Posts Tagged ‘youth-serving’
Not 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…
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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…
Read MoreNot So Usual Celebration
August 6th is Wiggle Your Toes Day. Although tracking down the creator of this special celebration has been futile, the thought of wiggling your toes, outside of shoes, is pretty terrific. If you remember when you were a child, you can probably remember the game with your toes that begins—“This little piggy…” Now that you’re…
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August 5th is Work Like a Dog Day. This day is set aside to recognize those among us who work the hardest. Unlike the Work-aholic who works all of the time, the person who works like a dog works really hard to accomplish a task, but will then take time off to rest and relax. …
Read MoreMessy Art Projects
As school has become more focused on academic achievement and test scores, the opportunity for kids to experience art has decreased in many of our schools. After-school is the perfect place for kids to experience art. Now, you can certainly do this in a cerebral, art appreciation way, reviewing the works of great and not-so-great…
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