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"The future is now--it's just not evenly distributed." - William Gibson

Characteristics of Successful After-School Programs

In a newly released book, Bringing Yourself to Work: A Guide to Successful Staff Development in After-School Programs, Michelle Seligson and Particia Stahl outline the following characteristics of a successful after-school program...

Emotional Safety -- These after-school programs provide honest, respectful, and emotionally safe environments where staff members look out for your well-being....

Caring -- People are friendly and social in these groups. In a caring environment, there is humor and genuine interest in other people's lives....

Sensitivity -- Successful after-school programs often have a "listening environment." where peoples' suggestions, concerns, fears, and preferences are heard and respected. If someone has a problem, people take it seriously....

Opportunities -- A successful after-school program offers you the opportunity to be creative, and to learn more about yourself, your work, other people, and the world around you....

Leadership -- In these centers everyone feels comfortable assuming a leadership role....

Personal Responsibility -- A healthy after-school program promotes the responsibility of its members to shape their experience within their group. Members don't rely on other people to solve problems within the group; instead they look at what they can do to make changes and improve things....

Vision -- A functional group also has a clear vision of what they want to do and how they want to behave...A group with vision also passionately moves toward the goal of establishing the best possible environment for children and staff....

To order this book go the the Teachers' College Press web site, www.tcpress.com.

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