GoodSport is an after-school program for grades 3-6 that uses traditional and nontraditional sports, adventure activities, reading, writing, and group discussion to promote character development in the areas of teamwork, perseverance, responsibility, respect, and fair play. Two sample activities involving group discussion and problem solving are…

Describes various programs that provide academic, social, cultural, and recreational opportunities to students during nonschool hours, highlighting four academic programs that have demonstrated measurable evidence of effectiveness and achievement gains, particularly for African American students. Program selection criteria are: evidence of…

Describes Adventures in Peacemaking, an after-school program that teaches conflict-resolution skills to children ages 5-12 through the use of noncompetitive games and play. Sidebars depict a conflict escalator and a win-win grid. (TD)

Recognizes that after-school programs for latchkey children offer an opportunity for music education by extending students' musical experiences. Explains that after school programs can include thematic units, independent time for exploring performance skills, field trips, group performances, or mini-concerts with live musicians. (CMK)

Investigated the impact of an after-school tutorial program on the academic achievement of high-risk, predominantly minority high school students. Data on the students' grades indicated that on average, the majority of students received passing grades. A main effect for discipline was found, with achievement levels for English significantly higher…

Children make discoveries spontaneously while participating in hands-on science learning experiences. The students in this study were attending an after-school science program that was organized around authentic literacy activities and hands-on science learning experiences related to the theme of wetlands. Literacy connections formed natural…

Data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care, a prospective, longitudinal study involving 933 children, were used to examine relations between cumulative participation in 5 types of out-of-school care (before- and after-school programs, extracurricular activities, sitters, fathers, and…

Master teachers working in real urban classrooms have shared their exemplary teaching practices in an After-School Pedagogical Laboratory (L-TAPL), a program for elementary students that aims to improve the achievement of urban students and the competence of their teachers. The L-TAPL enrichment program curriculum includes language arts, math,…

Childhood obesity is on the rise and there is no indication that the trend is reversing. To reverse this trend, it is critical that children develop and foster healthy eating behaviors and physical activity patterns to help reduce the risk of developing long-term chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and others. One…

In this article, the author discusses the "Digital Underground Storytelling for Youth" (DUSTY), a collection of after-school, evening, and summer programs that is a university-community collaborative aimed at closing the "digital divide." At DUSTY the goal is to position participants to tell stories about self and community, and to use those…

This article reports on a project to establish taiko drumming groups in schools throughout the southwest of England. The project is funded by the National Foundation for Youth Music (YM) which aims to increase access to music-making activity for young people in the UK. Taiko is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK. In the southwest, Kagemusha…

Improving the quality of out-of-school time activities and creating effective learning environments is of keen interest to practitioners, funders and policymakers. Funded by The William Penn Foundation, "Quality Time After School" identifies characteristics of after-school activities that are linked to youth engagement and learning…

Sustainability is a critical issue for out-of-school programs. Time-limited grants, narrow categorical funding streams, and difficult economic conditions leave program leaders in a continual struggle to find a stable base of resources to continue their program over time. In the face of these challenges, many out-of-school initiatives have…

This article reports on an obstacle to achievement that seems particularly pronounced among Native American students high mobility. The turnover rate for one school, North Middle School in Rapid City, South Dakota, was 50 percent overall last year--meaning that half the school's 468 students came or went after the start of the school year. Many of…

What happens to opportunities for learning when some of the structures of schooling are remodelled? What do children and young people do with these new opportunities? Drawing on research into creative projects in a primary and secondary school, and an after-school club for looked-after children, this paper examines a different way of working in…