ANNOUNCEMENTS

A secret of learning uncovered

02/27/2009

For all of the activities we have developed over the years, for all of our community partner participation, for all the help from our teachers and parents and guardians, and from spending all the money in the 21stCentury CCLC budgets, we have learned what helps children the most. Some people call it mentoring.  We call it staff involvement.  The truth (at least for us) is that each child needs plenty of personal attention. We  provide one staff member for every seven children in every activity.  And we use more professionals than college or high-school students. The mandated amount of 1 to 15 does not work, and the commonly discussed 1 to 10 doesn't work very well, either.  We spend more money on what 21st Century CCLC calls "instruction."  From enrichment and socialization activities grow responsible students and the resulting academic progress that is so coveted by advocates of No Child Left Behind.  There are no shortcuts.