Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time
  • Our Work
    • Cambridge OST Coalition
    • OST Learning Institute
    • Elementary School OST Network
    • Middle School Network
    • Quality Improvement System
  • News & Events
    • OST Expansion Project Updates
    • OST Learning Institute Updates
    • ESON Updates
    • MSN Updates
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Events Calendar
  • Stories of Family Partnership
    • The Importance of Meaningful Connections
    • Talking with Kids About Race
    • Committing to Racial Equity
    • Common Ground
    • Parent Voices
    • Showing Them that They Matter
    • Showing us What they Know
    • Empathizing with Parents
    • Building Dialogue
    • Creating a Welcoming Culture
    • Celebrating Families
  • Resources
    • Publications
    • Blog
    • How to Write a Blog Post for AFCOST
    • Professional Development Reports
    • Find It Cambridge
    • Cambridge STEAM Initiative
    • History of Afterschool Documentary
  • About Us
    • Mission and Beliefs
    • Our Ways of Being
    • History
    • Organizational Structure
    • Who we are
    • Contact Us
    • Work with us
  • Our Work
    • Cambridge OST Coalition
    • OST Learning Institute
    • Elementary School OST Network
    • Middle School Network
    • Quality Improvement System
  • News & Events
    • OST Expansion Project Updates
    • OST Learning Institute Updates
    • ESON Updates
    • MSN Updates
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Events Calendar
  • Stories of Family Partnership
    • The Importance of Meaningful Connections
    • Talking with Kids About Race
    • Committing to Racial Equity
    • Common Ground
    • Parent Voices
    • Showing Them that They Matter
    • Showing us What they Know
    • Empathizing with Parents
    • Building Dialogue
    • Creating a Welcoming Culture
    • Celebrating Families
  • Resources
    • Publications
    • Blog
    • How to Write a Blog Post for AFCOST
    • Professional Development Reports
    • Find It Cambridge
    • Cambridge STEAM Initiative
    • History of Afterschool Documentary
  • About Us
    • Mission and Beliefs
    • Our Ways of Being
    • History
    • Organizational Structure
    • Who we are
    • Contact Us
    • Work with us
Learning & Teaching

BLOG

If we approached the task as the "village" . . .

9/14/2020

5 Comments

 
A Reflection by Mia Klinger. September 2020
Picture
The obstacles to returning to classrooms are not teachers and increasing the number of measures in the name of accountability, like having school personnel work from empty classrooms, neither improve teaching nor keep children safer.

Aging school buildings with their windows stuck shut for years cannot meet the demands of this moment.

​This is not about teachers or their commitment to their work.

COVID-19 is the issue and districts must now reckon with the many inequalities that it lays bare.

Private schools are finding solutions; families with means are schooling through pods or finding the childcare support that allows parents to work.  For most of our students, these are not options.

Some districts have been upfront about the difficulties maintaining the six feet of spacing between students that are needed to stay healthy, and they will struggle with children who cannot show compliance to this or other requirements because they are traumatized and reactive.

Our children are flooded by the fears of their adults- caregivers and teachers, who cannot provide the message that underscores all effective teaching, "You are safe here."

Outdoor space is only a temporary solution in New England, but temporary is not a waste of time or energy.

I had children in person in camp this summer. They were desperate for group experiences and for engagement.  I was equally in need of their laughter, their energy, and the chance to do what I love- teach!

Administrators talk of having only limited outdoor space and describe their challenges with staffing. These schools are in cities rich with campuses and green spaces, many owned by people who have reunion canopy tents on hand that could immediately be given a new and meaningful purpose. The schools sit beside churches, temples, and businesses with parking lots and the additional rooms that are so in need.

There is a talented cohort of out-of-school time staff who are without buildings and maybe soon without jobs but, they are not short on mission.  Let the classroom teachers focus on foundational skills and on students who are most at need.  Let the OST people support the work of the specialist teachers with the mission of STEAM and social justice/social studies and the arts. They already do these things so well.

There will be a need to confront inequalities in pay, benefits, and resources, but that conversation is long overdue.


If we approached the task as the "village", "where" and "how" can be solved, even under these extraordinary circumstances.  No solution would be perfect.

The challenges caused by the virus and the long history of disparities are real. But maybe, something would be learned that might lead us not back to what was there before, but to something that better and more truly met the needs of children and families.

School districts are faced with enormous challenges, but this is not about the teachers.

Throughout her career, Mia has been a special education teacher/administrator/consultant and an out-of-school time provider. She co-founded Daybreak, a program operated by the Cambridge Camping Association, and has been the director for the past 31 years. Her work focuses on children from under-resourced circumstances who demonstrate social, emotional, and behavioral challenges related to trauma and disability.

If you'd like to share resources with your colleagues,  tell us how you are coping and healing, and helping the youth and families that you work with to heal, and continuing to find joy while we are physically apart,  please submit a blog post by emailing.  Here are some tips to help get you started. ​​​
5 Comments
Louisiana link
8/10/2021 01:34:40 am


Great article! Thank you for sharing this informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
RileyDry link
9/25/2021 05:23:23 am

Excellent article! Your post is essential today. Thanks for sharing, by the way.

Reply
você na moda link
6/20/2023 05:53:47 pm

Thanks for thhe post

Reply
https://www.rockymountainoils.com/blogs/essential-oil-basics/herb-essential-oil-substitutes link
1/22/2024 05:01:54 pm

The state of aging school buildings with windows stuck shut is a poignant reminder that we need to prioritize our children's safety and well-being. By approaching this task as a "village," we can collectively work towards providing better educational facilities that enhance both teaching and learning experiences for our students.

Rocky Mountain Oils can be an excellent substitute for rosemary essential oil in aromatherapy and DIY natural products, thanks to its similar aromatic qualities and therapeutic benefits. Its fresh and invigorating scent can provide mental clarity and focus, just like rosemary. Whether you're looking to improve your concentration or enhance the fragrance of your homemade products, Rocky Mountain Oils can be a suitable alternative to rosemary essential oil.

Reply
casino cryptocurrency link
1/30/2024 08:55:17 am

Mia Klinger's reflection in September 2020 offers a thought-provoking perspective on the obstacles to returning to classrooms. Her use of the analogy of the "village" highlights the importance of collective action.

MHM Casino is a cutting-edge online gambling platform that operates exclusively with cryptocurrency, offering a secure and anonymous gaming experience for enthusiasts worldwide.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    February 2025
    March 2024
    January 2022
    October 2021
    March 2021
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    February 2017

    Categories

    All
    Professional Development
    Teaching Resources
    Youth Development

    RSS Feed

Cambridge Agenda for Children out-of-school time

Looking for something?
Contact Us
Picture



51 Inman Street 
Cambridge MA 02139
​617-349-4099

Picture
​135 Berkshire Street
Cambridge MA 02141 
617-349-6553

oUR fUNDERS

Picture
Picture
Copyright © 2017 Cambridge Agenda for Children Out-of-School Time