Out-of-school time, AmeriCorps

Preventing youth from becoming victims of cyberbullying

magdalenam — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:04:39 -0500

As more and more students spend more time on the Internet, not only in pursuit of academic activities, but as a way to socialize, there are dangers that tutors, mentors, and parents should be aware of. This effective practice, excerpted from materials written by Vanessa Van Petten, examines the issue of cyberbullying and is from the America Learns Network of tutoring and mentoring strategies.

Beyond the Right Answer: Effective Homework Help

pingv — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:10:18 -0500

Designed to help train national service members and community volunteers working with children as homework coaches. Provides best practices for program design and implementation by examining an AmeriCorps after-school program in New York City. Viewers gain insight into ways to train and support adults working with children, how to establish programmatic structure and routines, and useful strategies for helping children become independent and organized in completing their homework. DVD format. 32 minutes.

Providing summertime contact in school-based mentoring programs

pingv — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:04:28 -0500

One of the main challenges for school-based mentoring programs is keeping matches in touch over the summer break when extensive in-person meetings may not be possible. Research indicates that school-based mentoring relationships suffer when summer contact is absent. Luckily, there are several strategies available to school-based mentoring programs to keep matches engaged, minimize the negative impact of the summer break on relationship quality, and get matches ready to build on positive momentum when the school year starts back up. This effective practice was submitted by LEARNS at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in April 2008.

Identifying features of high-performing after-school programs

pingv — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:13:00 -0500

In 2005, the After-School Corporation (TASC) commissioned an evaluation of the after-school programs it funds in New York City to determine which programs were most successful in improving student academic performance and to identify what traits and features were common to them. The study was implemented by Policy Studies Associates (PSA) as a follow up to their multi-year evaluation of TASC. PSA found that shared characteristics among these high-performing programs include: a broad array of enrichment opportunities; opportunities for skill building and mastery; intentional relationship building; a strong/experienced leader/manager supported by a trained and supervised staff; and sponsoring organizations that provided an effective balance of support and autonomy. The findings of this study will be of value to new and existing national service-funded organizations seeking to establish or improve their programming, staffing, and support systems for out-of-school time (OST) programs.

Bringing technology support to schools in low-income communities

pingv — Wed, 16 Oct 2002 01:00:00 -0500

AmeriCorps members, in partnership with technology firms and nonprofit organizations, are bringing technology support to schools and community organizations across America. Serving as program facilitators in schools located in low-income communities, AmeriCorps members interface with teachers and students, teaching technology-based programs during school hours and in after-school programs. NetDay provides AmeriCorps members with technical training and support, as well as orientation on community service. This program was highlighted in the National Service News, Issue No. 167, September 2002, published by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Including special education students as camp counselors

pingv — Tue, 13 Aug 2002 01:00:00 -0500

My Corps Summer is a two-week program that gives special education high school students from the Philadelphia area the opportunity to gain valuable job and life skills and improve academic goals by serving as camp counselors. The university-affiliated Pennsylvania Service-Learning Alliance partnered with youthAbility, a program of the Jewish Education Vocation Services and the National School and Community Corps to plan and implement My Corps Summer. The program engages students in meaningful service-learning by demonstrating that they can be the providers of service, not just the recipients. Sarah John, Special Education Initiative Coordinator with the Pennsylvania Service-Learning Alliance, submitted this effective practice in August 2002.

Building effective programs for summer learning

pingv — Fri, 16 Nov 2001 01:00:00 -0600

Summer should never be a break in any child's intellectual development. Summer learning can come from reading books, singing songs, playing games, listening to stories, taking trips, and other kinds of fun activities. However, this kind of summer learning can be more difficult for children of low-income and other disadvantaged families since they have less access to material resources such as books and computers, and fewer enriching experiences such as family trips and summer camps. This effective practice is based on a paper by America Reads intern Peter Johnson (summer 2000), Building Effective Programs for Summer Learning, and offers suggestions for building a summer learning program that reaches the neediest kids, gets kids learning, and keeps going strong.

Joining supervisory boards to improve relations with project sites

pingv — Tue, 13 Nov 2001 01:00:00 -0600

When the AmeriCorps program director of Community College of Rhode Island joined the supervisory board of the project site his members served at, the result was a better understanding of the site's needs and greater networking resources.

Providing summer youth activities

pingv — Fri, 09 Nov 2001 01:00:00 -0600

The New Horizon Community Development Corporation in Dallas County, Arkansas responded to the lack of youth activities in their community by providing an out-of-school program during summer break.

Implementing a statewide reading program for elementary students

pingv — Mon, 29 Oct 2001 01:00:00 -0600

The Washington Reading Corps was created in 1998 to provide intensive and immediate instruction to elementary students in schools with low reading assessment scores. The program is a unique service partnership between public, private, and community resources that unites teachers, school staff, AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA members, and community volunteers in a coordinated, statewide effort. In 1999-2000, about 6,000 volunteer tutors provided services to 26,000 students in 210 schools.

Using the assets model to understand adolescent development

pingv — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 01:00:00 -0500

The Paso del Norte Assets for Youth AmeriCorps program provides youth, ages 12 to 18, of El Paso, Texas, with positive influences and activities based on the 40 developmental assets framework identified by the Search Institute. This effective practice was highlighted in the National Service News , Issue No. 140, September 3, 2001, published by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Motivating students to complete homework

pingv — Mon, 08 Oct 2001 01:00:00 -0500

By using recreation time as an incentive, after-school programs motivate students to complete their homework assignments. Athletes in Service AmeriCorps members have successfully implemented the Learn and Earn policies on school campuses, YMCAs, and Boys and Girls Clubs. This effective practice was shared at the 2001 National Conference on Community Volunteering and National Service in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Motivating students with homework stations

pingv — Thu, 30 Aug 2001 01:00:00 -0500

Older students often require guidance to complete homework assignments, but they are not receptive to traditional after-school programs. Homework stations empower students to take control of their own study habits. This effective practice was submitted by City Year Greater Philadelphia at the 2001 National Conference on Community Volunteering and National Service in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Supporting adolescent females with a leadership group

pingv — Thu, 07 Jun 2001 01:00:00 -0500

Studies have shown that a dramatic decline in girls' self-esteem occurs between the ages of eight and 18. The International Learning Program in an alternative high school in Portland, Oregon, started an after-school Girls' Leadership Group to give female students a place to speak freely and build self-confidence. This paper by AmeriCorps member Erin Trahan won honorable mention in the 1997 Northwest National Service Symposium, hosted by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL).

Creating a bilingual after-school program

pingv — Thu, 31 May 2001 01:00:00 -0500

The students at Vose Elementary School in Beaverton, Oregon, were receiving intense English literacy skills during the school day. Jenessa Craig, an AmeriCorps member with Partnerships for Student Achievement, did not want to overlook the valuable native language skills of the schools' English as a Second Language students. She started an after-school biliteracy program, which provided literacy activities to native Spanish speakers in Spanish. This paper won second place in the 1999 Northwest National Service Symposium, hosted by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL).

Implementing a team-tutoring program for literacy instruction

pingv — Wed, 02 May 2001 01:00:00 -0500

Low-performing readers can benefit from regular one-on-one instruction with a volunteer tutor. However, many programs face difficulties recruiting volunteers who are willing to commit to multiple sessions during the week. With funding from a grant from the Michael Eisner Foundation, the Frostig Center developed the Reading Partnership Program, which provides students with a team of volunteer tutors. The team-tutoring approach provides each student with an hour of one-on-one instruction four days a week. This effective practice shares the program's methods for recruiting tutors and implementing a team-tutoring system.

Creating effective surroundings for out-of-school programs

pingv — Thu, 01 Mar 2001 01:00:00 -0600

Youth who attend out-of-school programs benefit from comfortable, well-equipped settings. Inadequate or inappropriate space can negatively affect a child's ability to focus or relax. This practice suggests analyzing ways of utilizing existing space and obtaining more if necessary, creating different settings for different activities, and involving children in decorating their surroundings. Includes resource list. Excerpted from Section Five of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time.

Starting an out-of-school program

pingv — Thu, 01 Mar 2001 01:00:00 -0600

To be effective, a new out-of-school program must address existing needs in the community, secure funding and space, and recruit an enthusiastic, competent staff. This practice suggests recruiting community partners early on, and offers the program administrator avenues for securing grants, such as seeking Title One funds from public school partners. Excerpted from section five of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time. Includes resource list and on-line directory.

Planning activities for out-of-school programs

pingv — Wed, 28 Feb 2001 01:00:00 -0600

This practice suggests ways for out-of-school programs to incorporate a child's need to play, relax, explore interests and strengthen academic skills via scheduled activities. Also suggested is involving children in planning and implementing monthly themes for programs. Includes list of activity and curriculum resources. Excerpted from section five of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time.

Promoting reading and literacy in out-of-school programs

pingv — Wed, 28 Feb 2001 01:00:00 -0600

Many out-of-school programs lack the resources to incorporate one-on-one literacy tutoring. This practice suggests other practical methods for promoting literacy for children and youth, such as creating a reading corner with cozy pillows, scheduling quiet reading time, and assigning appropriate pairs of children to read to each other. Includes resource list and online directory. Excerpted from section five of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time.

Helping with homework and academic skill-building during out-of-school time

pingv — Wed, 28 Feb 2001 01:00:00 -0600

Homework assistance in an after-school program can be a valuable resource for children who want to finish their homework right after school and for parents who may feel overwhelmed by helping their children with their homework after working all day. This practice suggests setting up a peer or cross-age tutoring program, recruiting volunteer tutors, and educating staff about appropriate ways to offer help for homework. Also suggested is a homework log, in which students receive a check or a star for having completed their homework each day. Excerpted from section three of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time. Includes a resource list and online directory.

Developing positive social interactions in out-of-school programs

pingv — Wed, 28 Feb 2001 01:00:00 -0600

Early adolescents who lack opportunities to create positive relationships and participate in meaningful activities in their out-of-school time can feel lonely and develop anti-social behavior. This practice suggests ways of tailoring out-of-school programs to the needs of this age group by including youth in project planning, offering apprenticeship opportunities, and involving them in cross-age tutoring. Includes resource list and online directory. Excerpted from section five of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time.

Planning and conducting effective training sessions

pingv — Tue, 27 Feb 2001 01:00:00 -0600

Conducting an effective training session begins with appropriate preparation. Use the provided recommendations to plan an agenda that meets your training objectives, but allows for the flexibility to respond to audience needs during the session. Excerpted from section three of the Corporation for National and Community Service's Making an Impact on Out-Of-School Time by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time.

Keeping schools open during non-school hours

pingv — Wed, 12 Jul 2000 01:00:00 -0500

This excerpt from the book 150 Tested Strategies to Prevent Crime from Small Cities, Counties, and Rural Communities, highlights the practice of keeping schools open before and after school hours, and during the summer.