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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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 exactly does that mean? And why is it important? There has been a shift in the focus of our field o...Read More
From My Sofa: Quality Programming
If you’re like me, you are NOT reading this at breakfast but from your sofa at night with an IPA or cup of chamomile tea in hand … Which means you might not make it to the end. So, I’m starting with a plug for input to the Standards in Action being developed by CAN’s Work Group on Quality Standards. Just go to the CAN website. You don’t even have to review all of them, just click on the two or three that interest you most and give us your thoughts. You’ll be done in a few sips. Or you can d...Read More
A Modest Proposal: Taking Your Program to the Next Level
As Common Core gets underway, we have a great opportunity to take our programs to the next level. We can ensure that students aren’t just consumers of knowledge, but creators, critics and communicators of ideas! We have a chance to become more student-centered, to be guides-by-the side and facilitators of learning rather than adults who are in charge of what kids learn or what they experience. We can expand on youth development as a principle and practice by making 21st Century skills real...Read More
Pomp and Circumstance: Engaging Seniors Before Graduation
For many high schools, spring break is here. Or, at least, right around the corner. When students return to the classrooms, extracurricular activities, and their afterschool programs, thoughts may turn to planning lazy summer days with no responsibilities, homework, or teachers! This is especially challenging for the 2014 graduating class, which is extremely susceptible to senioritis this time of year. What kind of “medicine” can be provided to reduce the effects of this seemingly co...Read More
Kindergarten: First Time for Everything
Over the past few years there has been lots of chatter about Kindergarteners and Transitional Kindergarteners. The view of the first year of elementary school has changed drastically in the past 30 years let alone the inception. Back when Fredrick Froebel first started Kindergarten in 1837 it was seen as a way to nurture children like you would a garden, teachers providing a fertile ground based on play and practical skills so the young minds could grow and flourish. Since then Kindergarten has ...Read More
7 Specialties of the Afterschool Program Director
The director’s job can be very complex. We’ve come up with a powerful yet simple way to articulate what the job entails, illustrate how to effectively manage your time, and leverage your efforts to maximize your success. We have identified 7 Specialties that help bring simplicity to understanding a challenging and complex job. When directors only specialize in one of these areas (such as… “MY specialty is parent relationships”), they add value, but they never really...Read More
PLAY. Because Learning Should Be Fun!
It’s testing time again in public schools! Wooohooooo! Ah yes… Number 2 pencils and bubble-in responses, test taking anxiety and the all encompassing fear that even with all the impressive and meaningful gains your students have made through the year so far they might not do as well as you’d wish. Oh, and your evaluations and merit-based pay increases are on the line to boot! Oh standardized testing how I love you so! As educators we are bound to standards and assessments and ...Read More
Who Leads Your Afterschool Program?
In my roles over the past decade, I’ve met quite a few afterschool and summer program leaders. Some of them strongly portray traits found in successful leaders. These adults set the tone for their sites, providing order and structure, flexibility, sternness, and a passion for children and making a difference in their lives. They communicate high expectations, but are nurturing in helping staff and children achieve them. They do not speak loudly, but carry a clipboard filled with procedures...Read More
Look Up! Space-based Science in Afterschool
With the New Year comes a time of reflection and renewal. With it comes celebrations of past accomplishments, and thoughts for new directions. We all want what’s best for our kids, to give them skills to succeed in life. Have you considered offering experiences that can develop your youths’ observational skills and natural ability to wonder? Afterschool is a wonderful place for kids to develop basic life skills – and this can have an even stronger impact when it sparks their interest...Read More
Makers in the Making: The Hour of Code
Last year, the Hour of Code global project launched to spread the field of Computer Science to students everywhere. Classrooms across the globe participated in what was one of the most widespread, Ed-tech engagements, ever. As of this entry, over 24 million students participated in the Hour of Code and collectively, they entered almost 1 billion lines of programming. As out-of-school specialists, one of our primary responsibilities includes the curating and testing of a various curriculum resour...Read More
Simple Ideas for Making Your Out-of-School Program Healthier
Out-of-school time providers have the unique opportunity to create environments where healthy eating and physical activity are encouraged. It doesn’t matter if you’re a before school program, an afterschool program, a summer program, a scouting organization, or a sports team you play a meaningful role in empowering youth to eat better and move more. As you think about your goals for 2014, below are resources and tools you can try throughout the year to promote healthy eating and phys...Read More
Messy Art & The Power of Sensory Play
There’s nothing like MESSY ART to kick off a powerful new year. Most kids love to get messy and “let go” of their inhibition with colorful paints and clays. But let’s admit it, most kids can’t too messy at home. So it’s our job and our OPPORTUNITY to give them plenty of messy art experiences in afterschool enrichment. Where else will they experience the pleasure and power of visual art? Remember that art experiences have a proven positive impact on young peopl...Read More