Dear Bulldog,
I am an after school Site Director and often struggle keeping my students engaged and involved during the activities. It is often the parents attitude towards the program. I want to motivate parents about the program, so my students are excited. Please let me know what you would do.
Thank you,
A Motivated Site Director
Dear Motivated Staff Member,
A child’s motivation can be impacted by the motivation of their parent’s. It is important to make sure that the parents understand the benefits of the program, so they can continue to bring their child and feel as though it is worth their time.
If you suspect that a parents are not motivated about the program, here are a few steps you can take help them better understand the importance and benefits of the program:
- Explain the curriculum that you are working on
- Give the parents questions to ask their children at home after the day so the parent feels involved
- Ask the child what they are enjoying about the program and what they would like to learn/do (activities, topics, etc.)
- Address how the environment is safe and supervised with trained staff
By taking all of these actions, hopefully the parent will begin to understand the importance of your after school program. If you are still having problems, take the time to set up a meeting with the parents and ask for their feedback of the program and what they would like to see. Often it is miscommunication and it about building the relationship.
Best of luck with your program,
Love Bulldog