BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH
SUMMERTIME!
I know; this is exciting for students and a horror for parents. “What are we going to do with them this summer?” For some families, they have been saving up for a little bit, and now they want to take the family on vacation. There are others who are staying home, working, and carrying on their daily lives, except now, they have to keep the children busy. This information is going to be important for everyone, but let us look at the facts first, and then we can consider some remedies:
- Research clearly shows that motivated students tend to watch less television. Of course, as viewing goes up, academic achievement scores eventually go down.
- Television requires less mental effort than reading
- Television may shorten the time children are willing to spend on finding an answer to intellectual problems they are set to solve.
There has been a phrase created called the “Zombie Effect.” It basically states that whatever you raise your kids on, that is what their minds get addicted too. You raise kids on sweets, they become addicted to sweets. You raise kids on television, they get addicted to television, just like any hypnotic state. The summertime is a common time to see the effects of the “Zombie Effect,” which is why it is important that parents take action. If parents want their children to do well in school or develop life mastery skills, they have to start with language. A rich vocabulary is a foundation, but the ability to describe, compare, and categorize with language is what leads to our ability to think in analogy — that’s the highest level and it’s also what is tested in school and ultimately life.
Solutions
Here is the best part of my job; I am able to present issues that are important, and then I am able to provide solutions. I don’t just leave you thinking, I help to motivate action. So, there are some community organizations who have taken it upon themselves to create programs that will take the worry away from you. Below is a list of camps and services that could be helpful; some of the programs presented have been provided by the Ontario Association of Black School Educators, and you can find out more information on the link provided at the end of the article.
NORTH YORK, MISSISSAUGA, BRAMPTON, TORONTO
Hear 2 Help Summer Upgrading Program (Mentoring, Skills Building, Tutoring)
Visit www.hear-2-help.com for more details on the program, or you can call 416-551-2469.
Start: Monday, July 2, 2018, Monday – Thursday
(Private Classes Start at 11:00 am – 6:00 pm) (Sessions starting at $30.00 per hour)
End: Friday, August 31, 2018
AJAX, ONTARIO
CODING: KIDS MAKING CODE COST:
FIND REGISTRATION, LOCATION AND COST INFORMATION ON WWW.TECHSPARK.CA
Start/End: July 2 – 6, 2018, 9 AM – 3PM August 20 – 24, 2018, 9AM – 3PM
This a beginner level workshop for girls and boys ages 9-12.
BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO
CAMP JUMOKE COST: FAMILIES PAY $60 ($2300 COVERED THROUGH FUNDRAISING)
Camp Jumoke is Canada’s first medically supervised overnight summer camp dedicated to enriching the lives of children living with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD. Attending Camp Jumoke allows these children to develop vital social and emotional skills.
Start/End: late July 25-August 11 (2 weeks)
Contact Person: Judy Grandison, President
Tel: #: 416-410-2995
Email Address: info@jumoke.org
Website/Facebook Page: www.jumoke.org/camp-info
Other social media: @campjumoke
CAMP UNITED COST: $125 / 7 WEEKS OF CAMP
The overall goal of Camp United (6 to 14 years) is to provide a safe, learning and fun experience for participants. We offer an affordable summer day camp for children from the Region of Peel, which includes activities to develop pro-social behaviors, foster a team spirit, and encourage and stretch the budding mind.
Duration Start/End: July 9 – August 24, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm
Contact Person: Zeresha McKenzie Tel: #: 905-455-6789
Email Address: uacs@unitedachievers.org
Website/Facebook Page: www.unitedachievers.org.
Other social media: Instagram/Twitter
ONABSE is strongly committed to improving educational opportunities for the African-Canadian community. You can find out more information at http://onabse.org/media/ONABSESummerCampDirectory2018.pdf .
Have a fantastic summer!
