There’s a chance you haven’t heard a lot about “extended day” or “enrichment” when it comes to programs and career opportunities in education. But you probably have heard of before and after school programs. There was a time where before and after school programs were mainly seen as a service for working families, to ensure that children were in a caring and safe environment during the non-school hours when their family members were working. Those are still foundational elements of extended day programs, but they have also evolved to become so much more.
As schools and districts continue to deal with challenges brought on by the pandemic, many are taking a more holistic approach to supporting student success inside and outside of the classroom. Extended day enrichment programs have become an increasingly important part of the ecosystem of support for students’ physical, mental, social, and academic wellbeing. Research shows that high-quality before and after school enrichment programs positively impact students’s academic outcomes, self-beliefs, and overall attitudes toward school.
As an education job seeker, you may also have overlooked extended day enrichment programs as a place where you can gain invaluable experience, and have a profound impact on the growth, development, and overall success of students. Extended day enrichment is a great place to start your career journey in education, as you’ll be working directly with students while developing your areas of interest. You can:
Gain Real-World Teaching Experience:
Every day you'll coach students through challenging, hands-on activities, as part of a robust curriculum aligned with state and federal academic standards.
Get Paid for Practicum or Internship Hours
Extended day learning positions may fulfill your practicum or internship hours. Entry-level educator roles in the extended day space can offer competitive rates and flexible hours. (Note: be sure to check with your advisor about your school's requirements.)
Build Connections for Future Opportunities
As a before/after school educator or program manager, you’ll engage with teachers, paraprofessionals and aides, office staff, and school administrators on a regular basis.
Right At School has been providing safe, fun, and meaningful extended day enrichment programs for more than a decade, and are serving more than 30,000 students in 17 states across the country. At Right At School, we pride ourselves on giving students a vibrant enrichment experience in a welcoming environment. We know the key to doing that is the team of amazing educators we have across the country, who bring their best to each program every day.
So how do we build that team? We start with mission-driven people who want to help build a love of learning while providing a safe environment for children to explore and grow. Once hired, our educators participate in an industry-leading blended training model, covering a multitude of topics, including supervision and safety, curriculum delivery, communication and relationship- relationship-building, positive child guidance, peer mentorship, and more.
Team culture is something that’s really important to us, and as part of the Right At School team, educators receive ongoing supervision and training aimed at helping them grow and develop their skills. Program and Area managers provide mentorship, guidance and real-time coaching. All of our staff also have access to an online library of over 300 after school profession modules, and are given the opportunity to participate in a professional development certificate program that is aligned to National AfterSchool Association (NAA) Core Competencies.
Senior Area Manager Kealy Shroeder perfectly summed up our team culture recently, stating
“There is a desire here for everyone to succeed. We have this shared understanding that to be successful, we have to move forward as a team. If you don’t succeed, then I don’t succeed.”
So, if you are interested in exploring career opportunities in extended day enrichment and joining a team that wants students, staff, and schools to succeed, then Right At School could be a great fit for you. You can learn more about what it’s like to work here, and see all of the current job opportunities we have available at www.rightatschool.com/careers.
“There is a desire here for everyone to succeed. We have this shared understanding that to be successful, we have to move forward as a team. If you don’t succeed, then I don’t succeed.”
— Kealy Shroeder, Senior Area Manager
