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When We Play, We Learn!. Academic Fun for After School Success. Family Fun Night’s- Oldies but Goodies. Probability & Strategy. Spatial Reasoning and Ordering Concepts. Deductive Reasoning. Building Vocabulary. Reality Bites .
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When We Play, We Learn! Academic Fun for After School Success
Reality Bites • An increase in Single Parent and Two Parent Income families has resulted in reducing the time families spend together doing things like having a family game night. • An increase in emphasis on academic testing performance has resulted in reducing the time classrooms spend doing things like playing games.
Reality Bites • The proliferation of Video Game Systems and Internet-based Social Networks has resulted in a reduction in the amount of face to face interaction time between children and with adults. • An increase in economic hardship across the state has resulted in the reduction of money from both sides of the after school program equation (parents and programs).
What do children need? • “Hard Skills” • Basic academic skills • “Soft Skills” • Communication Skills • Teamwork • Problem Solving Skills • Metacognition & Reflection Skills • Opportunities to actively engage in learning and see learning in a positive light. • Opportunities to socialize with other children and adults in a positive setting. • A safe place to be during after school hours.
What do children need? • “…children need times and places in their lives where the adult agenda is modest, if not held at bay; where the emotional temperature is low, and acceptance is generous; where learning is self-directed, experiential and structured to be enjoyable; where talents can be identified and nurtured; and where possible identities can be explored without risk of failure or ridicule.” (Halpern, 2000, p.186)
The Value of Play Time • Following the rules • Taking turns • Teamwork • Strategy/Decision making • Being a good winner and/or loser • Review & Practice with low stress • Fun!
Promising After School Programs • Strong partnerships with neighborhoods, schools and communities • Supportive relationships between staff and child participants and among participants • Rich and varied academic support • Age appropriate learning opportunities • Highly engaged students
Promising After School Programs • Adult facilitated activities with out imposing high level control • Recreation • Art & other enrichment opportunities • Community-based service experiences • When disruptive behavior occurred, leaders managed them calmly and constructively • Satisfied and trained staff (Vandell, Reisner, Pierce 2007)
Extended Learning Opportunities in After School Programs • Build meaningful relationships with adults outside their family and gain positive role models. • Engage in activities that enable them to learn new things and practice knowledge gained in school. • Engage in reflection, planning, decision-making and problem-solving. • Become attached to a group of peers who have positive aspirations.
Extended Learning Opportunities in After School Programs • Find a “border zone” between home and school that provides pathways to mainstream society but also respects their identity. • Transfer positive experiences in school-based program to more positive feelings about school itself. • Increase sense of themselves as learners. • Increase the involvement of family members in their lives (Parents may also increase communication with other parents and school personnel). (Miller, 2003)
Game Club Strategies Lab • Leader’s Guide includes • Step by step ‘how to run a game club’ check list • Room set up diagram • Higher Order Thinking Skills Matrix • Thinking Vocabulary and definitions • Detailed ‘how to play’ instructions • Leader Scripts
Game Club Strategies Lab • Other Program tools included in sets: • Dry Erase Agenda Poster to add a little structure to your lab • Social Skills Poster to underscore appropriate game club behavior • Problem-Solving Poster to identify 7 specific problem-solving strategies • Reproducible Individual Game Tracking Charts
The Games! • Mostly individual student games, though can be played in cooperative learning groups • Address key problem solving skills such as: sequential reasoning, spatial reasoning, critical thinking, creative thinking, visual discrimination and finding multiple solutions • Enough games in each kit for up to 24 students to play simultaneously
The Games! • Each game has it’s own nylon game bag to make storage a breeze • Each kit contains a double sided tent card that illustrates instructions for playing and cleaning up each game • Popular logic games included like Rush Hour®, Sudoku and Square by Square®
Why Game Club? • Game challenge cards go from Beginner to Expert, allowing for differentiated learning • Engage all types of learners: at risk, ESL, gifted, ADD, Non-Verbal, Non-Readers, twice exceptional, etc… • Games are easy to learn and fun to play!
Curriculum Mastery Games • Standards Based! • Developed by Teachers! • Content leveled by topic & readability • Each set has 750 Self-Checking Review questions • Available by Grade Level and Subject • Each set accommodates up to 36 players • Interactive CD and Parent/Teacher’s Guide included
Classroom Jeopardy • Create your own games, use pre-program cartridges or download free games from on line! • High excitement = Highly engaged! • Encourage Team work with in a large group • Easy to use!
References • Critical Hours: Afterschool Programs and Educational Success Beth M. Miller PhD May 2003 • Outcomes Linked to High-Quality Afterschool Programs: Longitudinal Findings from the Study of Promising Afterschool Programs Deborah Lowe Vandell Elizabeth R. Reisner Kim M. Pierce October 2007