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Author: Jaime Singer
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Infographics 101
About a year ago, I was talking with a coworker about how to present some (relatively boring) information for an internal meeting. We were working with a lot of numbers and trying to find a way to make it more engaging. She said, “How about an infographic?” and I’m pretty sure I looked at her with a blank stare. I asked her to explain what an infographic was and I remember her re...
My Why: When I Grow Up, I Want to Be “Them”
When I was in middle school, I told my mom that when I grew up I wanted to be “them.” You know…when people say, “Well, they say that you should drink eight glasses of water a day.” “They say that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Who exactly are they? I didn’t know. But I wanted in! In my current role as a Senior Technical Assistance Consultant ...
Why Integrate Learning Standards?
As an afterschool and expanded learning professional, you have a lot going on in your day-to-day life. As you try to juggle the million little things that come up throughout your day, you’re also trying to pay attention to best practices in the field. You’ve probably heard about the importance of being “intentional” and “planful” in your program design, but what...
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 ...
Never Underestimate the Power of Relationship Building
As a technical assistance and professional development provider, I often receive vague requests for “classroom management training.” It usually goes something like this: Program Director: My tutors need training on classroom management. Me: Okay, tell me a little bit about your tutors and your program. Program Director: I use certified teachers to tutor the students in my program. Scho...
Stop, focus, and reflect
As schools and afterschool programs across the country are gearing up for the 2010-11 school year, now is a good time to stop, take a breath, and reflect about where we are. While this might seem counterintuitive to some of us (I know many of us try to take that breather at the end of the school year), it’s always good to go into a new year with an open mind. As someone who conducts training...
Best Practices in Afterschool: A Call for Mentorship
Due to the nature of my job, I visit a lot of afterschool programs throughout the country. A common element I’ve noticed at any program, whether they are in schools, community buildings, or churches, is the smell. It is the same no matter where I go. There’s always a hint of disinfectant, perhaps some body odor if it’s a middle school program, crayons, paint, chalkboards, whitebo...