Benefits
of
‘After’
School
Activities
Ruth Falzon March 22, 2011
• What does ‘after’ school activities tell us about school?
• How are our schools defining education?
• Are our schools reflecting the profile of our present
civilisation?
E
D
U
C
A
T
I
O
N
?
2
Schools’ Success?
• Longstanding culture of prioritizing
academic skills and excellence;
• Overwhelmingly focused on
improving GCSE (SEC) scores;
• Little time & resources devoted
‘work-related’ learning;
• Closed off from the outside world;
• What about the NEETs -the other 50%
(those Not in Education, Employment or Training)
Birdwell, Grist & Margo (2011)
3
Schools’ Success
for whom?
Injecting character into the curriculum
We recommend that schools & colleges
should provide further time for, and
investment in, ‘enrichment’ Frameworks
that help to prioritize and capture
‘life skills’ and other employability skills.
Extracurricular activities outside the
classroom can help young people develop ‘life skills’,
but our research revealed that few young people take
part in them and schools only give students limited
encouragement.
Birdwell, Grist & Margo (2011)
4
C
U
R
R
E
N
T
N
E
E
D
S
?
Eric Hoffer
5
E
m
p
l
o
y
a
b
i
li
t
y
?
Amongst Core characteristics
employers look for are soft
skills, positive attitudes
motivation and flexibility.
These include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
willingness to work
willingness to learn,
appearance,
behaviour,
confidence,
positive gestures and
mannerisms.
Newton et al (2005);
Taylor (2005)
Winterbotham et al ( 2001)
6
Education and
the Future?
• Degrees /job guarantee
(e.g. 50% of Knowledge
of Graduate engineers
becomes obsolete
within a span of 5 years)
• 90% of our present 7-year
olds will be in jobs which
do not yet exist
• Workless people have
attitudinal barriers -lack
of confidence in ability to
learn; increasing lack of
training motivation with
age (Newton et al, 2005).
7
Accessibility for ALL
The Matthew Effect (2010)
‘For whosoever hath, to
him shall be given
and he shall have
more abundance:
but whosoever hath
not, from him shall be
taken away
even that he hath.’
(Matthew Chap. 12- Verse 12)
8
What makes the
difference?
•
•
•
•
Education?
Present Civilisation?
Employability?
Accessibility?
9
National Youth Violence
Prevention Resource
Center – USA (NYVPRC)
• After-school hours are the peak time for
juvenile crimes and risky behaviors, including
alcohol and drug use.
• Children are at the highest risk of becoming
a victim of violence after school, particularly
between 14:00. and 18:00
• Highest amount of juvenile
crime occurs between 15:00.
and 16:00 (School dismissal).
10
...NYVPRC
• Students who spend no time in after-school
activities are 49 % more likely to have used drugs
• Students who spend no time in after-school activities are 37 %
more likely to become teen parents than students who spend 1-4
hrs a week in after-school activities (Westat, Inc. analysis of national data,1995)
• After-school programs prevent pregnancy by promoting sound
judgment, offering health education, and providing positive
alternatives to sexual activity ("Child Trends Research Brief," May 2002)
• If youth stay involved in after-school activities through
adolescence, they are more likely to attend college, vote and
volunteer as adults. (Zaff and Moore, et al. 2003)
11
…NYVPRC
• It is estimated that every $1 spent on ASAs/ASPs
will save taxpayers $3 because of reductions in
youth crime, teen parenthood and school
dropout rates.
• This cost benefit is in addition to the life-long
love of learning, improved level of education,
and contributions in civic life that results from
participation in after-school programs and
activities.
12
A Meta-Analysis of After-School Programs That Seek
to Promote Personal and Social Skills in Children and
Adolescents concluded:
Increases in
• self-perceptions
• feelings and attitudes
• bonding to school
• positive social behaviors - behavioral adjustment
• school performance/ of academic achievement
Reductions in
• problem behaviors
• problem behaviors
• drug use
Durlak, Weissberg & Pachan (2010)
13
Two reasons for ASP/ASAs
• Children/adolescents need guidance to grow
into productive adulthood. ASPs and ASAs
keep youth busy between 2pm and 6 pm;
• ASPs/ASAs can provide extra time for career
exploration, skill development, service
learning and internships to prepare them for
future education and work.
14
Effectiveness of ASP/ASAs?
1. ASP/ASAs support and complement classroom
learning by emphasizing social, emotional and
physical development.
2. ASP/ASAs provide opportunities for
informal learning.
3. Provide positive emotional climate
without harsh, punitive controlling
adult supervision.
4. Provide activities that support
socialization with peers.
5. Include time for physical and
creative activity.
(Why not also SCHOOL learning?)
15
Before- and After-school
Activities - FINLAND
• A Meaningful Free Time – Every Child’s Right
• Law for provision came into force on 1st
August 2004
• Voluntary attendance for children
• National Board of Education guidelines
• Define the objects of the activities and the
central contents
• Define qualifications required
• To improve the quality
16
The Qualifications required
of Instructors (Finland)
Suitable higher academic degree (160
credits), the Master's degree, vocational
initial qualification or special vocational
qualification and
the skill to act as
an instructor
of the group of
children.
17
Julia Margo,
IPPR senior research fellow
British teenagers are more likely to get into fights, hang
out with other teenagers, binge drink, take drugs &
have underage/ unprotected sex, spend more time
'hanging out' with their mates, and less with adults
than teenagers in most other European countries. …..
British adults are less likely to intervene to stop
teenagers committing vandalism and other antisocial
behaviour.
NHS leaflet
'an orgasm a
day keeps the
doctor away’
18
UK Department of Children,
Schools and Families (2007)
‘Over the next three years, we will
provide an additional £265m to
enable extended schools to do
more to support disadvantaged
children and young people. By
year three, funding will enable all
schools to offer those children two
hours per week of group activities
in term time, plus 30 hours of
additional activities over the
holidays.’
19
BBC Poll
NICOLA PEARSON (29-08- 2010)
After-school children's clubs too expensive
• 67% of UK parents cannot afford after school
activities.
• 50% of UK parents paying
more than £10
per child per week
• Most parents thought that
their children would miss
out if they did not take part
in such activities
20
21
22
Sunday Times of Malta, 12-12-2010
Drinks for underage youths in Paceville?
No problem.
23
Education Act
Part 1
Obligations of the State.
4. It is the duty of the State (a) to promote education and instruction;
(b) to ensure the existence of a system of
schools and institutions accessible to all
Maltese citizens catering for the
full development of the
whole personality including
the ability of every person
to
work;
24
Minister Lawrence Gonzi (2007)
Our vision is of an intelligent European, Mediterranean
island nation, promoting peace, security, justice and
well-being, a smart hub generating wealth and
prosperity and an incubator fostering expertise,
innovation and entrepreneurship.
L. Gonzi, Growing Stronger,
Talking Point,
The Times, 25 April 2007.
(in Vision 20-20, Camilleri 2010)
25
Timing of after-school activities
queried by Finance Minister
Times of Malta 29th September 2010 Christian Peregin
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech yesterday proposed coming up with a
more efficient educational timetable to make it easier for parents to
work.
He said it did not make sense for school to finish in the early afternoon
and for all extracurricular activities such as catechism, football, ballet
and drama to take place in the evening.
“This is not something for the Budget to tackle,” Mr Fenech admitted.
But, he said, it still had to be considered as a holistic measure that could
attract women into the workforce while not having the adverse
effects of having a society of children who were not brought up by
their parents.
26
Vision 20-20 (Camilleri, 2010)
At present, a panel is discussing the
introduction of Drama and Theatre Studies at
SEC level and consultations have started
about the possibility of offering Intermediate
level Physical Education. (p. 55)
Doctor of Literature to
Maestro Roberto
Benigni, Actor and Film
Director, in April
2008;
27
Vision 20-20
(Camilleri, 2010)
Degree Plus
(p. 79)
• intended to promote the acquisition
of experience and skills outside the
curriculum of degree programmes,
which can come in handy later on in
one’s personal life or to enhance
one’s employability.
• No any formal ECTS but formally
acknowledged in transcript and the
Europass Diploma Supplement.
• More than 3000 students since
launch in 2007.
28
Recognition
of ASAs
Secondary School Certificate and Profile - Guidelines
determining the verification of informal learning in secondary
education (2010)
• Informal Education includes all activities in which the student
takes part and which take place after school hours. These can
be carried out on school premises or any other approved
location.
• For Informal Education activities to be given credit in the
Secondary School Certificate and Profile transcript, the
organization offering such activities must be registered with
MQC.
29
Recognition
of ASAs
• Informal Education carries a 10% share of the whole
Secondary School Certificate and Profile allotted marks.
• Although Informal Education takes place outside school hours,
it is not independent from school's ethics, rules and
regulations. If activities are deemed to be in conflict with the
school's ethics, rules and regulations, the school can deduct or
refuse to validate.
• For Informal Education activities to be considered as valid for
accreditation on the Certificate, these must be carried out
during the scholastic year, i.e. between October and May.
________________________________________
• Why not ONE BODY - MQC joining
the National Council for Higher Education?
30
Kunsill Malti għall-Isport
• KMS is responsible for the administration
of four main sports facilities in Malta.
• Maximum use of all public sports facilities
• fuller use of the various government sports
facilities sports facilities in Government
schools after school hours.
Programme in collaboration with Local Councils
• Twice weekly 90-minute sessions sports activities
(school age)
• 25% funding from KMS, 25% Dept of Local Councils,
50% local council totally free for participants
• All personnel must be trained
31
Examples of some KMS
activities
• Social Inclusion programme in Cottonera : 380 participants (612 years) Sports and dance totally free of charge
• Skola Sport (48 euro per annum) 1.5 hrs a week
• Girls on the move (12 euro per annum) 1.5 hours a week to
encourage more participation
• Summer on the move – not subsidized
• Active youngster (9-16) – in summer
• Arty Sports – traditional games, games on historical sites 1.5 hrs
a week 5-16 year olds
• SPORTS programme for M.U.S.E.U.M.
children on Sundays –trained coach
rotation/funded by KMS
• Walking Club - Tal-Handaq track
32
"The MFA is delighted to be working so
closely with the government to provide
equal opportunities for all Maltese
children. We feel we have achieved
success when we see the children's
faces beaming with happiness.“
Maria Mifsud, MFA 22-02-2011 on the 3rd School Futsal Festival
(56 schools)
33
Protecting our
Children
• KMS established in 2003 and there is to date no regularization
• To register with KMS, school (with profile) or club (NGO)
• Clubs/School are not regularized but can be registered with
KMS.
• NGOs – should register as from 2008
• Registered – present statute, committee as well as accounts.
No need for qualifications or vetting for safety
CHILD PROTECTION GUIDELINES
• Work in progress in final stages
• Would cover training, safety,
standards and monitoring and
complaints procedure.
34
Segretarjat Parlamentari
GĦAŻ-ŻGĦAŻAGĦ U SPORT
RAPPORT SENA ĦIDMA - MARZU 09 - 10
L-2009 kienet is-sena fejn l-għaqdiet sportivi setgħu jirreġistraw
biex jiġu rikonoxxuti mal-Kunsill Malti għall-iSport għall-ewwel
darba.
Sal-aħħar ta’ Frar 2010, 259 (c.50%) entità sportiva ġew irreġistrati
mal-Kunsill Malti għall-iSport.
Din ir-reġistrazzjoni toffri assigurazzjoni ta’ standards segwiti u
għalhekk tagħti timbru ta’ serjetà.
Huwa propju għal dan il-għan li l-Kunsill Malti għall-iSport jassisti
esklussivament u b’diversi modi għaqdiet irreġistrati miegħu.
(p.47)
35
Sports participation (2004)
(NSO Malta 2006)
5-14
15-19
TOTAL
2001
2002
2003
2004
23,628
16,474
40,102
24,808
17,254
42,062
18,992
16,268
35,260
19,810
16,534
36,344
36
Sports in 2004
Percentage of TOTAL Population
% Male
% Female
% TOTAL
2001
5-14
71.5
14.5
43.8
2002
5-14
75.8
15.4
46.5
2003
5-14
62.8
08.1
36.6
2004
5-14
66.4
09.6
38.9
2001 15-19
78.3
33.9
56.9
2002 15-19
82.6
36.4
60.4
2003 15-19
83.3
29.4
57.3
2004 15-19
84.8
29.6
58.0
37
Recommendations
Streamline cultural education within the National Curriculum and within
any other national policies.
Work with the NSA for a statistics base for the sector, with particular
attention to education, employment, and economic contribution.
Develop collaboration agreements with local councils, individually or
within regional clusters, aimed at developing concrete measures and
initiatives for the promotion of creativity at local community level
Cultural works to which children are
exposed and to which they contribute
should be developed by professional
artists and cultural operators, and
quality-assured capacity building
measures to develop this professional
base shall be enacted.
(National Cultural Policy Draft – 2010 p. 82-86)
38
Culture Statistics
2004 (NSO Malta 2006)
• 109 NGOs serving children/& young
persons
• 12.7%. Membership increase from 63,476
(2001) to 71,509 (2004)
• 45.1 % youth population aged 5-29 yrs
• 61.5 % Male membership.
• Female participation on the increase:
38.5 % (2004)
35.0 % (2003)
34.3 % (2002)
39
2004 – Young Dancers
in Malta
Dance
Ballet (1411)
Jazz (609)
Cont./Mod. (329)
Spanish (175)
Tap (60)
Ballroom (45)
L. American -136
3-9 yrs
10-14 yrs
15-19 yrs
10 ♂ 829♀ 0 ♂ 381 ♀ 0 ♂ 191 ♀
13 ♂ 198 ♀ 7 ♂ 213 ♀ 6 ♂ 172 ♀
12 ♂ 155 ♀ 0 ♂ 84 ♀ 1 ♂ 77 ♀
0 ♂ 27 ♀ 2 ♂ 87 ♀ 2 ♂ 57 ♀
1 ♂ 25 ♀ 0 ♂ 28 ♀ 0 ♂ 6 ♀
3 ♂ 3 ♀ 10 ♂ 10 ♀ 8 ♂ 9 ♀
8 ♂ 53 ♀ 12 ♂ 32 ♀ 11 ♂ 20 ♀
40
Drama Centre (2006)
Drama Centre
Total Malta
Total Gozo
419 girls 068 boys
186 girls 36 boys
233 girls 32 boys
Drama Malta
Drama Gozo
122 girls 36 boys
38 girls 28 boys
Ballet Malta
64girls
Ballet Gozo
146 girls
Latin American
42 girls
Movement
7 girls
0 boys
0 boys
4 boys (Gozo Only)
0 boys (Gozo Only)
41
School of Music/Art
(2006)
School of Music 484 girls 532 boys
Malta
318 girls 397 boys
Gozo
166 girls 135 boys
School of Art
Malta
Gozo
115 girls 115 boys
21 girls 15 boys
94 girls 100 boys
42
Temporary Register for
Accreditation Training of the Arts.
• The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA)
announced a temporary measure for institutions/
individuals who provide training of the Arts.
• To register as a tuition centre with the Directorate
for Quality and Standards in Education.
• Temporary measure pending appropriate
accreditation and quality assurance structures.
• Temporary registration allows tapping council and
state incentives
• Temporary until further provisions from the
appropriate structures are set up.
43
NSO, 2010 – Children 2010
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2703
44
Household Budgetary Survey
2008
45
Internet after school?
(NSO 2005)
79.1 % School children access the internet
91.7 % Secondary school students access the
internet
60.9 % Browse the internet alone
75.0 % Claim parents/guardians supervision
63.6 %/ Students residing in Gozo are supervised least,
65.9 % Govt secondary schools are supervised least
Pornographic, violence, racism, vulgar language Exposure
65.0% Exposed (43.1 % boys and 25.7 % girls)
55.6 % Southern Harbour district Form 3 to 5 students
59.5 % Independent secondary schools
46
Kemm Qegħdin Tajjeb?
• 5.1 hrs online each week average.
• 8.2 hrs online each week 3rd-5th formers
• 1.2 hrs average number of dance hours
(2004)
• 1.5 hrs Skola Sports
• 1.5 hrs Girls on the move
• 1.5 hrs Arty Sports
47
VAT EXEMPT?
• Musical Instrument lessons – VAT Exempt
• Art lessons are VAT Exempt
• Ballet ONLY dance that is VAT Exempt – ‘an
exception’ –after heavy lobbying
• Sports – VAT Exempt only if they are Article
11 VAT Exempt status (14,000 threshold)
• VALUE ADDED TAX ACT Fifth schedule Part 2
Exempt without credit supplies
12.(4) Any training in the arts which is
provided by an organisation accredited by
the Register for the Accreditation in the
Training of the Arts.
48
Benefits of AfterSchool Activities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Development
Creativity
Stress Relief
Self-Confidence
Team Spirit and Camaraderie
Sense of Community
Time Management
Employability
Character Building
Respect
Responsibility
Citizenship
Health
Circle of Friends
Scores
Quality of Life
49
Clare Agius
Actress, TV Presenter &
Producer
Whilst academic
studies might train
the brain to be
disciplined, without
a shadow of a
doubt, it is the other
diverse social
activities and
experiences in life
that colour and
50
shape us.
Lydia Caruana
Soprano
Many students, once grown
up, will take up what was
once a side hobby
(an after school activity),
as a career or as a
part time activity which
enriches their lives.
There is more to life than lessons at school. Students who study an
instrument or art, who go to ballet or drama or sport training will
have an enriched mind by the time they're teenagers and this in
turn will make them cultured, appreciative, mentally
empowered adults. What is important is that students are
actually allowed to choose what gives them pleasure as an
after school activity - it should not be a prerogative of the
parents.
51
Dr Dione Mifsud
I experienced the benefits of after school activities during my 9year stint as a guidance teacher in Maltese Trade Schools.
Students were able to become involved in all sorts of activities.
These included cultural visits, sports, intrapersonal awareness
activities.
One particular activity I remember fondly was the school's
participation in the local carnival. The students used to design
and create a carnival float and subsequently team up with a
girls' school to create carnival costumes and take part in
dancing competitions. Such activities created a sense of
camarederie between the students, helped foster better
relationships with the teachers and gave the students the
opportunity to practice and work on skills that could range
from carpentry to choreography.
Head, Department of Psychology
IAC President Elect
MACP ex-President
52
Former teacher and School Counsellor
Aaron (23-year old)
E-mail 1: The fact that you are not bored is
very important. If you are already engaged
in several activities you feel the need to
explore other things to do less, because you
are already doing so. Consequently a
variety of after-school activities is probably
helpful when one is very young allowing you
to get a decent sample of what it is you like,
then being allowed to pick on a few and
devote yourself more to a few preferred
activities. It is also important to develop
necessary lifeskills not taught at school.
53
Aaron (23-year old)
E-mail 2 - I also would like to add the following
comments:
They also help in increasing your circle of friends, and
given you do not have to spend everyday at school
with them, you feel more liberated to be yourself
because there are no long-term repercussions in
having to deal with somebody you don't like day in
day out, as you do in school. Meeting people from
other social backgrounds is also an important learning
experience, in my case particularly, since the people I
was surrounded by represented a particularly small
group amongst Maltese youths; having attended a
predominantly English speaking private school.
…
54
Aaron (23-year old)
…I believe it is also vital for children to be made
aware that while doing well in school is helpful in
being successful in life, it is not conditional to do so.
Excelling in an activity, however seemingly
irrelevant as a tool in later life to the parent, is
essential in instilling confidence and fostering a
sense of ambition, both essential to long term
success in the competitive work environment that
presently exists. The key here is balance, too much
focus on an extracurricular activity can obviously
eat into necessary study time.
55
Deborah B. Psy (Hons)
Present Job – Class Facilitator
(21- year old)
Being involved in after school
activities whilst aiming to do well
academically, has helped me
develop skills in time and stress
management, learn how
to remain committed and
dedicated to things I take part
in. I have found that having
such activities has helped me
do better in school since they
act s a form of encouragement
to do my school work
according to necessary
deadlines.
56
Thoughts and
Recommendations
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Overhaul of the Maltese School experience
The Homework Culture
ASA and children’s right
ASA should be supported/monitored by law
Minimum one activity a week per child
School hours?
Should be in the local community
Properly trained/warranted personnel/Correct qualifications
Government sponsors for children to attend after school
activities of their choice and locality
• Linked with PSD/Youth Work/academic learning
• A whole community Approach
• Terminology – AFTER School?
57
Deborah
In fact, I do not think I can
imagine my childhood
and adolescence without
such participation as I
think I would have gotten
very bored and frustrated
and probably not
managed to succeed in
my schoolwork.
Such activities are
DEFINITELY something I
would promote with all
students!
58
Miriam Teuma
CEO Aġenzija Żgħażagħ
I believe that after school activities
enables young people to acquire skills
and competences that contribute
to the development of capabilities
and motivations that are more directly linked to a
general motivation for learning. These skills
include a wide range of competencies such as
team, organizational and conflict management,
intercultural awareness, leadership, practical
problem solving, self-confidence, discipline and
responsibility. These activities play an essential
role in the life long learning process of young people.
59
Matthew Scurfield
Actor/writer
Being very dyslexic, before the word added
up to anything, afterschool activates
opened up the possibility of a more
relaxed relationship between the teacher
and student. On the odd occasion I plucked
up the courage to go, I kind of felt the
teacher respected me more, because I
wanted to participate in the lessons, not
60
because I was told too.
Amanda Caruana
PSD and Guidance Teacher
Youth Worker
President, MPSDA
ASAs provide an environment that is more creative, studentcentered and less rigidly traditional. Due to their voluntary,
participative and flexible nature, a safe environment where
individuals have right to make mistakes, is created. In such
a setting most of the learning is done informally.
Teamwork, cooperation, communication, decision-making,
conflict management, negotiation, problem
solving, leadership, critical thinking, time management,
assertiveness, participation, creativity and organization are
skills that are easily practiced during after school activities.
61
Carmen Galea
As an ex-PE teacher I can definitely say that some
children who were not interested in the academic
realm of school attended regularly specifically
because of these extra-curricular activities. They
started having a more positive attitude towards
school & their self-esteem was even further
enhanced by the added bonus of winning
competitions
Carmen Galea
School counsellor
St Ignatius College
President MACP
IAC membership chair
Homestart executive Committee
62
Patrick Decelis Assistant Head
Schools, other public entities and NGOs in Malta are organising
after school activities on school premises and elsewhere.
Private ventures have mushroomed throughout the island in a
myriad of disciplines. It is up to the parents to grab the
opportunity. Maybe financial help from the state can help this
sector flourish.
A synergy must be built between the after school and school
hours activities by highlighting the importance of such activity
in show-and-tell sessions and using the
child’s experience in special school activities,
such as morning assemblies and concerts.
This serves as a showcase to encourage
further adherence to these programmes.
63
Enrique Cuschieri
B.Psy. (Hons)
Apart from giving children the time to 'switch
off' from school based tasks, after school
activities allow for increased socialization away
from the classroom, an opportunity to exert
oneself physically, or express oneself through
art, dance, theatre etc... Having participated
in after school activities throughout my
childhood and beyond, I can definitely see
their importance in the long run. Being involved in theatre, dance
and sport increased my self confidence and opened doors and
opportunities that could not have come about solely through
formal schooling. They also gave me the opportunity to meet
many different individuals, build on my talents and strengths,
which later also impacted on my schooling, such as better selfconfidence in public speaking. All in all, I believe extra curricular
activities are very fruitful for any child since it gives them the
space to tap into and develop other skills, which are not usually
focused on in the classroom.''
64
Christiane Sullivan
Health Psychologist
• We need to be clear about what we mean by After School
activities. If these are to mean recreational activities such as
sports or other creative / cultural activities that help to
broaden a child's knowledge and experience of the world,
then yes these are certainly beneficial. Unfortunately, many
parents continue to pump their children with after school
academic work, which besides HW given by the child's school,
also includes a hefty amount of private lessons each day.
• If education is the concern, there are certainly other ways we
can educate our children that don't need to tax them so
much. At the rate we are going, we are creating stress for our
children that possibly leads to further mental health problems
as the child grows up.
65
…Christiane Sullivan
Health Psychologist
There is no space it seems, for creative expression that can lead
to children being healthier both mentally and physically.
Investing in after school activities of this nature can contribute
to one day having healthier adults and a healthier society in
general.
Our children are forgetting how to play, forgetting how to use
their imagination and creativity in order to think, as well as to
process fears and anxieties that come to them through the
constant bombardment of negative images from news about
events happening around them in the world, including
recent happenings in North Africa - where events are a little
closer to home.
66
Vanessa Camenzuli
B.Psy (Hons) student, Singer and singing teacher
Apart from the fact that these activities were fun,
stimulating and promoted an environment in which
I could actually express myself and my opinion
counts; they gave me an aim in my life.
As an only child I was never bored, I always had
something to do which was productive.
They also helped me cope from a young age. I had to
learn the glories of time management which
helped me ALL throughout my life. I do not break
down when at university I have 5 exams in a week.
But mostly these activities gave me a sense of self
which school alone will never EVER give you!
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Courtland C. Lee, Ph.D.
Professor, Counselor Education, University of Maryland, College Park
President, International Association for Counselling
Former Teacher and School Counselor
As a former teacher and school counselor, I have seen the benefits
of after school activities first-hand. This is an excellent period for students to
get extra help with their studies in after school tutorial programs. It is also a
Wonderful time for students to develop athletic skills. After school
Time period can allow for students to establish positive
mentoring relationships with older people that
generally cannot be developed during the school day.
In addition to filling after school hours with quality time
for students, after school activities provide working
parents with peace of mind. Parents can feel at ease
knowing that their children are engaging in safe and
constructive activities in the hours after the
formal school day ends.
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References
Birdwell, J., Grist M. & Margo, J. (2011-03-11) The Forgotten Half. Pamphlet
http://www.demos.co.uk/people/senior-researcher-matt
Camilleri J. – UoM Rector (2011) 2020 vision of optical illusion? Malta: UoM
Hoffer, E. (1982) Between the devil and the dragon. New York: Harper and Row.
Newton B, Hurstfield J, Miller L, Page R, Akroyd K. (November 2005 ) Research
Report DWPRR 295, USA: Department for Work and Pensions,
Robinson, K, (2009) The element: how finding your passion changes everything.
USA Penguin Group
Taylor A (2005), ‘What employers look for: the skills debate and the fit with youth
perception’, Journal of Education and Work, Vol. 18, No. 2
Winterbotham M, Adams L, Kuechel A (2001), Evaluation of the work based
learning for adults programme since April 2001: Qualitative interviews with ES
Staff, Providers and Employers. USA: Department for Work and Pensions,
Granger, R., Durlak, J. A., Yohalem, N., & Reisner, E. (April, 2007). Improving afterschool program quality. New York, N.Y.: William T. Grant Foundation
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References
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1199132/NHS-recommends-pupils-orgasm-day-reducerisk-heart-attack-stroke.html
http://www.demos.co.uk/publications/theforgottenhalf
http://www.education.gov.mt/edu/schools/tuition_centres.htm
http://www.ensac.dk/finland
http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8872
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2801
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2944
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2703
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=1745
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=1636
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=1472
http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2084
http://sports.silobreaker.com/maltese-futsal-festival-a-success-5_2264374670474084376
Acknowledgements
Mr Roderick Vella KMS
Mr Sean Buhagiar MCCA
Mr Clyde Caruana NSA
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