|
|
|
The views expressed on this page are soley
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
 |
EdSurge
Extracurriculars
Are More Than Nice-to-Have: They’re Essential
By Amy Anderson and Julia Freeland Fisher
April 24, 2019
Among many seemingly intractable problems in education, there’s one
wide learning gap between the haves and have-nots that we know how to
close: the extracurricular gap.
Here’s the problem: Low-income and minority students are at a
structural disadvantage when it comes to accessing out-of-school
opportunities. Children from low-income families are three times less
likely to participate in after-school programs. By sixth grade,
middle-income students will have spent nearly 4,000 more hours in
after-school and summer learning programs than their lower-income
peers. And parents in low-income and minority households are more
likely to report a lack of available learning opportunities on offer in
their communities.
Low-income and minority students are at a structural disadvantage when
it comes to accessing out-of-school opportunities
This happens in tandem with increasing budget cuts to non-core academic
subjects in schools across our country, foreclosing students who stand
to benefit the most from enriching experiences across relevant fields
like computer science, business and the arts.
This gap continues to grow, even in light of proven solutions like
high-quality, out-of-school learning programs that provide dedicated
academic enrichment, critical connections and opportunities to explore
professional passions. As stated by Robert Putnam in the book “Our
Kids,” “out-of-school activities are as important as formal schooling
in predicting youths’ long-term educational attainment and earnings.”
Children consistently involved in extracurriculars are 400 percent more
likely to go to college than kids who cannot access these programs. And
yet, these opportunities are still considered as “nice-to-have” rather
than essential, particularly in our communities that need them most.
So how do we bridge this gap? We must revisit the largely held
perception of school as a primarily academic institution that offers
learning opportunities at a fixed time in a fixed setting. Re-imagining
and expanding learning beyond the school—and school day—can allow the
education system to fully leverage its community-based resources and
assets. Expanding access to out-of-school activities propels our young
learners to higher graduation rates, improved academic achievement and
higher wages. Out-of-school spaces also offer fertile ground for
developing critical thinking, problem-solving and social-emotional
skills that are critical for future success.
And extracurriculars don’t just move the needle on human capital
development. Students participating in out-of-school programs have the
opportunity to develop their social capital, building a diverse range
of connections and relationships across their communities.
Yet it is difficult to increase extracurricular participation by merely
adding more teams, clubs, art classes or other opportunities. A large
part of the challenge also lies in the growing knowledge and network
gaps between families.
Take, for example, two students who live mere blocks away from each
other—but who face different trajectories. Jenna is passionate about
the performing arts and can supplement her academic instruction with
piano lessons her mother heard about at work and summer drama camp at
the local college where her neighbor teaches. But data shows that for
every Jenna, there are two students like her peer Carla, who have
developed passion for a subjects like science or math, but lack the
money, knowledge and resources to participate in out-of-school learning
experiences.
It is difficult to increase extracurricular participation by merely
adding more teams, clubs, art classes or other opportunities
If students like Carla not only had the resources to overcome imposing
barriers related to cost, transportation, and knowledge—but also the
networks of adults to help them access an array of enriching
opportunities that resonate with their interests—more youth could
realize their full potential.
Organizations across the country have begun to recognize the need to
provide strong support networks and relationships for young people and
their families as they seek access the out-of-school experiences that
supplement their learning and their social and emotional growth. At
ReSchool Colorado (where Amy serves as executive director), trained
advocates, for example, provide families with the tools, resources, and
agency to choose learning opportunities at, and outside of, school that
align with their learning goals and aspirations.
We also see promising examples at organizations like OutSchool and Big
Picture Learning that provide learners with the agency to shape their
own online and in-person learning pathways. In the process, they can
build relationships with industry mentors, community leaders, educators
and peers within their communities and across the globe. Summertime,
too, represents a critical period when students can access
relationships and leverage an array of out-of-school learning
opportunities that transcend the institutionalized boundaries of the
school day. Tools like Blueprint4Summer, which originated in St. Louis
and ReSchool brought to Denver, are also valuable because they connect
families with the information they need to find free or low-cost summer
learning opportunities.
Even in the face of a formidable opportunity gap, there are proven
solutions. Building access to high-quality, out-of-school programs
during the school year and in the summer, developing networks of
dedicated advocates and long-lasting adult relationships; and
leveraging the existing assets that our community partners bring to the
table are just a few.
If we continue to ignore the opportunity gap that we know exists
outside of the classroom, students like Carla and Jenna will remain on
separate and profoundly unequal trajectories. Fortunately, there’s a
better way forward.
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2019-04-24-extracurriculars-are-more-than-nice-to-have-they-re-essential
|
|
|
|
