Course Description
This course will focus on exploring standards and best practices in the development, planning, and facilitation of the program environment, activities, and curriculum of after school programs that serve children in elementary and middle school. Emphasis will be placed on developmentally appropriate programming that links curriculum content with developmental learning goals and outcomes. (3 credits)
Recommended Prerequisite
- ASE 255: Introduction to After School Care and Education
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of child development (5-12) to program practices, including how they develop physically, emotionally, and cognitively.
- 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 outline how to create environments that foster good health and safety practices.
- Interpersonal Environment: Social/Emotional Climate: students will analyze how the physical environment and activity choices influence the emotional climate of the after school program as well as the role of the after school professional in teaching social competency skills.
- Temporal Environment: students will demonstrate how to establish schedules, routines, rules and learning opportunities to meet children/youth needs.
- Physical Environment: students will design sensory rich indoor and outdoor environments that enable children to be independent and explore their interests.
- Curriculum Planning: students will plan and implement program activities that are aligned with children's interest, reflect positive youth development practice, have well defined objectives, and that reflect quality standards.
- Program Management: students will develop and maintain administrative policies and procedures to ensure program effectiveness and standards of quality.
- 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 (Weeks 1-8) | 45% |
| Written papers / projects | 25% |
Midterm Portfolio (Week 5) | 15% |
| Final Portfolio (Week 8) | 15% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle
Armstrong, Linda and Schmidt, Christine. (2013) Great Afterschool Programs and Spaces that WOW! Redleaf Press, St. Paul, MN. ISBN-13: 9781605541228
- Sousa, David A. and Pileck, Tom. (2018) From STEM to STEAM: Brain-Compatible Strategies and Lessons that Integrate the Arts. Corwin A. Sage Publishing. ISBN-13: 9781506322452
Supplemental Readings and Materials
- CT Afterschool Network:
- Best Practices Guidelines for Connecticut After School Programs
- CT Best Practices Guidelines Self-Assessment Tool
- School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale (SACERS)
- National Organization Web Resources:
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is responsible for federal programs which promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
Afterschool Alliance is an organization that works to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs.
Bridging the Gap is funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and dedicated to understanding how politics and environmental factors influence the health of youth.
Click2Science hosts virtual professional development webinars each month focused on out-of-school time learning environments. STEM, professional development best practices, and other relevant events.
- Council on Accreditation (COA) - Standards for Child and Youth Development Programs
Edutopia dedicated to transforming K-12 education so that all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives.
Extended Notes are education resources appropriate for the after-school education field.
The Food Trust is dedicating to ensuring everyone has access to nutritious food and information to make healthy decisions.
Forum for Youth Investment (FYI) is self-described as an “action tank.” FYI’s goals revolve around the idea that all youth should be “Ready by 21” in the education, work and life spheres. FYI provides members of the afterschool field with information and tools to expand and create greater opportunities for the youth population.
- Framework for 21st Century Learning
National Afterschool Association (NAA) is a professional association dedicated to improving afterschool programs and providing a forum for new education and developments in the field. They participate in the advocacy, public policy, and professional development arenas.
National Center for Quality Afterschool aims to improve the teaching and learning aspect of afterschool programs to encourage student achievement. On their website they provide learning tools, lesson plans, and curriculum guides.
National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks is a place for state networks to connect and collaborate to promote their collective mission of sustainability, quality, and growth of afterschool programs, particularly in underserved communities.
Voices for Healthy Kids a joint initiative with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Heart Association to encourage young people to eat healthier foods and be more active.
The Wallace Foundation supports and promotes education programs, with a special emphasis on out-of-school time learning.
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignments |
1 | 1,3,4,9,10 | Welcome and Introduction to the Program Environment and Quality Standards
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2 | 1,2,4,5,10 | The Child Centered Approach: Learning and Development and the Interpersonal Environment
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3 | 1,2,5,6,10 | Implementing a Well Designed Environment and Incorporating Temporal Elements Reading:
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4 | 1,2,7,10 | Lesson Planning and Scheduling Reading:
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Midterm Portfolio Compile your first four Portfolio Development Assignments (weeks 1-4), including this week's assignment, into one document. Create a cover page, table of contents, and three properly cited references. (Due at the end of Week 4) | |||
5 | 1,2,7,9,10 | Linking Activities to Skills, Developing a Theme-Based Curriculum and Project-Based Learning
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6 | 1,2,6,7,10 | Creating Learning Centers and Enrichment Clubs Reading:
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7 | 1,2,3,6,8,9,10 | Managing Partners for Quality Improvement Reading:
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8 | 1-8 | Goals Setting and Inclusion of Coursework in “Real World: “Keeping the Wow” Reading:
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Final Portfolio Project This final project should include all eight portfolio assignments and a summary (minimum of three paragraphs) of how this project with assist you in your work as an after school professional. Create a cover page, Table of Contents, Summary, labeled portfolio assignments, and all references properly cited. | |||
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.