Joyous Montessori Details How After School Programs Positively Impact Students

You may think the learning and development finishes with each school day, but as Joyous Montessori in Texas can attest to, that’s not the case. In fact, after-school programs have been shown to have a wide range of benefits that extend beyond traditional classroom learning.

Schools such as Joyous Montessori continue to see the positives of after-school programming, which can range from supervised homework help to playing games and exploring creativity. While still delivered within a school setting, an after-school program can change the narrative of how a child learns to develop and interact with their peers in a fun and supportive environment.

Better Social Skills and Confidence

When children are allowed to collaborate freely within an after-school program, they learn how to improve their teamwork skills, says Joyous Montessori.

But what’s more is that social skills show an improvement — students are more likely to feel confident and have higher self-esteem, which also means they are also more likely to talk about issues openly, notes the school.

Improved Academic Performance

While after-school programs don’t necessarily involve a formal learning model, they have been shown to improve performance nonetheless.

This is achieved through creating a healthier attitude towards schooling (and increasing attendance), while also having a safe and supportive environment to experiment and apply learned skills, notes Joyous Montessori.

One of the intangible benefits of an after-school program is that it gives children something to look forward to beyond their teacher-led lessons. That creates more of an attitude of looking forward to learning and collaborating outside of school hours.

Promoting Active and Healthy Lifestyles

While many children go home from school and sit in front of a screen, after-school programs are designed to stimulate students mentally and physically following school hours. Students can engage in a number of fun activities while also eating healthier snacks. Both of these aspects of after school programs help to benefit the overall well-being of students, according to Joyous Montessori.

This reinforcement of being active can carry on through a child’s life into adulthood, and help promote healthier behaviors, adds the school.

Another point made by the school is that after-school programs fill the gap after school — typically from 3 to 6 p.m. — when children may be left on their own or in the care of someone other than a trusted adult. For older kids, this may be a time when they are most likely to engage in potentially unhealthy and risky behaviors.

Keeping children under the supervision of qualified caregivers and engaging them in fun activities after school greatly lessens this risk and provides a safe bridge until the child can be returned to the care of a responsible parent, notes the school.

Developing Important Non-Academic Skills

One of the key takeaways, says Joyous Montessori, is that an after-school program can be seen as complementary to traditional learning — allowing kids the opportunity to explore their interests and develop soft skills such as resilience, critical thinking, and working effectively with others that aren’t always highlighted in the curriculum.