Some schools require students to complete summer projects during their break to assure that they are continuing to learn even when they are not in school. It is debated whether or not these projects should be student designed or teacher designed, and I believe that summer projects should be student designed. Students may want to design their project about something that they are passionate about, something they wish to learn more about, and perhaps they may be more accepting of doing summer projects if they got to design the projects they complete. It is hard for teachers to plan and design projects for each individual student because he or she may not choose a project that the student would want to complete and then a negative attitude develops towards summer projects. It is important for students to continue their education throughout the summer break but it needs to be something that they are interested in and something that they wish to learn about. Teachers get to plan all of their activities and projects throughout the school year and students have no say about what they wish to learn about or a project they wish to complete. Summer projects are the perfect opportunity to allow the student to choose a project that is interesting to them and that they have a passion for.

If students were allowed to design their summer projects, they woud be more passionate towards it and be excited to complete it. Most summer projects that teachers design for students lack adventure and are the same boring projects they receive during school. Teachers design projects for their students all school year long and students do not wish to continue doing those same boring projects during the summer. If a student was able to design his or her project they would design it based on their interests and something that they are passionate about and that would result in an amazing project that shows heart and passion. A teacher rarely is going to plan a project that applies to each student's interest and instead just plans a project that is mundane that no student wishes to complete. Perhaps a student was passionate about art, they could easily take a trip to an art museum and design a poster or a slideshow about what they experienced at the art museum and then share their passion with other students in the classroom. Learning does not always have to be completing work in a textbook or doing a book report, it can be fun and exciting and something students have a passion for. If students were allowed to choose summer projects, it could result in more students being passionate about learning and some really amazing projects.

A student designed project could be something that the student wishes to learn about as well. If a student showed an interest in marine biology, he or she could take trips to an aquarium and construct a project about what he or she learned. It is difficult for teachers to know all of their students interests and what they would like to learn about and that problem could be solved quickly by letting the students design their project. If a student does not want to learn about the project that a teacher has designed for them, summer projects become a negative thing and no student wishes to complete them. However, if a student designs a project around what he or she would like to learn about, it sparks a level of interest that may not be reached if a teacher were to design the project. Most of the kids in school are learning the basics, math, reading, writing, science, and so forth. While some of these subjects may interest students some may be more interested in the human anatomy, marine life, and the study of different cultures and if a student could design their summer project they could travel and witness different cultures and their history, or travel to a beach or nearby river with countless number of wildlife. They could truly experience it first hand which is a better form of learning than anyone could receive in a classroom.

Also, students may be more open to completing a summer project if they were the ones to design it. Of course it would have to meet guidelines, but at least it would be catered to the student. When I was younger I was assigned summer projects and I dreaded them every year because they were mainly huge, thick packets of math problems. I had no interest in completing these summer projects and eventually I quit doing them. However, if I were able to design my project I would have made it fun and educational at the same time and I would have been more open to completing it. One summer my aunt took my cousins and I to the science museum and we had a wonderful time but we also got to learn a lot as well. I was about eleven years old when I took this trip and I will never forget all of the amazing things I learned as well as how much fun I had. Learning does not have to be strictly confined to completing packets all summer, it can be broader and more fun. If students could design a summer project that suits them and is fun and interesting, they would be more open to completing it.

In conclusion, students should be able to design their summer projects because, there will be more passion towards the project, it could be about something they may not be able to learn about in the classroom, and they would be less negative about completing it. Teachers do not know each and every student's interest or what they wish to learn about so it is difficult for them to design a project that is fun for every student so they end up giving out mundane packets every year. It is important to allow students to choose what they would like to learn about and further their education in during the summer because teachers choose what they learn about during school. It should be their opportunity during the summer to explore the horizon and further their education by doing a project they wish to do and that starts with letting them design their project.