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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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 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
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
Are We There Yet?
This is the question I get from the backseat on nearly every drive with my five and seven-year-old daughters. This is also the question I’ve found myself asking over and over for the last 19+ months, as I’ve tried to hold it all together. My kids have needed me more than ever, to comfort and care for them through the added challenges of the pandemic. We are privileged to be able to shield them from the harshest effects of the pandemic. Yet, I’ve struggled to give them the time and patience that ...Read More
Managing Our Moves: Reflections on Phases of Discovery and Recommitment
On a hot day this summer I visited an outdoor swimming spot and after dangling my toes off the pier for a bit was inspired to challenge myself. It felt like decades since I last dove into the water headfirst, but as I curled my toes over the edge, extended my arms in front of me with one hand piled atop the other, the familiarity of that posture felt reassuring and exhilarating from the inside out. A moment later my ears were tucked into upper arms upside down, and I spotted my feet suspended f...Read More
Mic Drop! Celebrating Creative Youth Development
One of my favorite parts of youth development and out-of-school time programs is when we provide spaces for students to CREATE. If anything, this past year and a half has unearthed the importance of providing healing spaces and room for self-expression. As youth development professionals, we can’t turn away from the fact that our students (and us!) have individually and collectively faced grief, turmoil, anger, confusion, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Take that in for a minute. It’s heavy...Read More
8 Gun Violence Prevention Organizations You Need To Know
AP Photo/John Minchillo This week BOOST Collaborative will be joined by The Alliance for Gun Responsibility for the FREE online training, Beyond Parkland: An Equitable Lens to Youth and Gun Violence. We will dive deep into the types of gun violence related to America’s youth, emphasizing communities most vulnerable, what solutions exist to combat this public health crisis, and how young people can emerge as gun violence prevention leaders. Gun violence has become an epidemic in the United States...Read More
Libraries Rock!
Let me preface this by saying I do NOT work for a library. I did however have a Work-Study job at Tufts University in the microfiche and periodicals area – yes, yes, I am dating myself – severely dating myself! That said, I loved that job – it was so fun, it brought together all of my favorite interests – learning new things and then organizing said things. Did you know that there is a magazine for everything?? I mean EVERYTHING – Emu Today – that’s EMUsing &#...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