Give Kids your Best on the Job

Most afterschool programs have snack time and play time, but what about quality time? The pros who work with kids know every moment is supposed to be “quality.”  But what does it mean, and how is quality achieved?

“The key is being thoughtful,” says Fran Chamberlain of Oakland’s Developmental Studies Center. “Sometimes we just plan for what kids like, rather than intentionally thinking about connecting activities to children’s days, their lives, and the world around them.”

Meaningful activities reflect kids’ true interests—an awareness of their likes (such as music or sports), as well as their needs (such as literacy and relationships). According to Chamberlain, the best activities incorporate children's voices and choices with thoughtful planning. They close with reflection, asking students about what they learned academically and socially from the activity.

Most professionals believe afterschool learning and fun should go hand in hand, without making programming feel like school. Using games and play, activities can surreptitiously introduce elements of math, science, and literacy.

“For us, quality means meeting the needs of all our audiences: parents, school, and students,” says ElizaBeth Parker Phillips of Lakeside’s L.A.T.E.R. program.

One technique is to develop children’s short-term interests into lifelong skills and hobbies. At L.A.T.E.R., students engage in long-term projects that allow them to gain expertise at art, soccer, cooking, and more. “We give kids lots of choices and then the opportunity to take what they’re interested in and grow,” says Parker Phillips.

In fact, choice is key for school-age kids, who appreciate being given a voice in decisions—from elective choices to schedules to room décor.

“Providing children with a choice is essential for quality programming,” says Kim Larson of LA’s BEST, a program that has become a national model for high quality afterschool enrichment. “Kids vote with their feet, and they’re not going to come if they don’t feel connected.” 

Above all, program staff should be deliberate in what they plan and remember the real impact they can have in children’s lives. “Quality isn’t just test scores,” Parker Phillips notes. “It’s affecting the future of a 10 year old, and what that person will be at 20 or 30.”

Article adapted from the Winter 2004 edition of CalSAC Connection.