BY DAN NEWMAN
Staff Writer
MIDDLETOWN — While the school year is coming to an end soon, it doesn’t mean that the learning has to stop.
Sure, most kids are looking forward to riding their bikes or going swimming and spending time with their friends. But at Sylvan Learning Center in Middletown, the summer is also an opportunity to continue on the academic path in preparation for the upcoming school year.
The programs are available to kids age 4 and above, and are designed to help them retain much of the information that they have learned throughout the school year. Many educators feel that kids retain this information during short breaks rather than the traditional 10-12 weeks away from classroom instruction.
While it’s mostly elementary school-aged children who come through the doors, there were more than a few high-schoolers who took the time out during the summer to prepare for the SAT.
“Loss of content retention begins within 24 to 48 hours of learning unless the information is reinforced or applied immediately,” said Teresa Rampulla, executive director of the Sylvan Learning Center in Middletown.
In addition to offering standard academic instruction in the summer months, the center is launching a Brain Feeding Reading Contest to generate interest among students in reading.
“We have found that students find it beneficial to study subjects such as algebra and geometry during the summer to maintain skills, work on closing gaps or get ahead for the next year,” Rampulla said.
“Summer is actually our busiest time of the year,” Rampulla said. “Kids and parents alike realize that there’s a lot of value because it gives kids a chance to brush up on their skills or catch up on things they did not understand during the school year. For parents, they probably won’t have to help their kids as much with their homework at the start of the school year.”
The center is located at 1387 Route 35 and Harmony Road in the ShopRite Plaza. For further information, call (732) 615-2227.