Course Description
This course will focus on an overview of the knowledge and skills necessary to implement a developmentally appropriate after school program for children ages five through twelve. This course examines established quality standards and best practices and their practical application to daily program practices. Topics covered include child development, social/emotional climate, health and safety, physical environment, curriculum planning, and program management in after school care. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
- None
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Understand how children from 5 to 14 years of age develop physically, emotionally and cognitively and how to apply this knowledge to program practice.
- Identify and describe established quality standards and best practices in after school care, and illustrate the process of applying quality standards to developmentally appropriate daily program practices.
- Health and Safety: students will understand how to create environments that foster good health and safety practices.
- Social/Emotional Climate: students will gain an understanding of the variety of human relationships in after school programs including relationships between children/children, staff/children, staff/staff, and staff/families.
- Physical Environment: students will become competent in designing indoor and outdoor environments that enable children to be independent and explore their interests.
- Curriculum Planning: students will be able to plan and implement indoor and outdoor program activities that reflect developmentally appropriate practices and quality standards.
- Program Policies: students will be able to understand the importance of developing and maintaining administrative policies and procedures to ensure program effectiveness and standards of quality.
- Professionalism: students will understand what it means to be a professional in after school care and develop a plan for continual and ongoing professional development.
- Identify and become familiar with online and print resources relating to after school care.
- Discuss and evaluate issues relating to the field of after school care.
General Education Outcomes (GEOs)
Please check the applicable GEOs for this course, if any, by outcomes at GEO Category Search, or by subject area at GEO Discipline Search.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
| Discussions (20 pts. Weeks 1-8) | 35% |
| Written papers (100 pts. Weeks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 7) | 20% |
Portfolio Assignments (100 pts. Weeks 1-8) | 25% |
Midterm Paper (Week 4) | 10% |
| Final Paper (Week 8) | 10% |
Total | 100% |
Required Texts
(All materials are available free online.)
- Ollhoff, Laurie, Jim Olhoff and Roberta Newman, (2012) Keys to Quality: Afterschool Environments, Relationships, and Experiences: A Best Practices Guide. Published by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA.
- CT Guidelines for Best Practices in After School Programs
- CT After School Program Self-Assessment Tool
- National After School Association Code of Ethics
- NAA Core Knowledge and Competencies for Afterschool and Youth Development Professionals
- NAA Core Knowledge and Competencies Self-Assessment Tool
- CICK Resource Guide: Creating Quality School-Age Child Care Space (Document is provided in the course content of the course.)
Additional Resources
- Harvard Family Research Project – Out-Of-School-Time
- Afterschool Alliance
- Expanding Minds and Opportunities: the power of afterschool and summer learning for student success
- 2013 CASEL Guide: Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs—Preschool and Elementary School Edition
- Basic Guide to Program Evaluation
- Learning Point Associates (American Institute for Research) After School and Expanded Learning
- Videos provided within course lectures to supplement learning material.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 2,9,10 | Overview of the “generational perspective” on after school programs, introduction to ERE – environment, relationships and experiences, foundations and principles of out-of-school time.
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2 | 1,2,4 | Supporting school-age children’s development and fostering a positive social-emotional climate in after school programming
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| 3 | 2,3,6,7,9,10 | Health, Safety and Wellness in the after school setting Reading:
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4 | 1,2,5 | Program Planning and Environment
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Midterm Paper Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 10 SLOs 1-6, 9 & 10 | |||
5 | 1,2,4,9 | Creating a Sense of Community and Promoting Positive Behavior Reading:
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6 | 1, 2, 6, 9, 10 | Curriculum Planning - opportunities for learning and growth experiences
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7 | 2,4,7 | Staff collaboration, creativity and communication. Working with families, host facilities, and community resources
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| 8 | 8,9,10 | Professionalism and Ethics Reading:
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Final Paper Chapters 6, 7, 8 & 9 SLOs 1-10 | |||
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.