What's Lucy Reading?

We're doing a lot of thinking at TASC about how to build on the after-school infrastructure to expand summer learning opportunities to kids in all sorts of community and school settings. This paper from The Wallace Foundation, by Brenda McLaughlin and Sarah Pitcock of the National Summer Learning Association, surveys the landscape and provides great material for anyone who's thinking about how to build quality into emerging summer programs.

I agree with much if not all of what Laura Vanderkam suggests in this provocative opinion piece that raises doubts about how many kids are seriously over-scheduled. I second what Professor Joseph Mahoney of the University of California/Irvine suggests: that it's unlikely that the great number of kids who have no after-school activities are spending their time in creative play and exercise. Instead, he calls TV-watching "the dominant activity."

I was glad to see this report from the Center for Arts Education – showing that New York City high schools with the highest graduation rates also offer kids the most arts education – get some attention. But if you’re wondering why sustained arts education might lead to improving kids’ overall cognitive abilities, it’s worth reading the explanation in this paper published by The Dana Foundation.

• Read the October 2009 TASC eNewsletter
• Sign-up for the TASC eNewsletter