Breakfast Club Blog
The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is a curated space where bloggers from around the world contribute content on a continual basis about a variety of topics relevant to in and out-of-school time. The BOOST Breakfast Club blog is at the heart of an ongoing dialogue where expanded learning and education professionals share their personal thoughts and stories from the in and out-of-school time field. They also tell us what they ate for breakfast!
The BOOST Breakfast Club Blog is Brain Food for In and Out-of-School Time Leaders!
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Partnering with Expanded Learning to Center Equity in School Reopening Plans
We know that many of the learning gaps among student groups stem from disparities in both access to and quality of learning time and opportunities. Right now, even higher-income families can see the impact that gaps in learning and socialization time are having on their children. But as COVID-19 continues to exacerbate educational disparities between kids whose families can afford to provide or pay for learning supports and effective environments, and those who cannot, our hope is that this also...Read More
Traveling, Speaking And Collaborating For Future Education Equity: A Report From The Road
This blog is being republished with permission from TGR Foundation. It was originally posted on November 1st, 2018. —————————————————————————————————————————————————– October presented me with multi...Read More
Preserving Programs for Kids by Going Local
At the end of 2017, the nation is on the verge of one of the largest federal tax cuts in modern times. And while some in Washington celebrate, for others the Congressional tax deal holds the specter of devastating cuts to social services and education programs that rely on federal dollars. Some are bracing for budgets squeezed dry, and more and more programs, already run on a shoestring, hobbled to ineffectiveness or nonexistence. Knowing what’s at stake, people in our line of work don’t typical...Read More
Hear the Whole Song
I’ve mentioned before my love of the band Mumford & Sons, and I have been delighted recently that my five-year old son has been similarly taken by them. The other day we were listening to “Roll Away Your Stone” and I was telling him how that was the first song of theirs I had ever heard, and recounted the first time I heard it. He made me tell him the story twice, somehow as rapt by it as he was by the song. I told him that I was in the car driving when it came on. I told ...Read More
9 Tips from Out-of-School Experts to Build #PartnershipsWithPurpose
Call it what you want – partnerships, collaborations, collective impact – whatever your terminology of choice, partnerships with purpose are essential for any out-of-school program to be successful. Resources are tight, time is limited and staff turnover is a reality. So how do you build impactful partnerships? Here are 9 tips from key out-of-school time leaders. Use the hashtag #PartnershipsWithPurpose to share yours. “Establish a mutual purpose of providing the best for kids....Read More
10 Tips for Making Feedback Part of Your DNA
I was in a meeting recently and was offered a suggestion: To invite my staff to play back what they heard during discussions in order to reduce the chance for misunderstandings. I appreciated this feedback because it was practical and addressed an area of growth for me. It was especially meaningful since the feedback was from someone whom I supervise. I know that it’s not always easy to offer up constructive feedback to a supervisor. Feedback within an organization: Practice makes better I...Read More
Snack It Up: Give Your Snacks an Upgrade for Less
What does snack time look like in your program? Are kids eating snacks like fruits, vegetables, and water, or are there bags of chips, cookies, and juice boxes? Maybe you want to offer healthier snacks, but don’t think your program has the time or money? Your local grocery store can be a great community partner to help make healthy snacks more affordable. In a recent announcement, First Lady Michelle Obama highlighted the important role that out-of-school-time organizations can play in fightin...Read More
Revising Beyond the Bell – A Few Takeaways
I began my career as a consultant and trainer for afterschool and expanded learning programs at PlusTime New Hampshire. While I was there, I had one resource I would turn to time and time again to support the programs I was working with: the Beyond the Bell Toolkit. As a consultant dealing with a variety of program needs and questions, the Toolkit was a great resource for me because there were so many tools available on topics ranging from management to evaluation to program design and delivery....Read More