"One of my second graders needs summer school. She's a sweet kid who is just beginning to read. From past conversations, I am sure she and her parents are going to be upset. What should I say?"

Instructor, May-June, 2005

Take a Positive Approach. Before you meet with the parents brainstorm the pros and cons of attending summer school (make a list for parents and a list for your student). It's understandable that they may perceive summer school negatively, but there are many benefits, such as experiencing new teachers, having smaller class sizes, and gaining ground over the break. Once the child and parents see these lists, they may be less apprehensive. Let them know that you have their child's best interest in mind and want her to maximize her potential, no matter what grade she faces next year.--Denise Jett, The dePaul School, Louisville, KY

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Share the News in Person. Deliver the news during a scheduled parent-teacher conference, not by phone or e-mail. Let them know that third grade is a key year academically, in which students are expected to transition into chapter books and practice more sophisticated reading skills (including inference and synthesizing information), and their daughter does not yet appear to be completely ready for that advancement. Summer school would help their daughter start the year strong. Tell the student you want her to enjoy third grade as much as possible. Summer school will help her do that--she'll be super-ready by September!--Audrey Kennan, Town Center Elementary School, Plainsboro, NJ

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Keep a Running Record. One of the hardest lessons I've had to learn as a teacher is to be open and honest about a child's progress--to the parents and to the child--from the beginning of the school year. No one ever wants to be the bearer of bad news, but sharing the child's progress in a candid yet caring manner saves everyone the heartache of a surprise summer school referral. Sharing the students' data from running records, assessments, and anecdotal evidence that you have documented throughout the year may help to put the parents' minds at ease. That way, the family can see the need for additional instruction as a positive opportunity for growth.--Jaynelle Nestle, Casis Elementary School, Austin, TX

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Dr. Brodkin Responds:

These teachers' comments are very helpful. But here is an issue I wonder about: What would attending summer school likely do for this child that the regular school year couldn't do? It might be wise--in partnership with her parents--to refer this little girl for a diagnostic workup. Is it just later-than-average reading readiness, or is there some problematic pattern? Is she dyslexic? Is there a chance that physical or social-emotional issues or limitations of ability are interfering with her freedom to learn? The information gathered through psychological testing and a reading diagnostic can help you to decide whether a formal summer school program or individual tutoring designed to meet her particular needs would be more promising. Unless it turns out that a simple delay in reading readiness is the origin of her difficulty, there may be little point in having her review the same material in summer school. The key to remedial success is being well informed about the foundation for a particular child's difficulty. Just as every child is unique, every stumbling block to learning is also unique.

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Dr. Adele Brodkin is a child psychology expert and the author of Fresh Approaches to Working With Problematic Behavior (Scholastic, 2001).