Project-Based Learning in Grades 1 - 7…After School in Uxbridge!

With 4.5 stars on Amazon, this book should be more front and center when it comes to boosting achievement

Today was a special day in Uxbridge.  The vision of an after-school program for our kids in Grades 1 – 7 became a reality.  I see this as parents, educators, and a community coming together to recognize the real potential of our kids by providing them with this fantastic opportunity for the extension of learning.  The participating students will receive two additional hours of instruction, two days each week.  Guess how many students are currently enrolled…100.

According to research from the book "Children, Schools, and Inequality," extending the school day and school year substantially impacts a child's learning and overall development. This book replicates work done in the 1960s, and I read it while working on my dissertation.  This research reinforces the value of after-school programs like the one at Taft and Whitin, providing an enriching environment beyond the traditional school day. The two-hour program engages students in various activities, from academic support to personal growth, which fosters essential life skills and contributes to their holistic development.

The Taft and Whitin after-school program marks the first of its kind in Uxbridge, setting an important precedent for future initiatives. As a community, it is our collective responsibility to invest in the growth and development of our children. By providing them with opportunities to learn and thrive beyond traditional school hours, we ensure they have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed.

When I see stuff like this, I just imagine the possibilities

In the coming years, I would like to see an expansion of programs like our new After School Enrichment Program at the Taft and Whitin. Through increased access to after-school programs, we can make a significant difference in the lives of our children and, ultimately, the future of our community. By coming together as educators, parents, and community members, we can support and nurture the growth of our children and create a brighter tomorrow.

Some of the highest-performing public schools in the country, such as the Lou Gehrig School in the Bronx, specialize in extending learning beyond the traditional school day.  To succeed at this, we must give our kids new ways to learn – such as hands-on project-based activities in which they work on the curriculum using their hands and bodies and through interaction with their friends.  Today, to ensure that our students will be ready for this, they spent time getting to know you and team building activities.  I was happy to participate with some of our students in these activities today. 

If we want our kids to learn more and faster, we must do things in different ways.  Things have been the same in schools for a very long time, and the achievement gaps have existed for decades.  The pandemic made most of these gaps even wider. School reform initiatives, legislation, and huge investments have not paid off—yet the book I mentioned above talks about what works in what they call the Faucet Theory.  Simply put, when the faucet of learning is on, all kids learn.  For a hundred of our kids, the tap is now running four more hours a week – and from what I saw today, they loved it.