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!
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“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey “Leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves.” –Stephen Covey, The 8th habit The two quotes above speak so powerfully to the importance of having a mentor alongside you in your life’s journey. I’ve been fortunate to have had a few mentors beside me in my journey and as I consider our work in after sch...Read More
Every weekday morning, I pick my 14-month-old daughter out of her crib, hold her tight and let her play with her mobile (that’s really just a wind chime). She closely examines the reflective stones and Bee figures, pulls on it, and then lets it wildly swing back-and-forth. This simple moment allows us a gentle minute to connect, feel each other’s energy and inject love into each other’s being. I think of it as the way I fill up my tank (…and hers) before the long day ahead. I’ve done...Read More
They’re not listening to me! It’s a common complaint, especially when working with kids (though it’s said about adults, too!). I’m always fascinated by it. When the person is asking for help with the “problem,” I first ask, “Are you telling them what to do?” The response varies from “Well, yeah!” to “What do you mean by that?” What do I mean? I recently had the opportunity to return to a site for a few weeks—from beginning to end of the school day—and it has me thinking about what it means to le...Read More
In February, I started following the news coverage of the wide-spreading coronavirus. Blown away by images of people in China, wearing surgical masks, I did not think this could happen to us, here, in America. I was in denial. And I let denial shield me from my fear of this fatal virus traveling to the US and impacting our lives. As much as I wanted to live in denial, deep in my subconscious, I knew it was only a matter of time before the universe said, “Tag, you’re it.” Now th...Read More
Over the last few years, I have become known as “the lady who loves hugs.” When I visit any of our campuses, the kids come running ready for a hug, while others sit back and wait for me to approach them. Regardless if they run or wait, almost every single kid extends out their arms awaiting the embrace. For 13 years, I have wholeheartedly embraced the belief that we must hug our kids. I know that there are all sorts of arguments out there for why we should not show physical affection...Read More
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
I was in a meeting recently and was offered a suggestion: To invite my staff to play back what they heard during discussions in order to reduce the chance for misunderstandings. I appreciated this feedback because it was practical and addressed an area of growth for me. It was especially meaningful since the feedback was from someone whom I supervise. I know that it’s not always easy to offer up constructive feedback to a supervisor. Feedback within an organization: Practice makes better I...Read More