Building Relationships At the Beginning of the Year
So much is going on at the beginning of the school year, it is easy to put building relationships on the back burner. It is easy to think that you will take the time once things have settled down and a routine has been established. Sound familiar? It is important that you recognize your key…
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August 16th is Elvis Presley Remembrance Day. Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. Headlines the following day read, “The King Is Dead”, and few in America were confused by what this headline meant. Although he had not been ill, the reference to “The King” could only mean one person—Elvis. He was an icon. Much…
Read MoreCalendaring
You may be wondering how calendaring is different that scheduling. C4K would suggest that a schedule identifies time slots during the program day over a period of 1-3 weeks that gives staff a road map for planning specific activities and learning opportunities for youth. A calendar, on the other hand, is an overall look at…
Read MoreNot So Usual Celebration
August 13th is Blame Someone Else Day. This is one of those days that ought to have plenty of traction. Actually, if we could limit this activity to August 13th that would be totally awesome! Too often we “blame someone else” when there is really no one to blame at all. Things happen. Actually, this…
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August 12th is Middle Child’s Day. Of course, if you are an only child or have only one brother or sister, this day is meaningless to you, but if you happen to be the “child in the middle” you will appreciate a special day at least once a year. Much has been written about the…
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August 11th is Presidential Joke Day! Now these words can conjure a wide variety of responses, so it is essential that you have an understanding of exactly what is behind such a day. This day has its origins in the Reagan Administration, when on August 11, 1984, President Reagan was preparing to go on the…
Read MoreMeeting With Principals
Building a strong and positive relationship with the principal of the school your after-school program serves, is essential. Remember that when you work on a campus, that campus is figuratively the “principal’s house”, and you need to be considered a welcome guest. Although you may informally greet the principal in the hallway, it is important…
Read MoreLazy Day
August 10th is officially a Lazy Day. It’s been rumored that the creators of this day were going to get congress to declare August 10th officially as Lazy Day. However, before they got it done, they went into relaxation mode so the day is an undocumented celebration. Actually, you will notice that it is Lazy…
Read MoreMath Facts to Automaticity
Automaticity is most often associated with sight words, but the concept can also be applied to the memorization of math facts. Whether we are discussing addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts, knowing these to automaticity, without thinking, is a necessary part of being effective in mathematics. Kids can learn math facts in much the same…
Read MoreNot So Usual Celebration
August 9th is Book Lover’s Day. Personally, I love books. I have hundreds of them in my home. I enjoy reading them, listening to them in unabridged audio formats, and revisiting key points from time to time. Putting books in the hands of young people is one of the tasks of the after-school program. Have…
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