Too much of school

When my mom finally decided to take that plum posting as a Divisional

Head, I knew I was in trouble. Her office hours stretched way beyond my

school hours. And anyway, I was privy to the many discussions my parents

had about 'Honey, what do we do with the kids?' Well, finally they struck

gold - an educational after school program. Won't that be just grand? Kids

are learning new things while parents are happily minting greenbacks!



And so, we went directly to another class after our school. The brochure

said that they would be 'using fun activities and innovative teaching

methods to fill the gap in your child's understanding'. I suppose they

meant that the teacher would write down the homework and we were to copy

it. At least, this is what happened most of the time. Of course, we didn't

tell our parents. How would that help? They'd simply get smart and shift us to a class that would actually make us solve our homework.



I hated the classes. Mostly, I was bored to tears or falling asleep.

After so many hours at school who'd want to spend the entire afternoon

with the same books? But, as a child, one had little choice in these

matters. Especially when one's parents were cleverly telling one that

mommy's salary will help get us that spanking new TV or that video game.

Lose some, win some!



Then, one day, my sister decided to rock the proverbial boat. She decided

she had enough of studying and refused to go to the after school program.

That's when my parents began to smell something stale. Shortly after that,

they put us in a better program (o, yes, another educational one). This

was bigger, brighter and somehow more fun. We had some interesting games,

and a COMPUTER too. Each of us got a chance to do something on the PC

(this, when PCs were just beginning to make their presence felt). We

somehow managed to blaze through our homework, most of which had to be

done by us. Then it was time to have fun. We had a little bit of

everything. Acting classes, speech, games and of course painting. Those

hours we spent splashing color on pages and laughing at silly jokes were

really the highlight of an otherwise boring day. Ironically, I began

looking forward to my after school program.



Now, so many years afterward, when I need to take up a job and leave my

own child alone till I get back, I know how important these after school

programs have become. Talk about history repeating itself! I just hope I'd

get her into a good one, and yes, it's going to be educational too.

The Learning environment

There is often a trap in the words 'after school activities'. One may

easily believe that since these activities are after school, they are not

of much importance. But, one couldn't be more wrong. Research suggests

that children pick up some of their most important skills from after

school programs. That is why children who do not participate in any extra

curricular activities are generally slow and less vibrant.



The learning environment that one fosters in after school activities must

be as disciplined and as functional as that found in the school. This is

especially true of educational after school programs. This is the best

place to teach the child important skills like time-management and goal

setting. Time-management is a vital skill, but it is not achieved easily.

Children need to feel the discipline that is needed to finish a task and

the happiness of finishing the allotted work in a specific time frame.



Children look for different things in an after class program. The learning

environment should be attractive, colorful and informative. Use charts,

pictures, posters and drawings to liven up a class. Additional resources

(resources that are not easily available in the school) will make the

classes interesting. For instance, when teaching a biology lesson, allow

the child to see through a microscope or see slides of bacteria. This

will add to his knowledge and also make him more enthusiastic about his after school program.



Discipline is a must in after school activities. In fun or sport-based

activities, it is easy for children to step out of line and wreck havoc.

While children should be allowed to have fun, they should be curtailed

from unacceptable behavior. The best way to enforce discipline is to lay

down the rules at the very beginning. Let the children know what is

unacceptable, right at the beginning.



Rewards are an important part of any learning process. The reward can be a

simple pat on the back or a token of appreciation. Motivate your children

to aspire for higher things by rewarding their achievements. Holding

competitions or sport activities where the children can show their

proficiency is a reward in itself.



Children can get bored easily, especially in the case of an educational

program. The main thrust of an academic program is to repeat what has been

taught in class and to allow the child to learn it quickly. It is

difficult to pique the child's interest a second time, especially when the

child is already tired of one dose of the same lesson. It is best to

thwart boredom by using creative techniques like an impromptu extempore on

any topic, a quiz program or a slideshow.



After school activities are becoming more popular by the day. Parents want

their kids to learn more. Children too have an insatiable quest for

knowledge. In an after school program, it is possible to pay individual

attention and quench this thirst using various effective techniques.

Successful after school programs

What marks a successful after school program? What are the things that you

should look for when enrolling your child into one such program? Other

than the obvious advantage of learning something new, successful programs

incorporate many things that help the development of the child.



Development of social skills is one of the more important objectives of a

good after school program. In a recent survey, parents indicated that

while they do want their children to respect others, they also wanted them

to imbibe skills like getting along with other children and getting used

to children outside the immediate circle of friends. Many children find it

difficult to make new friends and get along with people outside their

group.



Good after school programs place special emphasis on security and safety.

They keep children out of trouble and keep them safe. A good after school

program should be fun, especially when the children are young. If the

activity is fun, you will not have to worry about keeping him interested

or motivated. To be effective, programs should be organized and

structured. They must also suit the age of the child. The child must be

aware of the purpose of the program, and must be convinced that they are

attending the programs to accomplish something.

School based after-school programs

In an effort to keep children motivated and safe, the U.S. Government

sets aside a good amount of fund for financing after school programs every

year. A report by the U.S. Department of Education and Justice points out

that after school programs are very effective and is in the interests of

the society as a whole. Interestingly, it was found that Americans liked

providing school-based after school-programs in their community.



Other than safety, boredom and loneliness, the poor performance of many

students also led to the need for after-school programs that are based on

the school curriculum. Children coming from low-income families were found

to lag behind in reading and grammar after a long break in the summer.

Statistics prove that if school-going children are left unsupervised after

their school, the chances of poor grades and drop out are considerably

higher. The funds provided by the Government will allow rural and

inner-city schools to provide activities during the summer, over the

weekends and after school. These activities will take place in a

drug-free, safe and supervised environment.



Positive augmentation of critical skills is the prime focus of these

school-based after school activities. Thus they enhance the skill level of

the child. Most school-based programs offer assistance in math tutoring,

reading, comprehension and problem solving. Many programs provide engaging

activities that seek to prepare the students for college. Hands-on

experience is provided for children who want to invest in a career in

teaching. Access to telecommunication and technology and involvement in

music and art are other benefits of these programs. This becomes

invaluable, especially in low-income sectors where such activities are

considered to be a luxury.



As far as children are concerned, the snacks provided in after school

programs are an added incentive. School sponsored after school programs

are entitled to receive funds for snacks. The National School Lunch

Program is designed to do just this. Free or reduced price snacks will be

provided for children from schools that apply for it. The CACFP reimburses

expenditure depending upon the child's income status. But this is

applicable only till the age of 13. The funding that schools get depends

upon the area in which they are situated. A low-income area gets more

funding. Supper can be served to children below the age of 19. Longer

programs can provide both supper and a snack. With the participation of

non-profit private organization, it is possible to feed deserving school

children breakfast, supper and a snack.

Recreational after school programs

After school programs can be divided into 3 broad categories: academic,

recreational and social. Balanced development takes place when there is

compatibility between the physical, mental as well as the educational

achievements of the child.As the name suggests recreational after school

programs are based on a sport or recreation. Some of the more common

physical activities include football, swimming and basketball.Some clubs

offer programs like gymnastics, trekking and hiking. In this case,

youngsters are often given a short class in first-aid class also.



Recreational after school programs offer children an opportunity to let

off some steam and to destress themselves. The closed classroom atmosphere

and a day full of textbooks and writing cause the child to repress his

natural enthusiasm. He curbs his energy when he is required to sit quietly

in class and learn. Physical activity is an all-time low during such

times. This physical lethargy and inaction is countermanded by

recreational activities. Growing concerns of obesity and child diabetes

make it necessary for children to indulge in some strenuous exercises that

will allow them to work up some sweat.



Unlike educational programs, recreational programs do not tax the

mental processes. But, they do aid the learning process by making the

child more active. A child who is physically active is mentally fit, and

is able to focus his thoughts on the work at hand. Additionally,

recreational programs teach discipline, mechanics of teamwork and fair

play. These are important lessons in the growing process.



As more and more nuclear families emerge, the child faces greater

isolation. Many children shuttle between their classroom and their

bedrooms and do not have any meaningful relationships outside these.

Recreational programs offer ample avenues for socialization. This is a

place the child can go to and play even when his neighbor is not the most

welcoming. The Boy / Girl Scout programs are excellent recreational after

school programs. Lately, survival classes and camps have devised to

combine important survival skills with sports and games to educate

children on how to handle emergencies.



Like any good after school program, recreational programs are designed to

give children a safe area where they can indulge in some group activities

that interest them. This is one of the most effective ways to keep kids

out of the streets and out of trouble. But, one has to be careful when

enrolling children for recreational classes. The age of the child, his

temperament and his physical caliber has to be taken into account before

you choose the right program for your child.

Reading activities

In a world that is slowly but surely turning away from books and getting

glued to monitors or television screens, the importance of developing a

passion for reading cannot be overlooked. Reading is a habit and should be

established when the child is relatively young. What can you do to foster

this habit?



Enroll your child for reading classes:

There are many well structured after school reading classes that aim to

draw the children to books. They help kids with diction, idioms and

phrases. For young children, these classes can be fun with animated

characters and pictures. Illustrated picture books, rhymes, silly songs

and pretend stories all attract the young child. Use creativity to capture

the child's vivid imagination.



Pique your child's interest:

If your child has a favorite character, pick a series of books that

features this character. For my son, it was Spiderman. Thanks to friendly

neighborhood spidey, my son latched on to comics fairly early in his

childhood.



Build a home-library:

A skill like reading cannot be learnt in isolation. Do not leave all the

hard work to the after school program. Pick up books that you think your

child will like. The Internet is also a rich resource of reading games

that will attract little children to the fine art of reading.

Quirky after school programs

With the growing interest in after school programs shown by the Government

as well as parents, new and hitherto unheard of programs are being

explored. In an attempt to make a child aware of his responsibilities as

an individual and as a citizen, these after school programs make use of a

child's natural curiosity and his irrepressible energy.



Investigative Skills:

In some schools in Kernersville, children are developing their

investigative skills. Children meet with adults who introduce them to the

details of fake non-violent crimes. They take notes, visit the scene and

gather information. Students learn to listen to alibis, collect

fingerprints and gather any other pieces of evidence. According to the

principal, these activities challenge her students' problem solving

skills. Children learn to think critically and to form informed judgments.



Fisheries and sciences:

In North Carolina, children who are interested get a chance to win a

scholarship through their after school activity. Here, students are given

a chance to face hands-on fisheries science experiments in a freshwater or

marine setting. Professionals, educators and experts from the world of

Fisheries act as mentors. Students accepted into the program get a $3,000

scholarship.



The above examples go to show that after school activities are becoming

serious. They are slowly morphing into important parts of a child's

education and moving away from the fun-and-frolic-only programs of the