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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What Is So Special About After School?
After 20+ years of working in after school, I have learned that there are many things that make after school special. Some might be apparent, but others might be less obvious. One go-to resource for me is information from the Afterschool Alliance, This is Afterschool, which reminds us of all of the benefits of after school. They sum it up in a few words. “Decades of research prove afterschool helps kids attend school more often, get better grades, and build foundational skills, like communicatio...Read More
Preparing your English Learner Student for Summer Break
*While this blog post focuses on preparing your English Learner (ELs) for summer break, the suggestions would be applicable for all students. It’s almost summer! Depending on where you live and your school district, many schools across the U.S. are starting to close out the academic year. (Can we get an Amen?) For our ELs, summer break—while a welcome event, can also bring uncertainty and limited English interaction. Keep reading for ideas (inexpensive and a few at no expense) on preparing a su...Read More
STEM Ready America Report Shows Off Afterschool STEM Learning
The story of the year in afterschool STEM learning just might have come out this week in Washington, DC. At the National Press Club, people from all corners of the afterschool STEM world gathered to learn about STEM Ready America, a new report on afterschool STEM that effectively defines the national paradigm for activities in the field. Program leaders and policy thinkers, corporate and non-profit executives and funders, STEM educators and researchers from all levels discussed, reviewed, and en...Read More
5 Ways To Prepare For Your Summer Program
If you are an educator responsible for providing a high quality summer program for children and youth in your community, you are probably busy right now with planning for summer. It is easy to fall into the routine of this busy time and you want to make sure you finish the school year strong. Take just a moment to consider some of the proactive things you can do to take your summer program to the next level. 1. Brainstorm ideas for your unique program culture High quality summer learning program...Read More
How Are You Planning to Spend Your Summer Vacation?
You might not be thinking about summer, but I think it’s the perfect time to ask yourself what the youth in your programs will be doing this summer. The summer experience that was most memorable for me was a sewing class I took in elementary school. My mom was an avid seamstress and made clothes for me and for my dolls. I thought I might design fashion-forward clothes for me and my Barbies if I learned to sew. So I signed up for an intro class at a fabric store with some friends. The instr...Read More
What Are You Planning For Your Summer Vacation?
It’s the middle of winter so, of course, I’m thinking about summer programs. We know summer programs are important for education and the fight against obesity. Learning requires momentum and so does establishing a healthy lifestyle. Without summer programs to keep children’s minds and bodies active, many children, especially those from low-income backgrounds, experience “learning loss,” become less physically active, and fall into unhealthy eating habits. As a resul...Read More