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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Calming Back-to-School Jitters for LGBTQ Youth
Will I make friends? What if I get lost? Will I like my teachers? What if I do something embarrassing? These are the back to school jitters we’re used to helping youth navigate. We have all kinds of strategies to help young people feel comfortable in their new classroom or after school program — putting their name on a desk or name tag, icebreakers, activities that encourage youth to get to know each other — the list is endless. But consider the young person who is unsure of his or h...Read More
Where Oh Where Is The “Honeymoon Period”? 4 Grounding Tips to Start Off The School Year
Fall is here, and another school year is upon us. This is my fourth year at my particular before and after school site, and I like to think in general I have a good idea of what’s going on. I’ve ironed out our daily routine, I know our kids well enough to have supports built in to overcome our most common challenges, and I’ve given the “welcome back to school” speech so many times that some of my older kiddos could probably quote it back to me. But, each year, regardless of my preparedness, I al...Read More
Healthy Kids on a Budget: Discount Store Scavenger Hunt
Back-to-school is here! Like most educators, you probably spend money out of your own pocket for supplies, enrichment materials, treats, and rewards. I recently went to my local discount store with $20 and a mission to find simple things to bring healthy afterschool to life. Check out my finds and corresponding activities below, then share your ideas in the comment section. Supply list: neon tape, plastic orange cones, math flashcards, animal flashcards, foam activity ball, wooden clothespins, p...Read More
8 FREE Resources to Welcome In the New School Year
Happy New Year! Greetings! It is a new year! 2017-2018 starts now! This is a time when you will see kids you know and a time to meet new kiddos. But most important, it is a time to learn from last year and make this year even better. It’s back to school time! Take a moment to think about what you learned from last year and what your New Year’s resolutions are for this upcoming year, how will you improve your program? Will you concentrate on staff development, sustainable programmi...Read More
7 Healthy Makeover Ideas for Your Office & Breakroom
Back-to-school is Here. For youth serving organizations, transitioning from summer to the school year is stressful. With tight budgets, limited capacity and less-than-inspiring news headlines, staying optimistic, energized and creative is a challenge. This article builds on my previous blog, “Designing Welcoming and Healthy Environments” with seven ways to makeover your office and break room this fall. Like this topic? I will be presenting a workshop based on this article at the National Recreat...Read More
7 Back-to-School Resources for the Expanded Learning Field
Hello Expanded Learning, Out-of-School Time, and rockstar educators across the globe! In support of back-to-school time, our home team has chosen a hodgepodge of resources that will jumpstart your school year. 1. If you are planning for your programs for the back to school season, BOOST Cafe is a great place to start. Guess what – you’re already here! Click around our website and find the best free resources & curriculum for your programs and classrooms, funding and grants, free ...Read More
Back-to-School: Pencils and Possibilities
I love pencils. Freshly sharpened, classic #2 pencils. I love the smell of a freshly-sharpened pencil. I love the way a sharp pencil feels on a thick, new notebook. I love the way you can erase away anything you don’t like with a pencil. I love the way pencils will smudge my fingers. I love the eraser dust that fills the page. Fresh pencils also bring with them all of the feelings of back-to-school. Here in Indiana, the dawn of a new school year is already upon us: School buses are shining in t...Read More