Summer Learning and Beyond: Opportunities for Creating Equity

This report provides a set of six design principles, or stances toward learners and learning, that are essential for creating intellectually rigorous and equitable learning settings. These principles provide a holistic framework for designing goals, practices, and activities for summer learning and beyond. The Six Design Principles for Summer Learning and Beyond include: (1) Center Relationships; (2) Create a Culture of Affirmation and Belonging; (3) Build From Students' Interests and Take a Whole Child Approach to Their Development; (4) Engage Students' and Families' Knowledge in Disciplinary Learning; (5) Provide Creative, Inquiry-Based Forms of Learning; and (6) Address Educator Needs and Learning. The principles are guided by research on learning, which views learning as an essential life function that involves all aspects of what it means to be human. It is at once cognitive, physical, emotional, social, and cultural. This report discusses each design principle and why it is important. It highlights key ideas and practices that are related to each design principle, and lists resources and references (hyperlinked in the text) that people can consult to learn more. The report then provides an example to embody the principles in action and in concert with one another.