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.
How to Keep Applications from Keeping Kids Out
When I write a blog it’s usually when I’ve reached a point where I’ve figured something out, or at least enough about something to feel that I’m ready to share “what works.” This time I am trying something different. I am writing because I have a question that I don’t know the answer to and a challenge that I am trying to figure out. We all have to administer paperwork in our after-school programs. We need the families of our kids to complete application...Read More
Investing in Quality With Increasing Costs
As after school leaders, we are used to begging and borrowing, making a lot out of a little, and operating at beyond peak levels of productivity to make our programs the best they can be for our students and their families. We want to get the most out of our budgets and that is a good thing—but there are limits. Our after school programs have evolved so much in the past decade. They have moved from programs that provide academic enrichment, homework support, active recreation, and clubs to even ...Read More
Leveraging Wellness to Help Children Think Global and Act Local
Although the facts are alarming, conveying the importance of wellness to children can be challenging. Childhood obesity has almost tripled in children and adolescents in the past 30 years and today approximately one out of three children and adolescents in the United States is overweight or obese. Even more alarming, there are significant racial and ethnic disparities in obesity prevalence among U.S. children and adolescents. Research shows a strong link between a young person’s practice o...Read More
The Value of the Field Trip
One of my many responsibilities, along with coordinating and maintaining an afterschool program, is to oversee the organization’s field trips. When I was first given this task, I looked at it as more of a side responsibility or least as not requiring as much intentionality as that of the day-to-day happenings of the program. It was not until after I experienced a few of these outings through the eyes of a young person that I truly saw the value of a field trip. Our organization does at lea...Read More
Positive Youth Development & Continuous Quality Improvement
In adolescence I disengaged from my education. While I had no problem making grades, I did not perceive relevance in my education. My peers and I considered ourselves socially conscious but we did not have a positive outlet to put our energy into. Luckily… I continued on to higher education. This is when it all changed. I pursued my own interests and became enthusiastic about learning. I participated in extra curricular activities including my first youth work experiences. I found my calling. Th...Read More
Let’s Take Another Selfie!
As Out-of-School-Time professionals, we have a lot of freedom to create amazing experiences for the youth we serve. In order to create those experiences, we must use all the tools that available to us. Thus, I was recently surprised as I was chatting with a colleague who challenged me on my passionate advocacy of the use of social media with youth. Like many, this friend of mine had bought in to the recent barrage of media that has focused on the negative consequences of social networking such a...Read More
Physical Education Can Promote Global Competence
Asia Society and BOOST Collaborative are partnering to create a series of blogs on global learning in out-of-school time. This blog entry was originally published on EdWeek’s Global Learning Blog. This entry was written by Rich Keegan, author of “Global Games for Diversity Education,” and a physical education teacher at Squadron Line Elementary School in Simsbury, CT. Traditionally physical education classes have not only focused on how to move, but also have emphasized teamwor...Read More
Teaching Artists: Consistency – Care – Commitment
At the end of one of BuildaBridge’s Discovery Out-of-School time classes, this exchange happened between Ty (student) & Seth (Teaching Artist). Ty: “You guys make some sacrifices.” Seth: “Oh, so you mean you appreciate what we do?” Ty: ” Yes…actually I’m just gonna come out and say it. I love this place, and I love you guys. The art and the music.” I would gather our Teaching Artists do not see time they choose to spend enthusiastically &...Read More
Join Our Global Learning Chat on Twitter with #BOOSTChat
How Do I Participate? 1. Follow @TEAMBOOST and the hashtag #BOOSTChat on Twitter on Wednesday, January 21st at 6PM PST/9PM EST. 2. Questions will be ordered Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5. To answer Q1, begin your tweet with A1. For Q2, A2 and so on. 3. Include #BOOSTChat to all of your tweets during the Twitter Chat, so others can see what you’re tweeting. 4. Bring questions and/or provide insight! About the Panelist: Asia Society is a non-profit, non-partisan organization headquartered in New...Read More
12 Tips to Integrate Academic Enrichment In Afterschool
I have been working with after school programs across the country since 1998. And there are some things that I have learned that make doing academic enrichment activities more successful with kids after school. To meet the goals of this, we need after school not more school and kids should be engaged and having fun. Here are some helpful tips: Meet with your school(s) to find out what areas to focus on, where kids need more time, and how you can work together to align with what they are focusing...Read More
Garden-Based Learning
Imagine a table full of a diverse range of vegetables and herbs, including chilies, okra, lemongrass, Swiss chard, gourds, figs, and persimmon. Gardens are places where students can experience all of their senses and be connected to the global world through the natural resources of earth. Gardens, and the people in the community near your garden, are an incredible asset to schools and afterschool programs. Your garden doesn’t have to be perfect or huge – just simply a place where growing a...Read More
Social Emotional Learning in Out-of-School Time
For the future, it’s vital to rethink the dynamic relationships between heart and mind within human consciousness and their essential place in the education of all our students. —Sir Ken Robinson, PH.D., author, speaker and leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation In conjunction with academic learning, social emotional learning (SEL) plays a critical role in educating the whole child and laying the foundation for lifelong learning, engagement, and well-being. While...Read More