Today, the effect of summer break on students is debated as frequently as politics. Many are convinced that this long break causes students to forget material that they have just learned. Schools have tried to combat this issue in various ways; one way is to require summer projects. This would assure that students continue learning during their break. However, this solution begs the question of if these projects should be designed by the teachers or the students. Certainly, these projects should be left to the teacher. Summer projects should be teacher-designed to reduce the unnecessary amount of time spent on the project and stress on the students, insure the relevancy the project has to the course, and guarantee the teacher's help and structured guidelines.

First, if summer projects are teacher-designed, the amount of unnecessary time spent on the project and stress would reduce for the students. The time needed to plan and form a project would be solely on the teacher, not each individual student. This entire process can be very stressful and overwhelming, especially for a student who does not have a degree in the subject. The stress and frustration would continue, especially if a student cannot get approval. A student-designed project would require the student to present their project idea to the teacher for approval. Whereas a teacher-designed project would already be approved, eliminating the hassle of the first few steps in the project making process. For example, a high school student, Generic_Name, is going into an advanced science class. She has the idea to do a project where she will conduct a survey asking different people to pick their preferred flower from a list. The teacher denies her request because it does not reflect the class level. Generic_Name then has to go back and start from square one, frustrated and angry. A student may have to go back again and again, especially frustrated because it is wasting valuable time in the middle of their summer.

Second, teacher-designed projects would be relevant to the course. Students would be unaware of the topics related to the course they are going into, for they have not studied it yet. It would be impossible for them to form a beneficial project related to the subject. A teacher could use this project as a precursor to the unit they will study first, beginning to teach right when they get back to school. The students will have some background on the topic, ready to jump in. The students will then be able to have class discussions on the topic, because they all did the same project and are on the same page. For example, Generic_Name is a rising senior in high school going into an American literature class. He is told that he must complete a project over summer. He decides to read a biography on George Washington and do a report on the book. He has no idea that the first unit in the class is poetry. It would have been more beneficial to Generic_Name and the other students in that class if the teacher was able to assign the project. The teacher could have given the students many Edgar Allen Poe poems and assigned a thrilling project to go along with the mysterious and captivating works of Poe. Coming back from summer break, the class could discuss what they read and share their projects with each other. Having a teacher design a relevant project would unify the class and be a wonderful bridge to aid in the transition from summer into a new school year.

Lastly, clear guidelines and the teacher's help would be guaranteed if teachers design summer projects. With the teacher designing the project, they could make a clear and distinct rubric. This would inform students exactly what the teacher is looking for. It is very difficult to complete a project when you are not sure how it will be graded. Teachers would be able to help students and answer any questions they may have. For example, over the summer, Generic_Name has an assignment to research her favorite U.S. president and write a paper on their life. The teacher provides an over view of the assignment, a list of all the requirements, and a rubric. Generic_Name would like to add a page on the president's children. However, she is not sure if that is allowed, considering that the assignment was only on the president himself. She sends an email to her teacher and asks her question. The teacher is able to answer her question almost immediately, because the teacher knows exactly what they want. The teachers should formulate the projects, so they can assist the students and guide them. Some may argue that student-designed projects allow students to have creativity, individuality, and freedom. As a result of these things, students would be more inclined to complete the project; however, these self-assigned projects could easily be swept under the rug, especially in the midst of an exciting summer break. More time, thought, and preparation must go into a student designed project, discouraging students from setting aside appropriate time to devote to the project, because they view it as too challenging.

In conclusion, summer projects should be designed by teachers. This would be more beneficial to both students and teachers. The teachers would be able to assign projects that are relevant to their lesson, relating their summer work to the unit they will be studying first, allowing them to be able to start learning as soon as they get back to school. During the months of summer break, the last thing that students want is the stress of a project. It would be much easier and less stressful if the teachers designed the project to reduce the amount of preparation needed from the students. The teachers would give the students clear guidelines, and then be able to help the students because they have a distinct idea of what they are looking for. Summer projects should be teacher-designed to insure the relevancy of the project, guarantee structured guidelines, and limit the unnecessary stress for students. 