Avoiding the Summer Slide
The dreaded “summer slide” - the tendency for students to lose some of their academic skills over the summer - is one of the most significant causes of the academic achievement gap. Summer is an excellent time for students to cultivate learning and maintain academic progress made during the school year. Homework Help Now has created a Summer Skills Camp to provide students in grades 3-12 with opportunities to stay engaged over the summer, including live tutoring mini lessons and activities in math, science and writing. Homework Help Now is a valuable tool that helps students stay connected and motivated with a unique suite of learning tools and live online tutoring services. The purpose of the Skills Camp is not to provide a comprehensive survey of each academic topic - our SkillSurfer is more suited to that - or to overwhelm students with information, but to focus on areas that are academically significant, generated the most tutoring questions over the course of the school year, and do not require a significant time commitment over summer vacation. It is freely available to all; through the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture website. To access Summer Skills Camp, simply click on Homework Help Now and under the Study’s column click on Summer Camp. (If you don’t have an account you can easily create one by providing a username and password.)
You can connect immediately with live online tutors 7 days a week, from 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm (except for holidays). Online tutors have BA or BS degrees, are background checked, and are subject and grade-level specialists. Online tutoring is available in both English and Spanish. Use the writing lab to submit essays or papers and receive timely feedback from online tutors. If you need help on a topic but do not have a specific question, there are lesson plans covering an extensive list of subject areas such as calculus or biology. You can choose either to work through the lessons independently or connect with a live tutor. Standardized test preparation and academic practice tests are also readily available.
Questions can be sent for expert help regarding math, science, social studies, and other academic topics. The language lab can help you with Spanish homework or just help you brush up on your Spanish language skills. Other practical tools include customizable flashcards for studying and a career guide that helps plan for a future that matches your skills and interests.
If you are looking for books on any subject matter, there are numerous digital eBooks for students available through the library’s website. These include CloudLibrary, Freading, Hoopla, TumbleBookLibrary and TumbleMath Whether you want to hone your writing skills or focus on college preparatory tests, Homework Help Now has resources for all students at any grade level. Any time spent engaging in learning over the summer will help you develop lasting academic skills. To get started immediately, visit the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture website for helpful videos and written tutorials for this and many of the other digital resources offered through the library.