Professional Development
NAA publishes fresh, new content every week covering a wide variety of topics related to the field of aftershool. Be sure to check in regularly.
Eat Healthy and Get Moving: Incorporate HEPA into Your Program
Tuesday, 27 September 2016 09:09Jessica Hay, California Afterschool Network program director, recently had the opportunity to discuss the National Afterschool Association (NAA) Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards (HEPA) during a Lights on Afterschool webinar, and offer some tips for incorporating them into family and community events such as Lights On Afterschool.
Modeling Leadership
Tuesday, 20 September 2016 05:24People too often associate leadership with a status to be earned, or a title that bestows power. Certainly, under some circumstances, those definitions are accurate. But I like to think of leadership differently.
Involving Children and Families in Program Planning
Tuesday, 20 September 2016 05:20Over the years, one of the biggest and most consistent concerns and struggles I've heard from program administrators concerns how to engage parents and families. Many times, program staff reach out and get limited response or involvement.
A Fresh Twist on Lesson Planning
Monday, 12 September 2016 11:51When Jackie Cushman's daughter started kindergarten in fall 2014, she attended an afterschool program and came home every night with awesome projects and stories to share. Jackie noticed two things: first, her daughter would enthusiastically list facts about a new theme each week; second, her daughter was learning a lot by having a lot of fun.
How Art Motivates STEM Learning
Monday, 12 September 2016 11:41Science, Technology, Engineering and Math—the subjects called STEM—continue to be a major focal point in education. This urgent focus on STEM came from the growing concern that education was not providing the building blocks necessary for students to achieve successful future employment in an increasingly technical world.
Tweet Chat: How Out-of-School Programs Could Affect #LatinoHealth
Wednesday, 07 September 2016 00:00Out-of-school time providers are in a unique position to support or hinder healthy eating and physical activity for youth.
Lights On Afterschool
Monday, 29 August 2016 13:16One million Americans will come together at 8,000 events on Thursday, October 20, to celebrate the 17th annual Lights On Afterschool. Registration is now open. Join in to shine a light on the impact your program is making!
Professionalizing the Afterschool Field: Core Competencies
Monday, 29 August 2016 00:00The NAA Core Knowledge and Competencies (CKCs) for Afterschool and Youth Development Professionals were designed through the collaborative efforts of NAA, the Child & Youth Care Certification Board, and the National Institute of Out-of-School Time.
Micro-credentials & Digital Badges – What You Should Know
Tuesday, 16 August 2016 00:00A strong afterschool workforce is key to program quality and positive youth outcomes. Can competency-based recognition in the form of micro-credentials and digital badges help develop the skills, confidence, and careers of afterschool professionals? We think so! This cool infographic helps explain how.
Welcome to the Twitterverse!
Monday, 08 August 2016 00:00Last year, I felt like a Gen Xer living in a millennial's world. Wait—who am I kidding? That's exactly what I was! This year is different. I realized that I'd somehow grown from latchkey, Doc Martens, and MTV of the '70s and '80s to afterschool for all, casual Fridays and Twitter for the 21st Century!
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