Elementary school teacher Matthew Hathaway and his fellow educators from Exeter School District have found a way to help students bridge the summer gap and make learning fun. The Teachers in the Parks Program takes the classroom outside to where kids want to spend their summer – at parks, playgrounds and pools.
Fun Summer Learning for Everyone
Teachers in the Parks (TIPS) was designed to prevent the loss of academic skills during the summer using fun, interactive programs taught by teachers from local community schools. “Instead of trying to bring children into schools, we remove the stigma of ‘summer school’ by sending teachers out into the community,” says Hathaway. The program is open to students currently enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade and offers classes in math, math challenge and reading. Not only does the program prevent “summer slide,” it also provides students with the opportunity to develop a caring and positive relationship with a teacher before the school year starts. TIPS aims to reach all socio-economic levels, and thanks to local sponsors the current cost is less than that of a babysitter. Many students even qualify to receive tuition grants to attend.
A Community Commitment
TIPS began in 2004 when several students from Hathaway’s first class wanted help over the summer with math and science. He met with them on the back porch of his family’s home in Lorane Orchards and walked down to Lorane Hollow Park for open spaces to do science activities. Before long they were meeting in the park regularly. By 2009, Exeter School District had officially adopted the program to fill a summer learning need for students in grades three through six, but there was no funding available. The community rallied around the project, and with the help of a few founding supporters hundreds of children have been able to participate. This summer more than 30 teachers worked with more than 350 students from Exeter alone in parks throughout the area.
A Model for Change
The program is catching on throughout the county, and Hathaway hopes to keep it growing. Antietam, Schuylkill Valley and Governor Mifflin have successfully adopted the program, and several other districts have shown interest. Unfortunately, lack of time and funding has prevented further expansion. State Senator Judy Schwank and Executive Deputy Secretary of Education Dr. David Volkman share the vision for expanding TIPS across the county and the state. They are working with Hathaway to scale the model and to secure adequate funding to create lasting change in impoverished areas. Senator Schwank said of the program, “I have had the opportunity to observe Teachers in the Parks firsthand over several years, and I feel very strongly that this program should be replicated in more schools so more children can have the opportunity to experience TIPS.”
Until then, they will keep working to share their vision with others. “Imagine a summer network where children from all walks of life, especially those children in the inner cities, have access to positive teacher role models and the educational tools needed to bridge the summer learning gap,” Hathaway says.
To learn more visit teachersintheparks.com. If you are interested in offering support please contact Matthew Hathaway at mhathaway@teachersintheparks.com.
