In a high-quality after school program, students have the opportunity to explore new areas of interest, develop new talents and skills and discover innovative ways to learn. Through enriching learning experiences for students, educators can support instruction, learning and motivation for all students.
After school programs are great catalysts for engaging, hands-on learning! In a high-quality after school program, students have the opportunity to explore new areas of interest, develop new talents and skills and discover innovative ways to learn. Through enriching learning experiences for students, educators can support instruction, learning and motivation for all students.
Consider the following tips to enhance learning in your program:
- Incorporate technology. There are various tools and trends to leverage in after school, such as game-based learning, stop motion animation and augmented reality.
- Build on strengths. Meet the needs of every student by assessing students’ interests and strengths.
- Use volunteers (mentors). Invite members of the community to provide real-life experiences for students.
- Sing. Incorporate music into your program to promote language development, listening skills and creativity.
- Teach languages. Expose students to other languages, cultures and traditions.
- Promote good nutrition and fitness. Provide nutrition education and fitness activities to encourage healthy habits among students.
- Teach perseverance. Foster skills, such as commitment, hard work, patience and endurance.
For more ideas, check out TeachThought’s 27 Ways to Increase Student Engagement in Learning.
