Workshops

The new 4-H curriculum, Junk Drawer Robotics, engages youth ages 10-13 in understanding scientific concepts and processes, engineering design, and technology creation using household items to complete simple design challenges. This workshop will introduce participants to robotics education through hands-on activities. It is designed to improve competence and confidence in facilitating robotics activities with young people.

How do you bring together a coalition of partners to promote and sustain quality science instruction in afterschool programs? Oakland Unified School District and Techbridge will share best practices on how to develop a professional learning community for staff leading afterschool programs. Participants will engage in a hands-on, career-focused engineering activity to experience a modified learning community session. Walk away with promising practices for delivering quality science education in your afterschool program.

The National Afterschool Association (NAA) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) have joined together in support of creating an aligned learning day for children. Such a learning day considers the needs of the whole child and encompasses the ways, times, and situations in which children and youth learn. An aligned learning day provides a wide variety of enriching experiences that help children and youth become engaged learners. Learn about training opportunities, resources, and best practices that have been developed between principals and afterschool leaders across the country. Learn about the associations' mutual goals and discover what can lie ahead for children and youth at the school/community level within this "new day for learning."

Laugh while you learn in this interactive session how reader's theater is simply reading aloud like a play, without memorization, props, or a stage. This workshop teaches easy step-by-step implementation and brings expressive reading to life. Join us and learn the power, benefits, and fun of using reader's theater for reading enrichment, and watch your students beg to participate as their skills soar!

Hip-Hop in the classroom? In this innovative session, a Flocabulary presenter will demonstrate engaging ways of incorporating rhyme-writing and music into the curriculum. The session will feature practical instructional strategies, relevant research, and an interactive writing workshop. Participants will come away from this session with cutting-edge strategies in the areas of multisensory instruction, student engagement, and culturally relevant approaches to academic enrichment.

Explore the value of STEM in out-of-school time and learn about some freely available NASA informal education resources. During this session, we'll discuss the benefits and obstacles of STEM programming, share lessons learned, and give participants a taste of the sorts of activities they could use in their programs.

Relax, have fun, and renew your creative spirit in this hands-on art workshop where no "talent" is required. Create a Paper Quilt and Color Spray Mural while working in small groups. Take home affordable art ideas that are unique, exciting, and motivating for children ages 5-12. Includes "Smart Art Lesson Plans with Learning Outcomes" for all art activities presented. Knowledge gained in this workshop will enable participants to be more confident when engaging school age children in open-ended art that encourages creativity and community.

Engage with MOUSE Squad Student Tech Leadership students and their coordinator to learn how a nonprofit program teaches them about the "T" in STEM, technology, and also teamwork and problem solving. Attendees will participate in "Computer in a Box" and other project-based activities and do selected activities from the online curriculum modules - problem solving, communications, and technology - so that they can determine whether the program would be a fit for their afterschool setting.

This interactive workshop will prepare participants to impart knowledge learned from conferences, workshops, books, and media to colleagues, and then inspire them to keep the momentum to create a culture of learning at their organization by showing them how to pass on useful information in an engaging way. Participants will walk away with an interactive toolkit that they can use during the conference at other workshops to start to develop ways to share information in a fun and creative way.

Creating a space for girls to understand and explore their gendered identities facilitates both academic and social/emotional growth. In this workshop, participants will learn about the theory, best practices, curriculum, and staff training strategies that lead to effective girl-centered programming. Participants will walk away with hands-on tools to incorporate into their afterschool programs.

With the growing focus among education leaders and policy makers on increased learning time, it is critical that afterschool providers have the tools and information to demonstrate the value of their programs in this shifting context. This workshop will detail policy, research, and awareness tools that will enable providers to make this case.

Middle school is an age when young people begin to develop a greater sense of autonomy but also seek structure. It can be a challenge to engage this age group effectively. In this workshop, participants will learn about the AfterZone middle school model reaching 1,800 middle school youth annually in Providence, RI. Participants will come away from this workshop with specific strategies for reaching middle school youth.

Learn how to capture and communicate good news about your school in ways that can generate revenue and resources. This session will offer general information about best practices in public relations and development as well as specific examples and ideas for real-world application results.

In an era of higher accountability and responsibility, many school leaders find that if they expand the boundaries of time, space, and partners for learning, they can better achieve global competence, provide more opportunities and connections for their students, and broaden their stakeholder groups of support. This workshop will show school leaders how an expanded learning program can help them produce globally competent graduates, leverage partnerships with community-based organizations to achieve that goal, plan for implementation, and assess whether they are reaching their goals.

Charter schools are created for a variety of reasons, including to serve as incubators for new and innovative ideas in education. Learn more about how Aspire Public Schools, a nonprofit charter management organization featured on Oprah, aligns in-school and afterschool efforts to fulfill their mantra of "College for Certain" for urban students across the state of California. Bring your ideas to share in this interactive session.

Come prepared to demonstrate your confidence and play hard! We will focus on the skills and strategies Facilitative Leaders can use to promote youth leadership in their program. The skills we will address are speaking with confidence, inviting input, and modeling respect. This is your chance to practice these skills and support your peers in "Standing Tall."

Hiring the right staff is only the beginning! Developing a team of individuals committed to strengthening the mission of the organization is a great challenge and one that requires a strong skill set. Learn how to cultivate a team that not only does their job well, but also loves what they do!

Good charter schools begin and end with good governance. Board development and training are keys to ensuring that your charter school is well governed. This session will offer practical strategies and tools for building a board of directors poised to realize the vision of the founders.

Not a "science" person? No problem! Here's a way to make science fun and educational for children...and easy for you! Participants will be actively engaged in nature crafts and science projects designed to create the excitement and ignite the naturally curious minds of children. Learn how to make the teaching and learning process hands-on. Come prepared to "make and take."

Kids are natural born scientists, always asking questions, wanting to understand their world. Youth workers can capitalize on youth curiosity by understanding how to facilitate learning. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about the difference between hands-on, inquiry, and experiential learning and discover how to apply science, engineering, and technology inquiry-based and experiential learning opportunities in an afterschool and other non-formal learning settings.

We believe that parents can significantly impact their child's reading development. This training will provide school staff with a model for bridging the gap between home and school in order to increase reading success. Participants will learn about a parent literacy model being implemented in San Leandro Unified, San Francisco Unified, and Oakland Unified School Districts. Each participant will walk away with strategies for training and engaging those parents who have been traditionally disconnected from the academic process.

Engage upper elementary and lower middle school kids in hands-on invention activities from the Time to Invent Club. This out-of-school program was developed by the Educational Outreach Department at WGBH, Boston's PBS station. Explore the FREE curriculum, sample activities, and develop a program that is easy to implement.

Schools are often judged solely by their standardized test scores. But scores alone don't tell the whole story or point a way to improvement. In this workshop participants will have an opportunity to identify what's important to measure. They will learn about a collaborative process for finding out how their schools are doing and what they can do to make them even better on dimensions that matter to them and to their students, families, and communities.

KidTribe is back with new, turn-key, hands- (and hoops-) on techniques for blending physical fitness and anti-bullying with core academics and the arts. It's so much fun it feels more like a party and EVERYONE'S INVITED! Led by KidTribe founder, Kellee McQuinn, there's never a dry armpit in the house!

High-quality programs collaborate with schools and their staff to achieve common goals, but collaboration is often easier said than done. This session will offer tools and strategies to help programs share their mission with schools, develop stronger school-day partnerships, facilitate resource and information sharing, and better support students' academic development.

Managing school finances can divert valuable resources from your core mission of educating students. A little bit of knowledge can help even the busiest school leaders make their bottom line a top priority. Learn the basics of financial reporting responsibilities, long-range budget planning, business policies and procedures, and financial statements.

Learn fun, engaging, and interactive strategies to make your afterschool program one that will keep kids coming back while empowering them with tools to succeed back in the classroom! You will gather ideas on how to energize your program while supporting, reinforcing, and building academic skills.

This session explores how elementary school afterschool programs can utilize poetry and other forms of self-expression to channel their students' creativity and inner voice so that students not only feel heard but also see marked improvement in their reading, writing, and literacy efforts during the school day.

No one says that running a school is simple - long hours, tough decisions, and increasingly complex challenges can fill your days. Examine your school's financial structure and get new perspectives on the strategies that will help you succeed. This session will focus on roles and responsibilities of board members and key officials, discussion of Tax Form 990, and steps to make the financial statement audit more efficient.

Afterschool programs often hire part-time staff with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience. While this diversity is a strength, it can be a challenge to create staff development models that engage everyone. Come to this workshop to learn inclusive and dynamic staff development strategies that will motivate your staff and enrich your program.

Your activity area is too small, your afterschool group is diverse and large, and there are very few of you! This workshop provides innovative ideas to get large, diverse groups up and moving with friendly management techniques in an upbeat, fun and motivating way. Learn how these successful solutions can enhance your efforts to promote physical activity so that ALL children have a positive experience in being physically active.

Hate the thought of year-end performance reviews? This workshop is designed to help you write and deliver evaluations that will foster dialogue about performance and motivate staff to improve performance - without casting you in the role of "the bad guy!"

Are you a teacher who is looking for multi-sensory literacy games for your afterschool program students? Come prepared to play hands-on games that integrate reading, spelling, and literacy skills and incorporate the use of literacy dice, letter tiles, word decks, and more. Handouts will include reproducible gameboards, ideas for literacy backpacks, and practical take-home ideas for immediate use.

This hands-on workshop will explore the value of training staff, various professional development models, and strategies for creating a diverse set of professional development opportunities that build on staff needs while also supporting different learning styles. It will include lessons from other sectors that can inform how we plan our professional development efforts. Participants will receive a planning tool to help them create individual and group professional development plans.

Afterschool is the perfect time for kids to sit back, relax, and let their imaginations soar while listening to a story. Join us to enjoy a story and experience activities that will build comprehension and vocabulary. Walk away with a lot of great ideas for reading afterschool!

Afterschool program providers can make a huge difference in improving children's health, ending childhood hunger, and fighting obesity! This session addresses how to receive funding through the federal afterschool and summer nutrition programs, and advice for choosing the best funding option for your program. Learn how these federal nutrition programs work and how to navigate the different options. Learn about strategies and resources to support your program, examples of the benefits to being a program sponsor, and how to incorporate nutrition education into your program. We will also give you the tools to improve nutrition quality and offer nutrition education.

With the charter and choice movement growing, neighborhood schools are facing challenges of relevance. The Center for Cities and Schools explores the importance of schools within our communities and a school's impact on neighborhood growth and sustainability. Come learn about opportunities to connect with the community and the importance of nurturing that connection.

Join us to experience first hand the inspiration, imagination, and enthusiasm project-based learning triggers in today's students. Participants will be guided through a standards-based curriculum project which will include the creation of a replica of an ancient artifact that is tied directly to the lesson. They will explore content that is aligned to the specific project in order to see how exciting the delivery of content can be when using project-based learning in the classroom.

GenMove has developed totally new creative and innovative games that have never been seen before that support developing a healthy lifestyle for students. This session will focus on teaching and utilizing movement skills and increasing student participation by providing activities that are fun, safe, and, most importantly, success driven. Teaching students how to move and have fun doing it could be the most important thing they ever learn.

Although Camden, NJ is often cited among the nation's most dangerous cities, Dr. Gloria Bonilla Santiago is working hard to change that. As the founder of LEAP Academy, one of the state's first charter schools, she has grown the charter school into more grades, more schools, and more programs, for even the youngest children. In this workshop, she will share her vision for transforming community through education and her methods for making it real. Participants will have an opportunity to share their experiences and insights about the challenges and joys of growing charter schools and related enterprises.

The National Summer Learning Association has conducted site visits and interviews with twenty-five summer learning programs to bring to life their unique program practices in working with middle and high school youth. Learn the best practices framework and discuss and share ideas to take back to your program.

Strong relationships between staff and youth keep kids coming back. Help program staff build more enduring relationships with students that strengthen 21st century skills, redirect difficult behavior, and help create a dynamic environment that fits youth development needs. Participants will receive practical tools and resources to create more positive environments and relationships with youth.

New and innovative tennis and education programming can be the perfect match for students in the after school space to increase their attachment, interest, and performance in school. Learn how the United States Tennis Association is here to support after school tennis and education programs with equipment, training, grants, educational curricula, on-court curriculum, court-building, and more. Tennis is a lifetime sport, and it starts in the schools.

Join Sesame Workshop, the people behind Sesame Street, as they introduce The Electric Company's Extended Learning Program. This session introduces innovative methods to utilize media as an integral asset of your program. Designed to meet the needs of children 6-9 years old with research-based, multi-media content, today's Electric Company is fun and engaging. In this session you will have a hands-on opportunity to discover ways to engage struggling readers and connect with your communities around literacy initiatives for the whole family.

Children need to be educated on movement skills the same way they need to be educated in math, science, or reading. In this session, you will learn how to use a wide variety of activities to get children of all ages up, moving, and having fun in and out of school. Join us as GenMove takes traditional games and sports to a new level with activities that are designed so that everyone has the opportunity to be successful thus increasing interest levels and participation.

The use of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) during the regular school day has been shown to improve student behavior and academic performance. However, such framework is typically not administered afterschool. In this session, participants will learn about PBIS and develop strategies that will enhance the quality of their program.

Middle school is a critical time for youth and may be the last intervention point for students at risk of dropping out of high school. Join us to learn best practices for running fun and engaging activities to educate students on why high school matters, options after high school, and career exploration.