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!
Interested in becoming a blogger? Email [email protected]
Click here to Register for a free account or click here to Login to your existing account.
Creating a Culture of Vulnerability and Fostering Creativity in Education
For the most part, education is designed to meet academic demands, which does not always support the development of emotional intelligence of our children. When we as educators and parents put too much emphasis on academic abilities, we may create a culture of shame. Frequent comments about children’s academic performance and measuring their worth in grades often leads to shaming and making them feel that they are not good enough. So how do we motivate our children to learn without creating a cu...Read More
Seven Super Tools to Prevent Misbehavior
Super Spaces When you walk into a gymnasium, you behave differently than when you walk into a library. The environment sends cues to the brain about how you should feel and behave. Provide an environment that encourages desirable behavior. The space should say “Play with me!” in a way that clearly defines HOW to play. The way you arrange your space and what you put in your space tells children what types of behavior are expected in that space. Control the environment, not the child. ...Read More
The Importance of Being Intentional
Sue, an energetic afterschool staff member, rushes into the school premises precisely at 2:30 p.m. She had just come from a school located across town, where she had been working as a substitute teacher all day. With a brief but friendly “hello” to the school’s administrative assistant, Sue quickly signs in for the day and wastes no time as she heads straight to the cafeteria. In a whirlwind of efficiency, Sue gathers the snacks, arranges the attendance sheets neatly on the caf...Read More
The BOOST Conference: By The Field, For The Field
This year the BOOST Conference was beyond measurable and loaded with learning opportunities, networking receptions, film festivals, Town Halls, Pop-Up Dinners, Inspiration Stations, and so much more. Our small but mighty team of dedicated volunteers, the BOOST Leadership Team (BLT), worked for a year to welcome all the BOOSTers to sunny Palm Springs! In this blog, we want to provide you with a quick glimpse of the magic that goes into building this wonderful and inspiring conference. WANT IN? CL...Read More
Countdown to BOOST! 5 Ways to Get Ready for the BOOST Conference
Every year, professionals in the field of expanded learning come together to share ideas and best practices, get inspired, and connect with others who share a similar passion. This magical experience is BOOST! It is one of a kind. I wish I could bottle up the energy. Regardless if you’ve never attended, or attend each year, here are a few strategies you might consider to optimize your BOOST experience. 1. Be Informed Review the workshop sessions and Inspiration Stations beforehand a...Read More
New Adventures In Youth Gardening
If you’ve ever watched a child taste and enjoy a vegetable that she grew herself — the same vegetable that she won’t eat at home that’s from the grocery store — you know some of the power of youth gardening. Children and teens benefit from gardening in many ways, from eating more fruits and vegetables and increased nutrition knowledge to improved leadership and collaboration skills. Out-of-school time gardening programs can be connected to school gardens or take place in community ga...Read More
Releasing the Giving Hangover
This post was originally published on December 21, 2017. It seemed like a good time to reflect on our giving habits and how we teach our youth to show up for their communities. It never failed. I would receive mountains of canned goods, dry goods, and cash from well-meaning donors before Christmas (always accompanied by copious amounts of cranberry jelly), but the season inevitably came: The Giving Hangover. Call it the Winter Blues, or the Post-Christmas Slump, or whatever, giving always droppe...Read More
6 Meeting Makeovers to Try This Fall
Our friends at the Born This Way Foundation hosted #BeKind21 this September. It is a global call to action to practice acts of kindness with the mission of building kinder, more connected communities that foster mental wellness. At Healthier Generation, we love this concept so much we want to continue the spirit of #BeKind21 and keep building our “kindness team” into the fall. Ready to join in? Below are 6 meeting makeover ideas to cultivate self-kindness and kindness to others! 1-2, Start Your ...Read More
5 Simple Ways Youth Can Inspire Change
This blog was originally published on August 27, 2019. Youth voice in the advocacy space is still timely and relevant so we wanted to share it again. Enjoy! I believe in the power of youth voice because youth can inspire change. Young people are experts on their own lives, and their lived experiences should be heard and used to advocate for change. We live in a time where advocacy and grassroots movements have been instrumental in highlighting social issues and bringing about positive change. W...Read More
5 Ways to Use BOOST Cafe for Professional Development
We thought it was a good time to re-share about BOOST Cafe and how you can use it to BOOST your professional development! Since its launch, we have added some incredible new resources! Check out the FREE online learning opportunities Need resources to reconnect with yourself, look no further than the Virtual Calming Room Find FREE e-BOOST downloads to use with your staff, youth, and communities Make someone’s day and send them a BOOST E-Card Want to explore BOOST Cafe further, then fill ou...Read More
A Little Bit of Normal Please
This morning I continued my push for health and wellness by skipping the pancakes and opting instead for yogurt and berries for breakfast. Speaking of the push for health and wellness … I was a conscientious mask-wearer for the entire duration of COVID-19 in California, never wavering in my support for the shutdown or the mask mandate, or any of the other guidelines. Though I got impatient toward the end, I fixed my sights on June 15, 2021, the date our governor said business was “getting back t...Read More
Community Educators: What’s In a Name? A Lot, Actually
We are introducing the field to a new idea – the consideration that our afterschool staff are Community Educators at the heart of their work. To clarify, it is not a new idea but is a new way to think about the way we can refer to our staff. And we recently captured video stories of some inspiring Community Educators in California. Check out the first of the videos and see how Diego Arancibia, ASAPconnect Director, answered interview questions posed by Julie Sesser, ASAPconnect Specialist and Co...Read More