We approaching our fifth and final week of MAP summer workshops, and we wanted to spend a few minutes highlighting some of the fun things that the kids were able to experience, as well as begin to think about what this means for the upcoming semesters of afterschool at MAP. This post will go over some of the highlights of the summer.
Multicultural
This summer, we followed a global theme for the second year in a row. This year, we explored the culture of Kyoto, Mumbai, Cairo, Barcelona, and New York, and we did this through the lenses of music, art, and programming. This was both challenging and fun, and we teachers, along with the students, learned a lot!
The kids were able to experience so many engaging activities centered around each week’s culture theme — everything from improvising on drums and instruments over an Egyptian groove to creating a miniature Sagrada FamÃlia as an art project to coding a virtual tabla with Music Blocks and Makey Makey.
Multidisciplinary
The “MAP” in “MAP Family Learning Center” stands for “music, art, and programming”. We, of course, explored these topics, but we did much more. For example, one thread that has been continuing through the summer is aperiodic monotiles, which are a mathematical curiosity discovered just last year. We were given a box of these blocks to play with, and the kids enjoyed playing with them during some of the choice times, as well as learning about some of the math that makes them so special.
In addition to this, the kids did various science projects, explored geometry and math through programming, and even had time set aside each Friday to cook together. All of these little moments, we believe, added up to a deeply enriching and memorable summer.
Fall afterschool is right around the corner!
Although I could add much more about all the wonderful things the kids did over the summer, I’ll need to stop here. I do want to point out that at MAP afterschool, our afterschool program during the school year has similar activities. Kids, of course, get an opportunity to wind down, read, and do their homework, but each day of the week we lead the group in one enriching activity. We work hard to create an atmosphere where kids can have fun learning new things, have the room they need to explore powerful concepts, and, we hope, learn to love learning.
If you’re interested in reading more about our afterschool program, more information is posted here: https://online.mapflc.com/product/map-afterschool-classes-spring-and-fall/
A tip of the hat to our faculty, staff, and interns
In order to achieve some of these classroom feats, the teachers at MAP met for hours over the course of two weeks to brainstorm and workshop activities that were fun and meaningful. Through this preparation, MAP teachers all learned a lot about these different cultures and deepen their own mastery of music, art, and computer programming. This was a lot of fun for us, and we think it helped ensure a more enriching experience for all the kids who attended this summer.
In addition to curriculum development, MAP staff and interns met for a training led by Darryl Bullock of Kids LAHF. This training helped staff and interns better prepare for the summer in a nuts and bolts way.
Lastly, we’d like to thank the City of Malden, which helped us receive the assistance of some wonderful interns through their Mayor’s Youth Employment Program (MYSEP). These interns helped with various tasks — from cleaning to playing with the kids and assisting in the classroom. And, perhaps most importantly, we enjoy mentoring these youth and giving them an opportunity to get hands-on training to help prepare them for their future.
