After-School’s “Value-Added”

What, then, are the advantages of after- school programs as compared to schools? One set of advantages relates to opportunities for project-based learning, which is a staple of many education reform efforts. After-school programs are more open to experimentation than are schools. Schools are bound by curric- ular requirements set by policy makers at the district or state level; no such mandates exist for after-school programs. A clear benefit of this less structured policy context is a much greater block of time available for young peo- ple to work on a project. They may work on a project for several hours a day and continue to work on a project over several months. Youths also are typically allowed much greater auton- omy in choosing their project than is allowed in school. This often results in selecting top- ics that, at least from the perspective of youths, are seen as more authentic. Thus, after-school programs can provide opportunities for more ambitious and personally meaningful project- based learning experiences.

Furthermore, after-school programs or centers that have a positive youth development mission provide settings that allow the positive aspects of youth culture to flourish, while con- straining more negative tendencies. The pos- itive aspects include strong relationships, spontaneity, creativity, expressiveness, engage- ment with music, knowing how to have fun, and idealism.

Many after-school programs focus on socio- emotional development. The staff typically come from the same or similar neighborhoods, providing them firsthand experience and un- derstanding of the stressors that youths face. The programs see it as part of their mission to help young people cope with those stressors and develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that will enable them to grow toward pos- itive adulthoods. By contrast, many school- based educators don’t believe they have the ex- perience or training to help students cope with life outside of school. There have been many complaints that schools are burdened by hav- ing to take on these additional responsibilities.