Brain Games for the Summer

Learning Can Be Fun: Summer Brain Games

If any of you are like me you probably went back to school in the fall feeling pretty good about the upcoming year only to find that you had forgotten a few key elements. It happens to everybody. When we take a two month break from learning and thinking it’s almost impossible to jump right back into full intellectual capacity (That is, if you don’t use one of our college educated Orange County tutors). On the other hand, those 2 precious months of freedom are what get many of us through the next year. It’s important to be rested and fresh-faced for the upcoming school year but there are a few things that we can all do to help us remember those few important pieces of information that we will need to start the school year on a positive note.

Classes with a one in them

First off, do any of the classes you’re currently taking have a 1 in them, for example, Algebra 1 or Spanish 1? If so then it is safe to assume that you will be taking Algebra 2 and Spanish 2 in the fall. These are the types of classes to focus on first.

There is a quick and easy way to keep yourself informed of everything you need to remember from the previous year’s math class. Just write down the formulas. Get a nice new pack of flash cards and write down each formula on the front and what you will need to use it for on the back. Put them in a place that you will remember two months from now. Keeping them together with a rubber band or putting them in a case is a good idea. Throwing them under the bed to soon be forgotten is probably not so good.

Don’t be like this guy when fall rolls around

Use color coding. If your formulas fall into different categories, then separate them by color. This will help memory recall in August.

You can do the exact same thing for Spanish (or French or Chinese). Will any of us remember how to conjugate those verbs come day one of Spanish 2? Probably not, but if we have those flash cards we are covered.

English in the Summer

We can’t forget about our core English classes. We will focus on composition and reading. Remember that suggested summer reading list that you get at the end of each June? Read all the books on the list. Seriously, this is the best way to stay immersed in education. If the number of books is just not realistic for you or if half of them are not your preferred genre, that’s okay. Pick a few novels of your choice. Any type of reading is better than not reading at all. Spend about 15 minutes after you complete each book and write down the main characters and well as the plot and conflict/solution.

How about composition? You can always use flash cards to help you remember when to use a semi colon verses a colon but writing is the best way to practice proper grammar, punctuation and flow/formatting. Keeping a journal worked in the past so why not try it now. Try writing or typing 250 words each week (that’s a full page hand written or a half page typed).

All of this will add up to about one hour a week and you can even take time off during that family vacation. So for about 8-10 hours of concentrated summer study, you can be prepared and ready to go for the fall. That’s not so bad.

All blog entries are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at [email protected] for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

Orange County parents and students, listen up! Beat the summer slowdown with a private, in-home tutor. We work around your schedule so you can stay sharp while having fun in the sun. Read: 10 Reasons You Need a Summer Tutor. What are you waiting for? Call us.