Expanded learning can improve students' well -being

Key points:

Time programs outside the school (OST) have received close attention in recent years as the districts throughout the country continue to address the persistent effects of school -related school closures.

While the conversation approach is often on the academic impact of extended day programs, these programs also have the potential to address an even greater problem: the students' mental health crisis. The reinvention of OST programs can be the key to improving the mental health of students. The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program in California (ELOP) is an opportunity to do exactly that and create a plan that other states can use to increase students' success of students inside and outside the classroom. Everything begins with helping students develop a positive relationship with the school, something that I was lucky to have from an early age.

Full movement and attention

I grew up in Dublin, Ireland, where I experienced a primary education that was everything but traditional. I attended the John Scotus schoolwhich was founded by my friend's parents, Nick Telford. The school had a character focused on the character, and during our time we study philosophy, we practiced full attention and participate in daily physical movement activities from swimming and martial arts, to hockey, football and rugby. This amplitude of experience helped me develop a positive relationship with the school and a holistic vision of learning.

Football was the sport of choice for both Nick and me, so much that we began to train at the age of 16, and continue to train throughout the university. In the early 2000s we moved to the United States, where we directed football camps in California for five years. This finally led to executing extracurricular programs in Carlsbad Usd. Over the years, we build a wide range of sports and enrichment offers, and each program is based on a lesson that we learned in John Scotus: if you take care of children and keep them committed, they will not only learn, but will feel better by school and themselves.

The growing need for support

Even in the first days, Nick and I realized that many students did not have the type of school experiences we had, and some of them did not feel well with the school or themselves. Mental health has become a struggle for more and more students in recent years. In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Children's Hospital Association declared a national state of emergency in the mental health of children. A substance abuse of 2023 and Mental Health Services Administration Report (Samhsa) He pointed out that more than 30 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 (about 8.3 million young people) had received mental health treatment in the previous year. And research continues to demonstrate that assistance, behavior and academic performance are affected by the mental health and well -being of students. TO Study 2024 conducted by the Center for Applied Research in Education of the USC He emphasized the need for schools to concentrate on improving the mental health of students if they want to see improvements in assistance and academics.

But there is only a long time on school day.

Historical opportunity for expanded learning

California has made an annual investment of more than $ 4 billion in OST through its ESP. Although many other states have also increased financing for OST programs, the California initiative is really historical in its size, so it is a unique opportunity in the life of completely reinventing how it looks before school, after the school and for intentions.

Realizing the potential of this opportunity requires adopting a complete child approach that supports the physical, mental and academic well -being of all students.

How life's commitment changed

Coaching years have taught me that commitment is first. Whether it takes place before, during or after school, successful learning is inspired by connecting with each student, keeping them committed and making sure that each of them feels included.

He Science of Learning and Development (Sold) He says that building strong and trusted relationships is essential for the success of students. Extended learning programs offer an opportunity to involve and inspire students strengthening some key relationships: the relationship between the coach/mentor and the student, the relationships that students build with each other and the relationship of students with their own learning and school itself. The construction of solid relationships creates an environment of belonging in which children are ready to participate. When they have different ways of being active, developing skills and having fun, they are empowered to try new things and grow. This paves the way to prosper.

This important work depends on recruiting coaches driven by the mission that can relate to students and build relationships focused on tutoring. The most identifiable trainers come from the communities they serve, or even attended the same schools where they train. I also discovered that students fighting at school identify with the coaches who fought at school when they were children. The coaches who really care about children and their community are the ones who will build the most powerful relationships.

A brilliant example of how to connect with coaches and colleagues can change lives is a student named Ellie, who was in one of our soccer programs in Carlsbad years ago. She was a very shy girl who really began to get her shell in the football field. As he improved every day, he became safer and more frank, encouraging his teammates and leading with the example. When an opportunity arose to join the club's team, Ellie had caused us so much impression that she obtained a scholarship for the team and became the heart of that team over the next few years. His hard work and success in the countryside was also something that led to the classroom. He ended up winning a complete academic scholarship to Berkley. Ellie's experience in our football program was a transformative for her and for us.

Expanding the conversation

As California districts have similar successes with their ELOP programs, I hope their work serves as a proof of concept that inspires other states to implement solid wide learning initiatives that provide more opportunities for all students to build relationships, learn from New ways, and feel good about school and themselves.

As administrators, educators, coaches, students and parents collectively reimagined what can be outside school, I have also inspired myself in the conversations that I am having with the districts about what is possible during the school day. The relationship between community organizations and school districts is also evolving. Districts not only need suppliers to provide services. They need a variety of partners who offer innovative ways to strengthen vital connections between students, their classmates, their schools and their communities.