Catalog

Catalogs

Title	Duration (hours)	Description
Creating and Maintaining Safe School-Age Environments	2.00	Keeping school-age children safe during out-of-school hours is a top priority for school-age programs. This requires giving careful attention to setting up the program environment in a way that promotes safety, and using effective strategies for monitoring and maintaining a safe environment. Because school-age children are growing towards independence, it is also important for staff to help them develop habits and behaviors that will keep them safe from harm as they participate in program experiences. Promoting and protecting children's safety is one of the major responsibilities of staff in school-age programs.
Commitment to Quality in School-Age Programs	2.00	National, state, and local organizations are working to educate the public about quality school-age childcare services and to assist school-age childcare professionals achieve quality programming in their communities. It is essential for today’s school-age professionals to be aware of the national and state organizations, research, and practices that focus on the development of quality school-age childcare programs. This makes it possible for school-age professionals to learn about the dimensions of quality programs and to participate in the important process of continuous improvement of their own programs.
Observation Skills: What's Going on Here?	2.00	Observation forms the basis of much of what people plan and do every day. As staff work with children in school-age programs, observation takes a more formal role. High quality school-age care is based on the principle of developmentally appropriate practices. Developmentally appropriate practices combine general knowledge of child development with specific knowledge of each individual child. Conducting objective observations help staff learn about each child's development, and provides staff with valuable information to use in planning and implementing appropriate program experiences and in developing effective guidance strategies.
Exploring Four Areas of School-Age Development: Cognitive Development	0.50	One of the most helpful ways to gain an understanding of the needs and interests of youth between 5 and 12 is to examine their development from four different perspectives: 1) Physical Development, 2) Cognitive Development, 3) Social Development, and 4) Emotional Development. In this course, we will explore the cognitive development perspective.
Exploring Four Areas of School-Age Development: Emotional Development	0.50	One of the most helpful ways to gain an understanding of the needs and interests of youth between 5 and 12 is to examine their development from four different perspectives: 1) Physical Development, 2) Cognitive Development, 3) Social Development, and 4) Emotional Development. In this course, we will explore the emotional development perspective.
Exploring Four Areas of School-Age Development: Physical Development	0.50	One of the most helpful ways to gain an understanding of the needs and interests of youth between 5 and 12 is to examine their development from four different perspectives: 1) Physical Development, 2) Cognitive Development, 3) Social Development, and 4) Emotional Development. In this course, we will explore the physical development perspective.
Exploring Four Areas of School-Age Development: Social Development	0.50	One of the most helpful ways to gain an understanding of the needs and interests of youth between 5 and 12 is to examine their development from four different perspectives: 1) Physical Development, 2) Cognitive Development, 3) Social Development, and 4) Emotional Development. In this course, we will explore the social development perspective.
Exploring Individual Differences in School-Age Children: Implications for Programming	2.00	One of the most significant challenges for staff in school-age programs is learning how to identify, manage, and respond appropriately to individual differences in a group setting. Some differences among children are the result of inborn characteristics and traits (e.g., physical characteristics, temperament, talents, race). Other differences are the result of external factors (e.g., the environment) or are cultivated as the child grows and develops (e.g., interests, skills, knowledge). The diverse needs, characteristics, interests, abilities, and skills of school-age children require a flexible atmosphere that supports diversity and choice for children with varying capacities for independent action. Staff who understand and appreciate individual differences in children are better equipped to plan and implement program experiences that help individual children grow and flourish in a group setting.
Making Plans and Developing Policies	2.00	Planning and policy-making are closely linked to the development of quality school-age care programs. When school-age staff are skilled as planners and policy-makers, they can use these skills to design and implement high quality programs that benefit children, youth, and families. It is essential for school-age care professionals to recognize that it is important for policies to grow out of a vision of quality, and a mission that supports that vision. Therefore, creating a vision for quality, developing a program philosophy, and writing a clear mission statement are the first steps in program planning. It is also important for school-age care professionals to use a systematic process to develop goals and objectives, set priorities for accomplishing goals and objectives, and develop goal-based action plans that will help the school-age program achieve its mission. High quality school-age programs are led by professionals who understand how to use effective strategies for creating a continuous cycle of planning and evaluation that supports ongoing program improvement.
Designing Effective Indoor Play and Learning Environments for School-Age Programs	2.00	Planning effective environments is the first step to planning an effective program. When environments are attractive, interesting, and comfortable, they provide a backdrop for a varied program that can address the developmental needs of school-age children. The look and feel of well-planned environments send messages that let children know they are welcome and valued. They are inviting and encourage children to get involved and stay engaged with program activities and experiences.
Human Relations Skill Development: Leadership Styles and Conflict Management: Leadership Styles	1.00	Research indicates that those in positions of leadership use a variety of different leadership and management styles. A person’s effectiveness as a leader is often directly linked to his or her leadership style. It is important for school-age care professionals to be aware of the assumptions and characteristics of different leadership styles. Knowledge of different leadership styles can help school-age care professionals reflect on their own leadership style, and assess its effectiveness.
Human Relations Skill Development: Focus on Leadership Styles and Conflict Management: Managing Conflict	1.00	Research indicates that those in positions of leadership use a variety of different leadership and management styles. A person’s effectiveness as a leader is often directly linked to his or her leadership style. It is important for school-age care professionals to be aware of the assumptions and characteristics of different leadership styles. Knowledge of different leadership styles can help school-age care professionals reflect on their own leadership style, and assess its effectiveness. Leaders also use a variety of different styles when it comes to managing and resolving conflicts. By understanding how to diagnose the causes and dynamics of conflict, and understanding the characteristics of different conflict management styles, school-age care professionals can choose the best conflict management strategy for each situation.
Providing Homework Support: Developing a Homework Support Program	1.00	Research indicates there are many different ways to provide effective homework support in school-age programs. When planning a homework support program, it is important for school-age programs to develop a homework philosophy that is consistent with the program’s overall philosophy, and reflects current research on best practices for providing homework help. The homework philosophy should also reflect the needs of parents and children in the program, and strike a balance between homework needs and other experiences that help children grow and learn out-of-school. In this course, we will examine how to develop a homework support program.
Providing Homework Support: Types of Homework Support	1.00	Research indicates there are many different ways to provide effective homework support in school-age programs. When planning a homework support program, it is important for school-age programs to develop a homework philosophy that is consistent with the program’s overall philosophy, and reflects current research on best practices for providing homework help. The homework philosophy should also reflect the needs of parents and children in the program, and strike a balance between homework needs and other experiences that help children grow and learn out-of-school. In this course, we will explore the various types of homework support.
Developing Effective Outdoor Environments and Interest Areas: Assessing Space and Planning Activities	1.00	School-age children need daily opportunities to exercise, relax, and participate in a wide range of outdoor activities. The hours children spend in after school programs are often the best hours of the day for getting fresh air and enjoying the outdoors while it's still daylight. School-age programs can provide safe, secure settings where children can enjoy the outdoors. In this course, we will explore how to assess space and plan activities in outdoor environment and interest areas.
Developing Effective Outdoor Environments and Interest Areas: Moving Indoor Interest Areas Outside	1.00	School-age children need daily opportunities to exercise, relax, and participate in a wide range of outdoor activities. The hours children spend in after school programs are often the best hours of the day for getting fresh air and enjoying the outdoors while it's still daylight. School-age programs can provide safe, secure settings where children can enjoy the outdoors. In this course, we will explore strategies for moving indoor interest areas into outdoor environments.
Sharing Information with Parents and Other Professionals: Policies & Conferences	1.00	School-age children work on many important developmental tasks during their out-of-school hours. One of the important responsibilities of school-age care staff is to help parents stay in touch with how their children are growing and developing during program hours. In this course, we will explore policies and conferences.
Sharing Information with Parents and Other Professionals: Communication Tools	1.00	School-age children work on many important developmental tasks during their out-of-school hours. One of the important responsibilities of school-age care staff is to help parents stay in touch with how their children are growing and developing during program hours. In this course, we will explore tools used to communicate with families about their children.
Building Relationships with School Personnel	2.00	School-age programs and schools share a mutual goal of supporting the growth, development, and learning of school-age children. Over 50% of all school-age programs nation-wide are housed in school facilities. When school-age programs are housed in school facilities, it is essential for staff in school-age programs to establish and maintain a positive relationship with school personnel. This makes it possible for schools and programs to work together to support the needs of the whole child. Staff can develop successful partnerships with school personnel by cultivating an understanding of the needs, interests, and goals of school personnel and using effective strategies, tools, and systems to build a spirit of positive collaboration and communication.
Developing Activities That Support Character Development and Promote Social Interaction	2.00	School-age programs can provide children with many opportunities to work on character development. Staff who are knowledgeable about character development can create program experiences that help individual children bring out their best inner qualities as they interact with peers and adults outside the family. Staff can also use this knowledge to help children make positive contributions to the program, their school, their community, and to the world beyond their community.
School-Age Care as a Family Service: Emphasis on Relationship Building	2.00	Strong, positive, cooperative relationships with parents and families are at the heart of quality school-age programs. Unfortunately, positive relationships with parents and families are not always easy to achieve because parents, like children, have widely varying personalities; some are easier to reach than others. Parents in school-age programs have different ideas, values, concerns, knowledge, pressures, lifestyles, plans, dreams, resources, and constraints. Staff who are successful in building positive relationships begin by recognizing the importance of accepting parents as the most important people in children’s lives, regardless of differences among them. They understand that staff attitudes toward parents can have a strong effect on whether or not staff can establish positive relationships with parents. Staff in quality programs make a commitment to learning as much as possible about parents’ needs, interests, wants, and concerns and develop effective strategies for making positive connections with parents.
Youth Development Trends: Focus on Older Youth: Developmental Needs	1.00	The Center for Early Adolescence at the University of North Carolina and the Search Institute have found that early adolescence is a time of rapid change in youth development and developmental needs. For many children, the characteristic needs of early adolescence begin to emerge as early as age nine, when children are still in elementary school and attending traditional school-age care programs. School-age care professionals who understand these emerging needs are better equipped to create successful program experiences with older children in their programs. In this course, we will explore the developmental needs of older youth.
Youth Development Trends: Focus on Older Youth: Programming Approaches	1.00	The Center for Early Adolescence at the University of North Carolina and the Search Institute have found that early adolescence is a time of rapid change in youth development and developmental needs. For many children, the characteristic needs of early adolescence begin to emerge as early as age nine, when children are still in elementary school and attending traditional school-age care programs. School-age care professionals who understand these emerging needs are better equipped to create successful program experiences with older children in their programs. In this course, we will examine programming approaches that address the needs of older youth.
School-Age Care as a Family Service: Emphasis on Planning Opportunities for Family Involvement	2.00	The foundation for getting parents involved in school-age programs is to keep parents well informed about what is happening in the program. Quality programs also provide parents with opportunities to make suggestions and give feedback on program services through suggestion boxes, feedback forms, and surveys. When parents are encouraged to have input in the program, they develop trust and confidence in the program, and feel a sense of pride and ownership. They are more likely to participate as resourceful partners with program staff when they know their ideas are welcome and valued. Finally, because parents are all different from each other, it's important to provide many different opportunities for them to connect with the program. Staff in quality school-age programs recognize that all parents don't have to be involved in the same way.
Guiding the Behavior of Individual Children	2.00	This knowledge and understanding will help students develop strategies for creating programs that encourage individual children to develop self-discipline and self-direction, establish positive relationships with others, and exhibit respect for program materials and equipment and the rights of others.