Quality after-school programs are designed to improve academic performance, decrease youth crimes and other high-risk behaviors, and help young people grow into healthy, successful adults.
The effect of quality after-school programs on academic performance is clear. Studies show that students who take part in such programs show better work habits, higher rates of homework completion, improved grades, and higher scores on achievement tests. They also have fewer absences and are less likely to blame. After-school programs also influence high-risk teen behavior. Various studies show decreased rates of crime, drug use, and teen sex among youth who join in well-run after-school programs when compared to similar youth who do not. Finally, after-school programs play an important role in supporting the following fields of development: physical development, mental development and social development. Thus, one can safely say that after-school programming is an effective method to help young people become contributing members of society.
Although there is enough proof from both small and large assessments that after-school programs can make a positive difference, it is important to note that not all programs are equal. First, dosage (时量) matters ---- young people who attend the most hours over the most years benefit more than members who attend less often or over a shorter period of time. Next, after-school programs make bigger difference for those students who need help most and have the fewest choices. Finally, program qualities matter. After-school programs work best when they create unique opportunities for youth. They should provide opportunities for positive relationships, skill building, meaningful involvement (参与), expression, suggestion, service, and work. Staff characteristics make an important difference in the quality of a program. The adults should treat youth as partners, create safe and fair environments, encourage personalized (个性化的) involvement, and actively create learning opportunities. In short, although after-school programs have promising future, how they are designed and run matters.
| Quality after-school programs | |||||
| Apart from making academic performance (1) ____, quality after-school programs are started for other (2) ____. | (3) ____ a positive difference after-school programs make, we should note that not all programs are equal. | ||||
| Quality after-school programs help youth become contributing members of society (4) ____. | Students benefit (8) ____ because the time they attend is different. | Not all students are the same. | Some of the opportunities (9) ____ are positive, (10) ____ others not. | ||
| Students taking part in the programs form better habits (5) ____ greater progress in study. | There is a (6) ____ in the number of high-risk teen behavior as a result of after-school programs. | Quality after-school programs (7) ____ well in supporting all-around development. | |||