Posts Tagged ‘engagement’
Engage in STEM Learning
STEM activities in your afterschool program make total sense. Studies have found a clear consensus that afterschool programs can help youth: “Develop an interest in STEM and STEM learning activities Develop capacities to productively engage in STEM learning activities Come to value the goals of STEM and STEM learning activities” STEM activities are incredibly engaging…
Read MorePatterns of Change
More and more we are hearing the words, “What is your Theory of Change (TOC)?” This is not to be confused with the pattern of change below: Awareness moves to knowledge. Knowledge moves to engagement. Engagement moves to integration. Integration moves to sustainability While change begins when we are first made aware of some new…
Read MoreChallenge of Middle School
“Caught in the Middle” is a phrase that is used in a variety of contexts to describe the in-between world people find themselves in as well as the title of a newly released album by Heath Forbes. The middle describes the creamy center of an Oreo, the place you find lunch meat in a sandwich…
Read MoreWork Plans
Once you have set your goals it is important that you organize yourself and your team to accomplish those goals. So the questions are: How do you organize your work? Do you have a Task List or do you utilize a To Do List or both? Do you use a calendar to plan forward? Do…
Read MoreNot So Usual Celebration
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 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…
Read MoreNot So Usual Celebration
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…
Read MoreNot So Usual Celebration
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 MoreNational Cheesecake Day
July 30th is National Cheesecake Day. Twenty years ago, cheesecake was not the most popular of desserts, but now, a week without cheesecake is like a week without sunshine. One restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory, takes pride in offering over 30 different types of cheesecake. These ultimate desserts include fresh strawberry, ultimate red velvet, chocolate, white…
Read MoreSTEM in Afterschool
You may be asking yourself what does STEM mean. The acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. There is an increased interest in STEM in K-12 education in general and after-school in particular. The Afterschool Alliance Issue Brief #26 is focused entirely on STEM in the afterschool arena. The Brief begins: As the 20th…
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