Apologies When you ask a young person to apologize, they often scowl at you with an attitude. They may glare at you and roughly say,” Why should I apologize, I didn’t do anything wrong”. We all know that owning our mistakes is not only a challenge for children but for adults as well. Apprehension to […]
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Fostering a Growth Mindset I remember extending my right hand up in the air and waving it feverishly. I thought, today “I had enough” after being ignored by my fourth-grade teacher too many times, today was the day I was going to speak up. Daily, I eagerly raised my hand to answer a question only […]
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Healthy Relationships take time and effort to mature. It is important to teach youth the key elements of creating positive relationships with friends, family members and people they may encounter throughout their life. Respect, Trust, Honesty and Communication are required when developing good relationships. What makes a healthy relationship? httpv://youtu.be/?loop=1&playlist=Gn7ZQ2x0cOE Group discussion: As a group […]
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What is Empathy? Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s feelings, thoughts, and point of view. One day, I was asked to observe a first-grade teacher. She was taking off for a couple of days, and I was asked to cover her class in her absence. She greeted her students with much enthusiasm; […]
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Get Started with SEL: #SELFORCT, #CTAfterschoolNetwork #We love SEL You need resources, well here you go? I created this list to help educators GET STARTED WITH SEL. These resources are easy to integrate into your busy after school schedules. In addition to getting started, we want to see SEL in ACTION! Post pictures, including short […]
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When finding the right assessment tool to measure students’ social and emotional learning skills after school, professionals will run into a few challenges. Adhering to SEL standards will ensure accountability and assist with helping educators plan, assess and support student learning. However, with so many assessment tools to pick from educators are left scratching our […]
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What Will You Do to Save the Planet? Take the #GeoChallenge! Did you know that 500 million plastic straws are used every day? Eight million tons of plastic flow into the ocean every year? We need creative and actionable ideas from young people to literally save the planet.
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If there is anything I’ve learned at the Network it has been the deeper meaning to most of the things we do here. Ken created a new version of CLASP he calls “SUPER CLASP” (really known as “Moving toward Mastery”). He’s a funny guy and pretty darned smart….but humble. I’ve been trying to figure out […]
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Celebrate the 19th annual Lights On Afterschool Oct. 25, 2018! Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The effort has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement and generates media coverage across the country each year. The Afterschool Alliance […]
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A couple of weeks ago, I watched former Vice President Joe Biden, deliver an emotional and inspiring eulogy for Senator John McCain, who died of brain cancer at 81. Biden eloquently said, “John understood what mattered in life; trust and character.” This part of the speech resonated with my personal passion for character development. I […]
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