Working with the Right People

Anyone who knows even a little bit about horse racing can probably visualize the truth in the following  statement:  “You can’t win the Kentucky Derby while riding a mule.” Seems quite obvious, right?  Most people recognize the apples and oranges comparison. Horses and mules don’t possess like abilities. And no matter how much you feed a mule, train it, pamper or coddle it, a mule is still a mule. No one would ever consider pitting a mule against the elite race horses in the Derby. And even if you were a mule with aspirations, despite how hard we might wish, some things can’t be changed.

Now for an analogy. For success in the field afterschool education, we must work with the right people. If we expect to attain results, we must invest in people who have the capability to run with the same kind of speed and finesse of horses, not mules. Nothing against mules. But mules don’t belong in important races. Horses do. We must employ the fittest professionals with the requisite capacity and abilities to carry our kids to success in afterschool.

And now here’s the problem -- if we are really honest with ourselves. We’ve all probably supervised, worked with, or known someone working in an afterschool program that, despite lots of encouragement from you and your coworkers, still performed like a mule. Against our better judgment, and unfairly to those involved, we’ve created apples and oranges comparisons by allowing incapable workers to enter our profession. I hope these people are few and far between in afterschool, but they populate all facets of education. You know it if you ever sat through a class taught by a mule or recognized that your own child was placed in a mule’s classroom. And here’s the bottom line – despite the common acknowledgement that we share among ourselves that these few individuals will never, ever be capable of performance better than a mule, we often keep these people on staff. For various reasons, we rationalize that it’s easier to tolerate and keep our mules rather than dismiss them. Rather than face the facts, we continue attempts to train them to no avail. And then, when the pressure mounts to become something they can never be, a few morph into wolves, create terror, and heighten fear among our staffs.

Let’s bite the bullet get rid of the mules and wolves. It’s tough work, but for the sake of our kids, and to propel our profession forward at speeds we must go, we have to employ and work with the right people.

Dismissing incapable workers isn’t fun, but necessary. Be honest, fair, and swift. And remember this: Don’t wrestle with a pig. You’ll both get dirty, and the pig will like it!

10 Second Commercials

Dr. Paul G. Young
Presdient and CEO
NAA

I was frequently asked about what I did when I worked as an afterschool program director. When I responded, I'd often see puzzled looks. But when I explained that I had also been a school principal, people seemed to better relate. Apparently, if you went to school, you supposedly know what principals do (or maybe I talk with adults who, as kids, spent too much time in the principal’s office). But it also seems that far too many people are unaware of what afterschool program directors do. If adults themselves haven't attend an afterschool program or have children or grandchildren attending one, they have no reference point to envision it. And they have difficulty connecting or appreciating the similarities of leading afterschool programs with school leadership positions.

It's time we change those perceptions.

If you haven't thought about or practiced a response for describing what you do each day or what your afterschool program does, you’ll likely ramble on and make little sense when asked. You might bore your listeners and subsequently feel unappreciated and rejected. We all must be able to explain why our programs exist and what we intend them to accomplish.  And we better be able to convey that big idea concept in very simple terms.

We must memorize and be able deliver a 10-second commercial that explains who we are, what we do, why and where we do it, and how we make a difference. Try developing your personal commercial that goes something like this...

“Hi, I am Paul Young.  I lead the leaders of afterschool programs that provide kids with a safe place to expand their learning - after school”

The point of an effective, rehearsed, well-delivered 10-second commercial is that it grabs the attention of listeners so that they will ask you to tell them more. If you aren't commanding, strangers will dismiss you. If you lack sparkle and personality, you'll be a bore.

Without any doubt, afterschool is a "good idea." But we must make it into a "big idea" that resonates with the public in ways that everyone can understand, relate, and appreciate.  What does your afterschool program do? Tell it, sell it, and make your commercial remarkable.

Comparably, and almost universally, people associate Disney with happiness and make-believe. People know that Walmart exists to give ordinary folks the opportunity to buy the same things as rich people. McDonald’s makes hamburgers fast and cheaply. How about your afterschool program? What’s the big idea? What should we all learn to say? “The ‘ABC’ program is childcare?” “The ‘ABC’ program is recreation?” “Or the ‘ABC’ program is a safe place where kids go to expand their learning after school?” Which resonates best? Develop what works for you?

Our profession must adopt a universal "big idea." Schools exist to teach and learn. Hospitals exist to heal the sick. Libraries exist to house and lend books. Afterschool?  How about this?  Afterschool programs keep kids safe and learning - after school. It's redundant, but it works. 

It’s human nature to inquire what others do. When you are asked, deliver your 10-second commercial. When delivering it, you have the opportunity to sell yourself and our profession. Keep working with the wording until it is short, sweet, and easy for everyone in your organization to repeat. Learn to modify it for either formal or casual situations. Then, deliver it everywhere you go. Enable every employee and stakeholder to embrace it and describe the program's mission. And remember, after you've captured someone's attention, you have less than 90 seconds to fully explain the concept and details about afterschool.

Practice until you can nail it, both for what afterschool is and what you do - in 10 seconds or less.

The "Tiger Mom" Debate

Dr. Paul G. Young

The release of Yale Law Professor Amy Chua's memoir describing her "Chinese way" of parenting has triggered a national debate about the most effective and desirable methods of child rearing. Often times, afterschool professionals commiserate over the challenges of engaging parents and cite numerous examples of ineffective, or absent, parenting skills. Chua's memoir has touched some raw nerves because it focuses on achievement gaps among America's racial and ethnic subgroups.

Chua makes broad generalizations that American kids engage in less academic rigor than their Chinese counterparts. She also describes American kids as being fat and lazy. Her 'tiger mom' style of parenting with her two teenage daughters emulated that of her immigrant Chinese parents - hours of drill after school, rigorous study of piano and violin, no sleepovers or play dates,  no video games or TV, and nothing less than a number-one performance in all academic work. She describes students who fail to give their best as ‘losers’. Chua claims that American parents are more likely to seek medical intervention and special classes for their children at first signs of underperformance. She explains that the Chinese way demands higher amounts of effort from the child to master difficult objectives.

Do American parents enable their children's laziness? Do we give up too quickly with those children with unique, special learning styles and needs? Chua would suggest that we do. And she further suggests that educators contribute to the malaise and share considerable criticism for underachievement with parents.

Regardless of which side you align with this debate, afterschool professionals are wise to evaluate the levels of rigor expected in all of our American educational offerings. President Obama is calling us to become the innovation nation, to more effectively engage our students in STEM related learning, and to increase physical activity and curb our fattening eating habits. Afterschool professionals must be engaged in this debate. We have watch over children and youth at the critical times of the day when significant change and gains can be achieved. We must be firm in our own convictions about what is generally good for kids, how they should be engaged in learning afterschool, and what academic rigor in America really means. We set the tone!

Most likely, most afterschool professionals would agree that a touch of the 'tiger mom' parenting approach would help our kids. We must lead the debate about what is best for the whole child. A little more dosage of toughness will drive change. We must unite to prepare our young learners for a competitive edge in the global marketplace. And despite what we want to think, the ‘Tiger Mom’ debate shows that race continues to be a factor in our educational malaise and deeper social problems.

We can't afford to keep our ostrich heads in the ground. We need to urge all our kids to develop a good work ethic and strive for excellence. Read Chua’s memoir!

Reference:  Chua, Amy (2011). Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. New York: Penguin Press.

Why My Principal Matters

Dr. Paul G. Young
President and CEO
NAA

A school principal's support for afterschool programming matters. Where programs are school-based, it is essential. The work that afterschool program professionals (especially the on-site leader) must do to build relationships with school staffs, and particularly with the principal, is among the most important tasks that impact quality and program sustainability. Turf issues, left unaddressed, become a source of frustration that will surely sink a program over time.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) have been partnering together since 2008 to help their respective members work together to create a shared vision of quality afterschool programming. That vision includes expanded learning time before and after the school day that complements without replicating what kids have learned in school.  Principals have contributed greatly to the development of that vision. They recognized that the traditional learning day was simply not long enough for kids to learn and experience everything that they needed to know and be able to do. They understand the benefits for families when afterschool programs are located within their school. They want what is best for kids. They also know, for long term sustainability, that they must balance ways to provide those expanded learning opportunities without adding additional hours to what was already a full plate of responsibilities. Early adopters of a vision of expanded learning have found ways to make things happen. And as a result, they value the relationships they share with afterschool professionals.

I know - I was one of those principals. But what I didn't know much about then was the fast changing and rapidly growing afterschool professional community. And as I've discovered in the last few years, there are still persistent myths about afterschool programming have been hard to eradicate in some locations. Long-time afterschool program leaders have sometimes felt thwarted in their efforts to gain recognition and respect for their work from school leaders. That was perhaps due in large part to the different career paths and a mutual lack of understanding of the tenets of leadership - within and outside the school. Regardless, the perceptions existed. Our work now is to demonstrate our capacity as afterschool leaders and share the responsibility for the successful education of our children and youth.

In the past five years, the collaborative work between NAESP, NAA, and state affiliate leaders from both organizations has done a lot to change misperceptions and redefine how professionals view the traditional learning day and opportunities that exist to work together. Increasingly, more principals are embracing afterschool as a proven strategy for addressing the multiple needs of children and youth during out-of-school hours. That recognition matters. Principals matter.

For those reasons and more, NAA values the strategic partnership with principals everywhere. To gain respect, we must show respect. Join us and recognize the principals who matter to your program. Plan a “My Principal Matters” recognition program in your community during May or any other time that works better for your community. Let your principals know how their support helps your program flourish.

Visit the NAA website for further information, and don’t forget to place an order for your awards.

2011 NAA Convention Invitiation

NAA would like to personally invite you to the 2011 NAA Convention.
April 16-18 in Orlando, FL at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.

To view your invitation, click here!

We hope to see you there!

NAA

Give Your Best Performance At Work

Dr. Paul G. Young
President and CEO
NAA

If you gave ever played a musical instrument in a recital, you know how unnerving the thought of having others' attention focused on you can be. For some, that added pressure leads to lost composure and poise, missed articulations, and the playing of wrong notes. For a few, the added pressure causes a complete breakdown. They come to fear any kind of public performance. Some never recover their confidence.  Yet over time for others, performing in public becomes routine - and they thrive under the limelight. 

What are some of the skill sets that musicians, athletes, or other performers possess that enable them to confidently perform in the public eye?

First, they are well trained and coached. They have engaged in hours of deliberate practice and have gained mastery of the challenges that cause others to make mistakes. Their determination to work hard, commit, and learn from their mistakes builds confidence.

Second, they have learned how to accept coaching. They thrive on feedback, both positive and negative. They've toughened under the intense scrutiny of their coaches, teachers, and mentors, adapted and learned to meet high expectations. They've learned that it is important not to disappoint others. Yet, they work hardest to continuously improve and to avoid disappointing themselves.

Most importantly, they've acquired the polish of a top performer. They walk onto the stage or playing field with confidence, adhere to the highest standards of grooming and attire, and think positively while staying focused on the task at hand. If they do make mistakes, they've learned to shake them off, recover, and move on. Most observers hardly notice the errors because of the performer's superb control of their nonverbal behaviors.

All kids, not just those who aspire to become athletes or musicians, need opportunities to learn these performance skills. They influence self-esteem and the essential leadership traits. With practice in proper settings, we can teach all kids to learn from their mistakes, practice in deliberate and meaningful ways, speak effectively in public, express themselves with proper grammar, and carry themselves with confidence. These skills are essential for success in job interviews, perhaps even more important than specific, job-related knowledge.

But in order to teach those behaviors and skills effectively, we must model them. Afterschool professionals must willingly and enthusiastically speak in public settings and accept responsibility for leading young people. We must lead our profession. We must step up and become comfortable in the limelight. Positioning ourselves to perform more visibly and in a positive manner will lead to powerful outcomes!

We have great opportunities planned during the NAA National Convention for you to engage in those learning activities. Join us in Orlando, Florida, April 16-18, 2011, to enhance your performance skills.

Tough Decisions

Paul G. Young
President & CEO
NAA

Most of us are following the tough decisions being made by legislators in state houses and Capitol Hill in response to our nation’s fiscal crisis.  No doubt these are tough times.  They require that tough decisions be made. We are preparing for the fallout that is certain to come.  Spending will be curbed, like it or not, and many of us will feel the effects in our afterschool programs and association budgets. But we've ridden through these lean budget cycles before and likely will do so again. Now, more than ever, it is important to stay connected, share ideas, think creatively, learn, and support each other. Thank you for your continued membership with NAA and our affiliate organizations.

Despite the fiscal crises in most of our states, our work must go on. We have children to encourage, inspire, teach,  and care for.  We will all creatively figure out ways to fulfill our purpose and do more with less. Our kids need us, and they need to see examples of adult competence, creativity, collaboration, and collective confidence with resolve to persevere through the tough times.

NAA is feeling the pinch. Yet, thanks to your membership dollars and support of our national convention, we continue to ride the turbulent waves and move forward. We operate from an optimistic entrepreneurial awareness that oppressive times lead to shifts in power, new alliances, yet present the promise of something better. The strength of our profession has grown over the past decade due in large part to the support and services provided by our affiliate organizations. With increased commitment to professionalize, we continue to attract attention of practitioners, parents, and activists and grow. We need each other more than ever. We must keep learning, growing, and connecting to come out of these tough times prepared to do business and serve our members in better ways.

We will all make tough decisions in the coming months. Some things will change. Some will not.  Through it all, we must lead. Kids and their families still need us. We need them. We need each other. Together, we will find creative ways to persevere. Creating is all about problem solving.

I've always encouraged my staffs to bring solutions to the problems they identify. I never appreciated working with whiners. When given the chance to be heard, I've learned that those closest to the problem often had the best solutions. I want to associate with and listen to winners rather than whiners. So, if we put our heads together, suck it up for the further belt tightening that is sure to come, and adapt and readjust for the future, we will emerge this period of fiscal crisis with the ability to do business even better. Afterschool will be better.

Don't let the tough times and the tough decisions you have to make get you down. We will support each other, create, and share ideas in Orlando. And, we will feel better afterwards!

And hopefully, someone will say or do something during your interactions and conversations that will spark your creativity in ways you had never dreamed and help you (and all of us as connected professionals) become the winners we all want to be.

See you in Orlando where we will continue this important discussion.