A study examined whether beginning and prospective secondary school teachers benefitted from working with elementary students enrolled in an after-school literacy program. Most said the program benefitted both children and teachers; more collaboration between secondary and elementary teachers would be desirable. (Contains 20 references.) (JOW)

A 4-H skateboard club in Bozeman, Montana offers kids community service and educational opportunities as well as something to do after school. Adult and college-student volunteers teach a skateboarding curriculum and help kids fix boards and design ramps. Club members have learned public speaking, fundraising, city planning, and civic involvement…

Homework may boost academic achievement, involve parents in their children's schoolwork, and teach students to study independently. However, critics claim that homework increases family conflict, limits independent learning, and widens the achievement gap. After-school homework clubs help students whose home life doesn't support getting help from…

Juxtaposes research on school-age programs with studies of self-care and out-of-school activities, discussing what each type of after-care arrangement involves and how prevalent it is. Reviews research on how the arrangements contribute to children's development and examines program features especially related to outcomes for children. (SLD)

Provides a profile of after-school programs for low-income children, focusing on supply and demand, program emphases, and program sponsors and support organizations. Discusses the major challenges facing the field in the areas of facilities, staffing, and financing. Illustrates the discussion with examples from an after-school initiative in three…

Students from urban middle schools serving mostly economically disadvantaged, minority youth were asked how they spent their time after school and on weekends. Most students did not participate in after-school programs or lessons. They reported extensive time spent watching television and hanging out with friends. Weekends presented a similar…

This paper examines the presence of spontaneous imitation within the social interactions of young people with developmental delay and their adult carers. There have been only a handful of observational studies examining imitation in this population, despite the relevance of such work to contemporary theoretical debates about imitation and the…

This paper has two purposes. The first purpose is to develop a better understanding of the process of starting an after-school program for Japanese heritage language learners. The second purpose is to develop a better understanding of parents' expectations of their children's heritage language education. Interviews with two Japanese mothers whose…

This article explores the dynamics and educational potential of De Colores Community Learning Center, an after-school program serving low-performing Chicano-Latino children. The article discusses the foundational characteristics of De Colores and its quest to become a model of empowerment, instead of a more traditional model of service. Finally,…

Embedded hierarchical relationships between children and adults constrain children's voice. For adults to support children's participation in decisions they need to learn new ways of working; to enable children to communicate their views, develop their ideas, make group decisions and take joint action. This article explores the different roles…

I conducted an ethnographic study, situated within the conceptual framework of Critical Race Theory, which illustrates one child's experiences with racism. The study was conducted in an urban after-school program, and explores issues of racism in both the school and community settings. Utilizing the storytelling aspect of Critical Race Theory, I…

Afterschool and community science programs have become widely recognized as important sanctuaries for science learning for low-income urban youth and as offering them with "missing opportunities." Yet, more needs to be known about how youth, themselves, perceive such opportunities. What motivates youth to seek out such opportunities in…

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires that public schools adopt research-supported programs and practices, with a strong recommendation for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as the "gold standard" for scientific rigor in empirical research. Within that policy framework, this paper compares the relative utility of…

In the wake of the recent headlines and research on obesity, schools have an obligation to teach students about fitness and to provide a format for students to become and remain fit. Last year, such an opportunity arose at Davidson Middle School in Southgate, Michigan, when the school decided to incorporate some of its newly purchased technology…

Concern about the growth in adolescent problem behaviours (e.g. delinquency, drug use) has led to increased interest in positive youth development, and a surge in funding for "after school programs." We evaluate the potential of youth sport programs to foster positive development, while decreasing the risk of problem behaviours.…