It’s the battle of the bands! No it’s middle school students with microphones! No, it’s St. Bonaventure business students mentoring middle schoolers! It was all of these and more. The S.I.F.E. organization, http://www.sbu.edu/, taught our 21st Century students over a 24 hour period the business, ethics, and fun of setting up their own “rock” band. What better way to engage students than to provide Karaoke, 60 friends from Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, an overnighter and food!
How can we further capitalize on student’s strengths and challenge them? The Lego group has made a connection with their product and education. http://www.legoeducation.com/ Students have begun to delve into Lego Robotics with enthusiasm. Notice the concentration and visual stimulus that encourages students to learn with their affinity driving them. To learn more about Lego Robotics check out this website http://www.usfirst.org/.
Also, an integral part of the after-school program involves building relationships. Fieldtrips, project learning and community service opportunities assist with this building process. Through the Capturing Kids Hearts training that the staff received we are building caring communities at each center. Check out http://www.flippengroup.com/ to learn more about this training that assists teachers in creating a nurturing environment each day.
