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The Necessity For Developmental After School Programs To Help Build Self-Confidence And Growth

by Wayne Wargo (PenWay.org)

There will always be the need for development after school programs. These programs are necessary for all age groups so that the child's development also is addressed outside the home. This helps build self-confidence and growth.

It is necessary to be able to ascertain the abilities and developmental needs of a child to help him or her to reach their full capabilities. As the child grows and learns, his or her various emotional, physical and mental abilities will be apparent.

To be effective, after school programs should assist children with tasks they must accomplish during each stage of development. A child's growth curve can be divided into three main parts: 1) Young child (ages 3-5) 2) Middle school (ages 6-8) 3) Older school (ages 9-12)

The four important domains of development are: Physical Domain, Social Domain, Emotional Domain and Intellectual Domain. Each of these domains needs to be separately addressed during the various phases of a child's growth. After school programs should concentrate on developing each domain as applicable to the age of the child. Although the children participating in these programs may have similar developmental needs and age, do not expect development to be uniform. Children will develop as and when they are ready.

Physical Domain: When children are young, they want to perfect skills that they have just learned to control. A variety of movements such as jumping, catching and throwing delight them. The middle school child, on the other hand, wants to learn more complex skills and get involved in team sports. This is also the best time to learn about rules and discipline in sports activities. The older school child is ready for more adult-like activities that need greater structure and discipline, like dancing, gymnastics, music classes etc.

Social Domain: Young children are observing others and will be interested in games where they play the roles of family members. They develop short-term friendships and need an adult's presence to assure them. The middle school child is intrigued by society and will love trips to factories, public buildings, etc. They want to know the 'how' and 'why' of things. The older school child is ready to learn about different cultures, food and customs. They want to be involved in some amount of social work too.

Intellectual Domain: Any after school program needs to address the interests of the child depending on the category in which he belongs. Knowing the children in your program and appreciating their needs and interests will help staff to plan and structure programs that are most useful to that group.

Emotional Domain: The younger school children will be very much excited to practice what they are learning and want to learn more. Middle school children will see their skill levels increase and will also show an interest in things like solving problems, puzzles and more. The older children are ready to ask more questions about any subject, whether in or out of class. They enjoy new friendships and will begin to have much more social interaction with fellow students. They will learn to work in groups and enjoy one another's company.

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