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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Knowing My Why Is The Root Of My Success
In 2008, I got the courage to start my own professional development company. I have been designing my purpose for this company for the last 11 years. “Dignity of Children believes that all children are born with inherent dignity. They have a right to be loved, nurtured, and valued. Children and youth deserve to be kept safe. They are entitled to a proper education. Children thrive when adults understand their developmental needs, recognize their strengths, and foster their resilience. To evoke t...Read More
Planning for a “New Year” With Our Kiddos #Repost
Editors note: This blog was first published in January 2018. We believe the content of this blog is as relevant today for 2019, as it was for 2018. Let’s keep asking these questions… ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ January 1 is really our second “New Year” with our kiddos. Happy New Year, take two! As educators, we really have two new years. First, we start the year in August or September when our kiddos r...Read More
Translating Is Not Modifying: Tips for Teaching English Learners
Editor’s Note: Welcome first-time BOOST Blogger Lesley Morgan. Lesley is an English Learning Specialist in West Virginia. She works with students (K-12) and has been teaching for seventeen years. Lesley is also an Adjunct Faculty for Marshall University. —– As I stood in front of the classroom of 40 Japanese boys and girls, I paused. Inside I was terrified and my thoughts were racing: What had I done? Why had I left my family to live in a foreign land? Was this even going ...Read More
Are You Leading With WHY?
What gets you out of bed in the morning — what you do or why you do it? If you are in the youth development field, I have a feeling that your “why” motivates you the most. You’re driven to make a positive difference in the lives of young people. In his book “Start with Why,” Simon Sinek argues that we are pretty good at saying what we are doing and how we are doing it, but not always good at explaining the why of what we do. His message to the business community: making the why clear can i...Read More
A New [School] Year’s Resolution
Editors Note: Please welcome brand new BREAKFAST CLUB BLOGGER Amy Btiebet, from Open Doors Academy, in Cleveland, Ohio. We are thrilled she has joined the extraordinary BOOST BLOGGING team! — Hi friends! My name is Amy, and this is my first BOOST blog. I debated writing about a wide range of topics that I felt somewhat confident in after 10 years in youth development—how to run engaging summer programming, transitioning from managing youth to managing staff, growing pains in a rapidly de...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
Title 1…Day at a Time
Are you a school site administrator in a Title 1 school, an administrator at a community-based organization, or an after-school site coordinator? If you answered yes, then you probably have had days where you leave work taking a deep breath and telling yourself that tomorrow will be a new day. If this is you, then you’ve been on my mind as you gear up for a new school year. In my last blog post, I shared how I would refer to myself as a Recovering Principal. I have proudly lived up to that title...Read More
Rest and Restoration: Will You Take a Break This Week?
Editor’s Note: This blog was first posted on The Leadership Program‘s website on July 2, 2018. We have received permission from BOOST Blogger Erika Petrelli (@erikap) to repost. — Happy Fourth-of-July Week! The quintessential marker of “summer” for many of us. Since it’s on Wednesday this week, I’ve heard so many people talk about how it makes the whole week feel like a vacation, even if you just have the one day off. I’m kicking off the holiday by going to see Def Leppard and...Read More
Countdown to BOOST! 5 Ways to Get Ready for the BOOST Conference
Every year, professionals in the field of expanded learning come together to share ideas and best practices, get inspired, and connect with others who share a similar passion. This magical experience is BOOST! It is one of a kind. I wish I could bottle up the energy. Regardless if you’ve never attended, or attend each year, here are a few strategies you might consider to optimize your BOOST experience. 1. Be Informed Review the workshop sessions and Inspiration Stations beforehand and high...Read More
Confessions of a Special Ed Kid
I grew up watching day and nighttime talk shows like Oprah, Phil Donahue, 20/20, and Dateline. I read a lot of biographies about legendary public figures, activists, artist, rebels, and missionaries. Looking back, I can see that at an early age I was searching to hear my story. I wanted to see and hear it, for it to validate my experience and more importantly create a sense of identification. I wanted to hear my story but not share it. I convinced myself there would be a 60 Minutes episode somed...Read More
What is a Recovering Principal?
Car in park, deep breath, let the day begin… Greeted by my custodian with an update of the daily damage caused by outsiders accessing a vulnerable campus, graffiti on the walls, drug paraphernalia on the playground, no sub coverage due to the shortage, deep breath, IEP meeting starting at 7:45 a.m., check the security cameras, contact the police department to come and investigate, deep breath, parent urgently needing to meet, and a big smile wishing students a wonderful day during morning ...Read More
It’s Time To Wake Up! A Teen Suicide & How Teachers Can Make A Difference
Editor’s Note: We all share deep sadness when we lose a young person to suicide. Suicide knows no race, creed or class. In this blog, we have asked permission to share Breakfast Club blogger Kathy Bihr’s personal Facebook post and reflection about a young man in Orange County, CA who took his life in the first week of February. Our hearts and souls live with the family who lost their son. Please share carefully, but share far and wide. Patrick’s story is not singular. I was ...Read More