Introduction
After-school programs are prearranged course of study which request the participation or presence of the students to be involved in an occurring, encountered, experienced and observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure outside the classroom programs. However, such programs are implemented by tertiary institutions while some are outwardly financed by non-profit or an organization relating to commercialism.
Consequently, the after-school programs take place in either the school premises or within the community, for example the community hall, recreational park, playing ground etc.
Nevertheless, the activities are the fundamental assumptions from which the program is begun, developed, calculated or explained in a parental approach which is patent by the effort of the parents to cultivate the youth’s talents through pre-arranged free time activities, thereby affording the youths with knowledge of the ability to lead and the act of transacting within or between adults (Mahoney, Larson, and Eccles 45). However, to so extreme degree the children are thought by advocates to be more productive and fortunate later in life. On the other hand others believe excessive activities to give evidence of over parenting.
This research paper substantiates and proposes that the board of education with the town of Cheshire CT should offer more after-school programs free of charge to kids from 1st grade – 8th grades due to the benefit which the program has on the children positively and how it helps out the parents.
The research carried out in Connecticut showed that, of the 622,445 school-age children in the state, 172,417 children are responsible for taking care of themselves, while the other 112,663 children in the state participate in the after-school program and the last batch of 168,228 children would like to participate in the program if only there was a free program of such (Afterschool alliance, “America After 3pm”, 2009).
Further research on why the children do not involve in after-school programs in the state shows that due to the parents’ financial instability and the high rate being charged by most of the profit-making organisations.
In line with this, Christopher Dodd, a member of the U.S. Senate quoted that “the average parents’ misses eight work days in a year because of the absence of after-school program…therefore developing after-school program is not just a good investment, but a smart investment”.
However, with such quotes from a notable citizen the educational board is urged to implement a free after-school program in the community for the benefit of the children, parents and community as well.
On the other hand, Children, parents and the community gain in quantifiable ways from the afterschool program. As opposed to the children spending time unaccompanied or in unsupervised activities, the program offers a protected haven where children can discover and construct strong, optimistic relationships.
Accordingly, with the recent research carried out, on the performance standard and testing of the children in the low grade class, it has proven that with the attendance of after-school programs for the kids in the 1st grade – 8th grades, leads to the development of their academic and social skills.
However, since the children are the future of every nation and the determinant of the reshaping of a nation, there is much necessity in the acquiring of a better and purposeful academic and moral life which are some of the benefits of the after-school program or activities, therefore this is a medium of urging the board of education within the town of Cheshire CT to offer a free of charge after-school programs to kids from 1st grade – 8th grades. Consequently, with the exorbitant fee being charged by most after-school program coordinators, and the willingness of the educational board with the town of Cheshire CT on the implementation of a free program or process on the debated issue, the less fortunate or low class youth will have the advantage of benefitting from the program, because research has established or strengthen as with new evidence or facts on educators’ anxiety that children who are not supervised or under constant observation during the after-school hours can experience an array of unenthusiastic developmental results, particularly when the children come from non financially safe or secure circumstances.
Importantly, attending after-school program affords children from low-income families with right of entry to the kind of enhancement activities that middle-class children naturally experience (Hofferth & Jankuniene, 58).
Typical activities of the program
Significantly, in company of the influence of classroom programs on the kids’ academic change, after-school programs differ in accordance with their beliefs, objectives, and programming. Many programs carry on an institution of providing protected environment for the children to have fun. Though, such leisure programs have a tendency or disposition to draw attention to sports activities. Furthermore, other programs centre on academics by helping in tutoring of school subjects and by supporting with completion of assignments. Hence, the provision of the opportunity to build up talents and interests in activities such as music, arts, dancing, sciences and crafts works. Moreover, most of the after-school programs take place between the hours of 3pm and 6pm immediately after-school hours, thereby helping working parents with the taking care of their children before the closure from work.
In addition to this, the incentive for children partaking in an after-school program is because the parents are working and very busy to supervise their children and wish that the children are supervised (Mahoney, Larson, and Eccles 45).
Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report noted that advocates believe that if the children are not supervised, they tend to partake in criminal or detrimental activities such as smoking, taking of drugs, smoking and illicit sexual activities. Accordingly, the increase in violent crimes takes places between the peak hours of 3 and 5pm, immediately after-school hour, hence the avoidance of such danger.
Conclusion
The children in the 1st grade – 8th grades have a radically distinctive and without equal set of communal, academic and emotional wants, and after-school interlaces all these together in a successful manner, by the effectuation of educational and attractive activities to support the children. Additionally, after-school program proffers several benefits to the young children, but only if any condition that makes it difficult to make progress or to achieve an objective to participation are separated, and giving the children the opportunity to involve their selves significantly.
Furthermore, after-school program gives the children the opportunity of choosing or selecting a wide range of activities, thereby attracting or delighting them in activities which will enhance their knowledge, and supporting the act of meeting for social purposes with their mates. Consequently, such programs also offer the possibility of enhancing the children’s ability towards learning (Alexander, 2000) inclusive of impacting the knowledge of music, computers, art, reading for joy, and writing (Hynes, O’Connor, & Chung, 2000; Vandell & Shumow, 1999).
Works cited
Afterschool Alliance “America After 3 PM”. (2009). Web.
Alexander, David. The learning that lies between play and academics in after-school programs. Wellesley, MA: National Institute on Out-of-School Time. (2000). Web. Web.
Hofferth, Sandra. L., & Jankuniene, Zita. Life after-school. Educational Leadership. Champaign IL. : ERIC Clearinghouse. 2001. Print.
Hynes, Kathryn, O’Connor, Susan, & Chung, An-Me. Literacy: Exploring strategies to enhance learning in after-school programs. Wellesley, MA: National Institute on Out-of-School Time. 1999. Web. Web.
Mahoney, Joseph L., Larson, Reed W., & Eccles, Jacquelynne S. Organized activities as contexts of development: extracurricular activities, after-school and community programs. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2005. Print.
Vandell, Deborah.L. & Shumow, Lee., After-School Child Care Programs, The Future of Children: When School is Out. Vol. 9, Num. 2. David and Lucile Packard. 1999.