important time for students to relax, spend more time bonding with their families, and travel to new places. Although summer is typically a nice and warm few months for destressing, I know that my summer is always packed with sports, trips, and visits from family. But what if the kids return back to school having completely cut off their school learning for 3 months? Schools then add teacher organized projects to the agenda, meaning for families there is always a week or more at the end of summer where everyone is cramming to get all their project work done. This almost constantly leads to less time to enjoy the end of summer, parents having to be involved, and unfocused, rushed work being handed in on the first day of school. However, there is a solution: Students design and lead their own projects, based off their own interests and activities. Letting students lead their own projects still assures that they are spending time learning, but eliminates several of the negative factors. Student-designed projects where kids can do a project that pertains to their certain hobbies and summer adventures are better than teacher-designed projects because kids would be more enthusiastic about the work, parents would be less involved, and the learning they would be doing is more valuable overall.

Last summer, I went to Italy and got to visit cities I had never imagined, learning so much about the history and culture. My summer assignments meant that once I got the the hotel, I wasn't napping ro relaxing, but up working on homework. It was uninteresting to me and tedious. If only I designed my own projects, then I could share with the teachers and school all the fascinating discovies I was making about Italy, and instead of sitting alone while my family was resting for our next excursion, record my beautiful day and turn it into a project that made sure my mind and writing and creative skills stayed fresh. I know that not every kid gets to go on a trip to Italy, but letting a student design their own project could mean they focus on a sport, job, or something they learned in school that they wish to focus in more on too. That would make it more likely for the kid not to forget about the project until last minute, because adding that element of enthusiasm would keep it not in the back but the front of their minds. Teachers would not be handed in rushed work but work that really reflects their student's character.

Another reason that student-designed projects would be more beneficial is that typically, when kids are confused about their teacher-assigned project or need assistance, it is necessary for the parents to be involved. The age effects this as well, because some young elementary schoolers may be incapable of staying focused on the project without support. For most adults summer break still means going to work everyday unless they are out of town. Since there isn't teacher access at home, the parents get pulled into doing way more of the projec than they should, whether the kid is just disinterested or struggling ont heir own. Student-designed projects would take away the parent's necessary involvement becuase kids can organize their own project based of their own levels of learning and understanding. They will be more interested as well so it is much more unlikely for them to be needing parental support. The home in the last few weeks of summer would no longer be a place for frantic parents and confused children.

Lastly, assigning student-designed summer projects would result in the child gaining a more benefitting and valuable learning experience overall. Children are much more likely to be passionate about their own projects if they feel as if it is uniquely their own. The research and skills would go in to more depth with more focus, for example, if I got to write about what I had learned in Florence and Rome instead of doing mindless work. Anyone is much more likely to benefit and learn from something they love and enjoy. It is also more likely for the kid to retain the information better if they have some sort of association to it, like research about a place they went or sport they participated in. Teachers would have students returning back to school with project in their hands that they are excited to share with their peers.

It is time for teacher-designed projects, which can be less interesting, stressful for families, and rushed, to be replaced by student-designed projects where students are independantly creative. Although it is good for schools to make sure all their children are not losing skills over the break, the same skills would be practiced if children got more freedom to design their own activity. Plus, summer work would be full of more enjoyment and acedemic value!