Reference Publications

A profile of a Community After School Tutorial Success Program: A community and volunteer effort

Ohio Reading Teacher, Summer 2002 by Jackson, Jacqueline L, Hosch, Rita M

Lydia, Mary, and Esther returned this year. "Can we become group leaders and volunteer tutors?" The program director asked, "How are your grades?" "Good," responded the girls. The director's comments to Lydia, Mary, and Esther were: "Bring in your reports cards." When she saw the report cards, the director said, "Yes, get a badge from the table, a student volunteer sheet, books, pencils, paper, and report to the first and second grade rooms." They loved it. The response has been great!

Conclusion

CASTSP staff and volunteers believe the success of this program and its children is due to a foundational belief: Knowing and relating personally to the child is of utmost importance. CASTSP seeks to improve study habits and student responsibility through the homework process. The required school assignments that the students bring in to the program (homework) has become the vehicle we use to reach the students' schools, teachers, and parents. Many members of the staff are educators from local neighborhood schools. We are not strangers but friends to the students. The visitors, speakers, volunteers, and tutors are also from this area. The mentors are familiar with some of the students' family members, attended the same schools, or previously lived in the same neighborhood. Familiarity and trust give us rapport that may not have otherwise existed.

According to the research, after school programs have proven to he successful because students are: 1) in a safe and secure environment; 2) given grade level materials; 3) taught by certified educators; 4) involved with dedicated volunteers and mentors; 5) provided with communication between home and school through report cards and graded papers; 6) consistently attend sessions (Austin & Bickel, 1994) (Funkhouser, 1995). CASTSP meets all these needs!

References

Austin, G., & Bickel, A. (1994). Beyond prevention curricula: A guide to developing alternate activities programs. Submitted to the U.S. Department of Education.

Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1994). A matter of time: Risk and opportunity in the out-of-school hours. New York: Carnegie Corporation.

Dryfoos, J. G. (1998). A look at community schools in 1998. National Center for Schools and Communities. New York: Fordham University

Funkhouser, J. (1995). Extending learning time for disadvantaged students. Volume 1: Summary of Promising Practices. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

Gore, A. Quotes about Heart House and afterschool programs. Retrieved August 5, 2001, from http://www.main.org/hearthouse/quote.htm.>McLennan Youth Collaboration, Inc. (1977). Communities in schools case management staff evalMotion. Waco, TX: Lighted Schools.

Miller, B. M. (1995). Out-of-school time: Effects on learning in the primary grades. Wellesley, MA: School Age Child Care Project.

Jacqueline L. Jackson is an Assistant Professor at Niagara University in Buffalo, New York.

Rita M. Hosch teaches at David Hill Elementary School in Akron, Ohio.