The Possibilities of School-Age Care

I was conversing with a fellow educator about the different types of school-age programs available for children. Some programs are play-based, like the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club. Other programs like Kumon feature education. There are also corporate options like KinderCare and Champions. 

What is the role of a school-age program in the lives of children?

Thinking about this question, I researched the attributes of quality school-age care. Cleanliness, organization, and training of educators are essential for quality care. State licensing, a variety of materials, and an established curriculum contribute to the quality of care. Location is important since programs near or in schools support working families by reducing travel time.

The Afterschool Alliance has a stated vision. "Working to ensure all youth have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs." The afterschool alliance has a list of guidelines that create a quality school-age environment. Some examples include frequent interaction with adults, quiet and noisy areas, outside experiences, imaginative play opportunities, and the choice to work with various materials and projects. There are seventeen qualities listed, and only two qualities resemble the work children experience in school because children enjoy time away from work as adults do.

Some educators in school-age care believe we are preparing the children for college. Some programs and agencies believe this is our mission. Online I found articles talking about quality school-age care. The titles of some articles include the following. "Afterschool Programs Develop College and Career Readiness." "Afterschool Programs Support Common Core Implementation" and "Workforce Development in Afterschool." Being an educator in school-age care for over twenty years, I never believed this was our mission.

School-age care is a place for children to come and socialize with friends, enjoy a snack, and play outside as much as possible. School-age care is a place for children to rest, read a book, or learn at their own pace in an attractive prepared environment. Some children will paint, others will build with Legos. Some children love board games. Others love playing sports. Children in school-age care build with clay, make creations out of recycled materials and sew. There are a million other choices children can enjoy, and none of them include preparing for college. Why?

Because the children in our care want to do what all people do after work, rest, explore hobbies, and develop interests outside of work. In school-age care, some educators may view free choice activities as a waste of time. They believe children should do homework, learn adult-directed STEM, and do projects that equal more rote learning. What happened to childhood? The time of life to nurture a connection with the outdoors, chase butterflies, and play kickball.

More work and more adult-directed learning are replacing child-directed activities. Good grades are more important than becoming a whole person. If this is the fundamental mission of school-age care, why bother? Instead of creating a separate program, extend the school day. 

I propose that school-age care becomes a place where we encourage young people to develop a well-rounded perspective on life and learn that life is more than a bunch of memorized facts on a page. School-age care can be a place where children embrace the joy of activity, explore their interests, and learn while playing.

In your opinion, what is the mission of school-age care?