Although young people need many skills to be successful in the workplace, one aspect of employability has gained attention in recent years—the need for workers to have strong social and emotional skills. Afterschool programs have a role to play in supporting the development of these skills for all youth. This ...
During the past 20 years, the afterschool field has been held accountable in varying ways—first, on the ability to provide safe places for young people to spend time while their parents work; then, on success in helping to improve participants’ academic achievement as a supplement to the school day. This ...
Charter schools were created to give parents more options for their children. With greater freedom to innovate than traditional public school classrooms, some charter schools may hold particular promise for students with disabilities, who by law are entitled to receive an education tailor-made to their needs. Zena Rudo tells the ...
The Plan, Do, Study, Act Process is central to the improvement of instructional routines. Watch one of the Better Math Teaching Network members in real time and in a real classroom setting introduce the Plan, Do, Study, Act, or PDSA, process.
The best afterschool programs do two things: they engage students in fun activities that create a desire to learn, and they build on what students are learning during the school day to extend the knowledge they already have. This online toolkit provides resources for developing fun, innovative, and academically enriching ...
In this podcast, AIR managing director and youth development expert Dr. Deborah Moroney, based in Chicago, shares what parents should know about out-of-school time programs and resources to support students while they’re not in school.
Core competencies are the capabilities that are critical for afterschool staff to deliver high quality programs. These competencies are intended to set a foundation for professional development, provide opportunities for career advancement, and inform program quality and continuous improvement.
Research shows that afterschool and expanded learning programs work best when they are high quality and evidence-based. Beyond the Bell ® is a suite of professional development services, products, and practical tools designed to help afterschool and expanded learning program leaders and staff members create and sustain high-quality, effective afterschool ...
Dominique Bradley is a senior researcher at AIR and deputy director for the Long Beach Network for School Improvement. She serves as the qualitative research lead for evaluations of the Community Schools Initiative, Full Service Community Schools and Sustainable Community Schools for Chicago Public Schools and the research lead and ...