i am an aide in a fourth grade classroom since i could not get a teaching job for this school year. i was thinking of starting up some kind of after school activity to boost my resume. i spoke with the principal and she said she was going to contact teachers etc. this week regarding starting such programs. i don't know any details or logistics about starting one within the school as yet, but right now i am trying to think of some ideas. the main reason for this is so that, if i don't hear anything by the end of the week, i'd like to go to the principal and come to her with some ideas i have. there are generic things like arts and crafts and what not, but i would like to think of something fun and educational, but not TOO crazy. any ideas? right now i'm thinking of suggesting doing something with comic books. any other ideas? thanks!
It depends on what you have a skill in. I'm teaching sign language to my son's after school program. Cooking Club Respect Club (One Marine is doing this. It involves role playing, crafts, reading, discussions, etc). Drama Club (students brainstorm ways to include more drama to inform or entertain such as before the morning assembly, etc) Sewing Club Protect the Environment Club
What about something like coaching an Odyssey of the Mind team? The only "problem" would be that it would limit you to only 7 members (unless you enlist the help of others to coach, and then you could have more teams)
what exactly is odyssey of the mind? thanks! any other ideas out there? from what i heard i don't have a budget at all for this. i am an aide, too, so i literally have no supplies to begin with.
I like the idea of a respect club-each week focus on a specific character trait (such as honesty, etc.) it not only creates respect for others, but self-respect. If you want to incorporate comic books into a club - Reading: The students can find character development, plot, rising action, climax and resolution. Drama: Act out scenes from the book. Art: Students can create a comic strip. The will have to create a character (personification?), they have to come up with a plot. Grammar: Identify parts of speech in the "bubble". Sounds like fun to me!
Take a look at a high school website or yearbook. Our school has something like 80 teams and 60 activities... everything from Culinary club to Anime (where I think they draw those comic book figures with the art teacher.) But start with what YOU'RE comfortable with, and go from there.
Chess team, book club, how about a community service club (makes decoration for nursing homes, cards for the hospital, wraps presents for charity, etc.)
Last year another teacher and I did a Book Club once a month during recess time. It was easy for us and the kids loved it. It could probably be expanded to meet every week too. We would have the children read a selected chapter book over the course of a month. When we got together, we would discuss the book and do some sort of activity that went with the discussion or book. For example, we read one of the Judy Blume Fudge books where Fudge is obsessed with money. As we discussed the book, the kids colored a bill bookmark and then we took their pictures to glue in the middle of the bill. For Reindeer Don't Wear Striped Underwear, the kids made candy cane reindeers while we discussed. If we met more often, I think I would assign certain chapters to read before each week's meeting or even read some together, more like a literature circle.
On the comic book idea...there is a neat website I used with my grade 3 kids Apparently I can't post the link because i haven't been a member for long enough (?) but go to readwritethink.org and then "student materials" on the left hand side, and then comic creator You can quickly and easily create a comic strip with a program on the site. My kids used it to practice creative writing (taking a comic strip that we made and describing setting, using speech marks etc. to convert the pictures into a story or vice versa)
OM is a creative thinking competition for kids in K-College. Teams consist of 7 members, and they work together to solve one of 5 problems created by Odyssey of the Mind. For more information, you can go to www.odysseyofthemind.com
Every year I design an after school program for the ELLs (English Language Learners) in the school. We are provided a budget for it, so bear with me, as I know that you do not have one.... but I will provide some ideas afterwards. This year (and in years past) we are doing educational thematic units during the after school program (for example, our first is the Ocean.) We use literature, song, arts and crafts, etc. At the end of the unit, we take a Saturday trip. Our first is to the NY Aquarium. We will also be studying Space and visiting the Planetarium, Arctic and Antarctic and visiting the Central Park Zoo (they have polar bears and penguins), African Grasslands and going to the Bronx Zoo, and Planting and Gardening and visiting the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Now, I realize that you do not have a budget, but a lot of these units can be carried out with materials that are already in the school. Songs and craft ideas can be found online, and a lot of the crafts we are doing require things found around the house, or supplies that are inexpensive (and may be found in your school as well!) The units are fun, educational and supported with a trip. Our trips are free of charge for the children because of our budget, and the way in which I allocated money. However, you could either have children pay for the trips, which would make them more accessible, or you could even visit www.donorschoose.org and put in a minigrant for trips! Test your luck and see if they get funded! Even if you don't do the trips, you could always do fun thematic units that are educational and entertaining!
missidy...that site is great! i am really considering bringing this comics in the classroom idea to my principal. does any1 else know of good sites for using comics in the classroom? any other after school ideas? every1's suggestions are great...thanks!
Newspaper staff. :haha: That's where the comics come in, too... because they design the comic strips themselves. It's really a neat club for about 30 4th and 5th graders at my school... and it's lots of work (but worth it).
My son's teacher used to do a book club at his school. He loved it. She picked "fun" books that they wouldn't normally use in school. The last ones she used were R.L. Stine's Rotten School books. The students had to buy their own book, but she had an audio copy of the book. They would listen to a chapter (while tracking in their book) and then talk about it and do some activities. She always gave treats and prizes. It was a way to make reading fun. It wasn't work and they all had a good time. She no longer does it as she has an infant at home to care for and this was an after-school club. I know she wants to start it back up as soon as she can.
How exciting that you are going to be planning clubs for your students! Essentially, you should find something either you can be very passionate about or know that your students can be very passionate about! I would recommend brainstorming some of yours and your students interests and try to see if you can come up with crafts, games, activities, and special events that would provide a thematic experience. You can even sneak in some learning if you want (history, math, languages) that fits your theme! If you'd like to visit my blog I have some more examples of club ideas that I have planned and how to implement them. Best of luck to you! Marie afterschoolclubideas.com
I worked in an after school program before that was funded by a grant. The children who stayed after school were considered "at risk." How great would that be if you started an after school program for "at risk children" in order to help them with homework? It depends on how much time you have and how dedicated you are, but I think a lot of children would stay after school! Most of the children in the program I worked for stayed because their parents either didn't work and didn't care for them to stay OR they DID work and it was a convenient way for them to get free after school care. What we usually did is have a snack as soon as they came in (which you wouldn't have to do - that depends on money). Then they would get their homework out (I had 10 kids). You could always have the 10 kids who are MOST "at risk" in the fourth grade. I would go around and help them with their homework. I would read a book (I read "The Borrowers") to them at one point - a little each day. Then, after we finished the book, we watched the movie and got pizza. 2 pizzas will do for 10 kids even if you had to pay out of pocket - 10 bucks. Anyway, after I helped them with homework and read to them, we would go outside and they would play on the playground. We would just do fun, free stuff. Sometimes they would go to the computer lab or play in the gym with the balls or whatever. The supplies in the gym are free - the computers are free - the reading to the kids is free - the help with homework is free - the playground is free. I absolutely loved working with those kids and they loved being there. It was the kids (out of the whole 3rd grade) who were the MOST starved for attention and in need of help with homework. I think you could do it!
