Resources

I often look forward to the holidays as a time to sneak in a little extra reading. Whether you are reading for business or pleasure, I hope you’ll enjoy these books I’ve read this year. Feel free to send me your suggestions, too! I’m always looking for a good book!

Let me begin by saying that for those of you who don’t know me I am a HUGE football fan!  I am an especially huge college football fan AND the team I have followed since I was a child is the University of Alabama.

After conducting a survey of afterschool professionals and National AfterSchool Association members, the National AfterSchool Association has found great insights into the strength and education of those who are invested in the afterschool industry.

Data, smartly employed, can help afterschool decision-makers with everything from allocating resources fairly to improving program quality. But what information is needed? How should it be collected? And what are the best ways to put it to use? 

Keeping kids engaged in this day and age is almost next to impossible when their minds are focused on the technology in front of them. For any teacher, it's always a battle to fight for kids' attention and keeping them involved and participating with the activity the rest of the class is doing. Here, we provide you with ten ways that you can keep kids in your program engaged and focused on whatever task is at-hand. 

Afterschool programs around the nation have enthusiastically embraced science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Some major afterschool providers, like 4-H and Girls Inc., have long made STEM a priority and in recent years.

Transitions can be hard on a child. With these helpful tips you can make it easier on your students to easily switch between activities. For all situations make sure to, in a positive manner, tell children ahead of time where they are going, what they are going to do, and what behavior is expected of them.

Afterschool programs have attracted a strong and growing constituency among both academic theorists and policy makers. Yet participation in afterschool programs is extremely sparse at the high school level. Clearly there is a need to develop more attractive afterschool programs for high school youth, which makes After School Matters (ASM), one of the country’s largest programs for this group, an important program to study. 

Working with a board of directors can be frustrating at times when there are differences of opinion on the management and direction of the organization. Keep the following tips in mind when those frustrating moments arise:

Keeping your staff motivated is a challenge especially when you don't feel motivated. Keep in mind, your staff is looking to you for leadership and direction and with a couple of changes, you can motivate them through your words and actions. Check out these tips for getting yourself and your staff motivated!