Week 4 Over the week leading up to the holiday, I spent a significant amount of time trying to get my technophobic father onto a more reliable video chatting platform.…
In our Summer Enrichment program, I chose to read a chapter of L. Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz to the children each day. During Chapter 1, the group was very interested in the cyclone. Several children had never heard of such a thing and were full of questions. This led to an afternoon full of Internet searches for pictures and videos. One insightful first grader commented that “it is scary that a cyclone can show up out of nowhere and ruin everything.”
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There is no denying that the COVID-19 Pandemic has affected afterschool in a variety of ways; from scheduling and numbers to safety protocols to activities and interactions. It is very easy to focus on the negative effects, as COVID has seemingly thrown a big old virus-y wrench into the gears of the well-oiled machines that are our afterschool programs. Unfortunately, the coronavirus is here and it clearly doesn’t care if it makes things difficult for anyone, including afterschool educators.
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As the 20/21 school year started, I reflected on our 2020 summer program. I am thankful that I made it through camp without showing any COVID19 symptoms. You could say it was a matter of luck because (unfortunately) several summer programs we heard about in the news were not as lucky, but I think it was much more than that.
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A Chain is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link For many years, my extended Connecticut family has shared in an October multi-generational tradition. We choose a weekend before Halloween…
“Reel” Life Lessons for OST Success When I was a little girl, my Poppa wanted to teach me the virtues inherent in fishing as a hobby; patience, perseverance, and pride.…
The Allegory of the Oxygen Mask I have been flying on airplanes since I was a very young child. Spending my mid-80s childhood-summers in Kansas, I would often fly alone…
