Kids Learning

With children becoming the primary focus of society, ways and means to ensure their safety and development are being researched. The Government too has pooled in to make a success of such programs. Here are some of the reasons why after school programs have become so popular:

1) Preventing Juvenile Delinquency, crime and violent victimization:

About 10% of juvenile crimes happen between 3 P.M. – 4 P.M. Children need to be kept safe and out of trouble at such times

2) Preventing alcohol, drug and tobacco use.

Risk-taking behavior that seeks to establish superiority in a clan is
mostly seen in ‘latchkey’ children. Children in their pre-teens, if they
have a meaningful relationship with a mentor, are less likely to indulge
in these kinds of destructive behavior

3) Decreases appetite for Television:

An average child watches about 23 hours of TV per week. When enrolled for some activity, the child utilizes his mental and physical skills to meet challenges.

4) Improving academic achievements

5) Improving school attendance:

More confidence in self and increased interest in school leads to greater
attendance in school. A program that helps children with their homework also gives the child a much-needed feeling of self-achievement.

6) Improved behavior and inter-personal skills

Children who attend after school activities handle conflict better and
cooperate more with authority figures.

7) Closer family and community ties.

Popularity: 2% [?]

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 past.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Initial enthusiasm in after school activities tends to wane after the first excitement is over. This is but natural. The trick is to keep up the hard work even after this. How do you keep your child motivated? This is of particular importance when the child goes in for educational after school programs.

Make the career-academics connection early on:

Let your child understand how important studies are. Let him know that an excellent career is wholly dependent on wholesome learning. To develop his interest in studies, plan family activities that are connected with his studies. Emphasize the real-world connection to academics whenever possible.

Set goals:

Let your child know, through example, that hard work will be rewarded. If your child believes that achievement is a natural by-product of effort, he is more likely to put in hard work. Such children are also less likely to drop out of programs and college at a later stage.

Reward success:

When a child achieves something, it is necessary to praise his hard work. Positive reinforcements enhance confidence and increase self-esteem.

Conversely, beware of criticism. It can ruin the frail ego of children and play havoc with their minds.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Why does Lisa grumble when it is time for her to go for her piano lessons? How come Johnny abhors the sight of his skates now? After all, these children were very enthusiastic about the programs when they started off. What happened? Parents are often confused by the disturbing and often incongruous signals they receive from their children. One day the kids are excited about the new theater class and in just a few short weeks they wail and moan when it’s time to go.

The first thing a family should do when a child begins resisting a previously loved activity is to listen and investigate. Do not jump into
conclusions. A little bit of intelligent sleuthing is required. Ask your child what he or she does in the class. Find out what exactly is the cause of the problem. Then ask the teachers the same questions. Compare notes. You may stumble on some important clues. Usually, children start out on an activity thinking it’s all fun. But when they realize that they cannot just hang out and that they need to follow rules etc, they begin to resist. Your child may feel stifled if the program is too structured. If
the discipline is too rigorous or the activity too painful (like a karate class) some children balk. Use your own instincts. Does the program feel like fun? Would you want to attend it yourself? Are they offering enough motivation to keep the child interested?

The teacher-to-child ratio is also an important factor. Children need attention. If the number of teachers is just enough to handle a class, it
is possible that your child is not receiving enough attention. State recommendations usually specify that there must be 1 teacher for 15
children.

Children try to avoid problems they cannot solve. If there are no perceivable problems with the class and the teachers, perhaps you need to have a chat with your child. If your judgment says that the place is good and the activity engaging enough, then it’s time to work with your child. More often than not, social pressures may be at work here. Does your child have friends there? If she is lonely or miserable because of the lack of friends, help her find a friend. If she finds a friend, she will get more involved in the activities

If your best efforts do not pay off, and your child still resists that fantastic guitar classes, then it’s time to let go. Shift your child to some other program. If he or she still retains interest in guitars, you can take it up after a few months. Never force the child, especially when it comes to extra-curricular activities. Since they are ‘extra’, they must
bring in extra happiness and extra enthusiasm too.

Popularity: 3% [?]

As a child grows into an adult, different aspects of his physical, emotional and mental self needs development. To help a child reach his full potential, it is necessary to recognize the child’s developmental needs and abilities.
To be effective, after school programs should assist children with tasks they must accomplish during each stage of development.

A child’s growth curve can be divided into three main parts:
1) Young child (ages 3-5)
2) Middle school (ages 6-8)
3) Older school (ages 9-12)

The four important domains of development are: The Physical Domain, the Social Domain, the Emotional Domain and the Intellectual Domain. Each of these domains needs to be separately addressed during the various phases of a child’s growth. After school programs should concentrate on developing each domain as applicable to the age of the child. Although the children participating in these programs may have similar developmental needs and age, do not expect development to be uniform. Children will develop as and when they are ready.

Physical Domain:

When children are young, they want to perfect skills that they have just learnt to control. A variety of movements such as jumping, catching and throwing delight them. The middle school child, on the other hand, wants to learn more complex skills and get involved in team sports. This is also the best time to learn about rules and discipline in sport. The older school child is ready for more adult-like activities that need greater structure and discipline, like dancing, gymnastics, music classes etc.

Social Domain:

Young children are observing others and will be interested in games where they play the roles of family members. They develop short-term friendships and need an adult’s presence to assure them. The middle school child is intrigued by society and will love trips to factories, public buildings etc. They want to know the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of things. The older school child is ready to learn about different cultures, food and customs. They want to do some amount of social work too.

Intellectual Domain:

Young school children will practice what they are learning. Middle school children want to learn more skills and will show interest in reading, drama and problem solving. The older school children are ready to research and probe. They enjoy getting a puzzle and pondering over it.

Any after school program needs to address the interests of the child depending on the category he belongs to. Knowing the children in your program and appreciating their needs and interests will help staff to plan and structure programs that are most useful to that group.

Popularity: 1% [?]