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Seeing the Forest for the Trees
There is an idiom that states, “can’t see the forest for the trees.” This expression refers to someone who is unable to understand what is important in a situation because he/she is giving too much attention to details. As a leader of an after-school program, it is easy to fall into this habit. Every day…
Read MoreAssessment
Often times we think of assessment as a very formal process. This is not always the case. In reality 24/7 our brain is gathering information and making decisions based on that information. Our brain is, in fact, assessing data and we are making decisions and judgments based on that information. As an example of informal…
Read MoreIn Support of the School Day
One of the most important roles of after-school programs is to support the good work of the school day. Each student who participates in the after-school program is directly linked to the expectations of the school day, whether that be in homework, behavior, or improved academic performance. Helping to create a seamless day for each…
Read MoreTroubleshooting
The word “troubleshooting” refers to the ability to identify a problem (hopefully in real time) and figure out what to do to change the problem into a success. Several things need to be in place for a challenge will be successfully transformed. You must be present, totally in the moment. In order to truly understand…
Read MoreValue of the Arts
The book, The Transformative Power of the Arts in Closing the Achievement Gap, takes a look at the impact a robust arts program can have on academic performance. This work was a results from the work done by CCSESA (County Superintendents of Schools in the State of California) Arts Initiative and the Curriculum and Instruction…
Read More21st Century Workplace Skills
Today’s workplace is not the same place that young people entered even 20 years ago. Currently, knowledge worker jobs are on the rise, and America is competing in a global work environment. A generation ago, many in the world believed that to get a strong education you needed to attend a university in the United…
Read MoreC4K Vocational Training
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This question is asked of children every day. As a child, we are full of thoughts about our future jobs or careers, but as we get out into the world, we can struggle to make a choice that will allow us to live a fulfilled…
Read MorePlanning For Veteran’s Day
Veterans’ Day, observed on November 11, is an annual holiday in the United States that is set aside to honor military veterans. Veterans’ Day is celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world as November 11th marks the end of World War I. History says that all major hostilities in…
Read MoreC4K’s Online Instruction
In 2002, a Delphi study on the future of after-school identified the staff training and development would be one of the most significant challenges facing after-school. The words of the consulted experts echo in the ears of program managers and directors everywhere. Like the experts of the Delphi study, Consult 4 Kids (C4K) is very…
Read MoreAdvocacy
Before you know it, the 2020 elections will be here. The right to vote and to let your voice be heard, is a right that many people take for granted. That is unfortunate, because if we do not exercise this right, it will someday atrophy and no longer be available to us. This year’s election…
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