After School Resources | ETA hand2mind

As the leader in hands-on education, we strongly believe in the value of providing learning experiences that promote active participation during both the regular school day and after the final bell rings.

When a child engages in a fun skill review game or takes the initiative to discover more about a high-interest topic in a book they've just read, they take important steps toward successful school performance.

Our wide range of Math, Reading, and Science programs boost student achievement by—

Supporting curriculum goals
Differentiating learning and practice to meet the needs of students, especially those who have fallen behind and need to catch up
Providing flexibility and ease-of-use for any after school program facilitator, regardless of their classroom experience
Extending the curriculum with unseen materials that students find fun and engaging

VersaTiles® Math Labs and VersaTiles® Reading Labs are featured products in The Consumers Guide to Afterschool Math and Literacy Resources! Learn more!

Increase Student Achievement with a Hands-On Math Program Designed Exclusively for Afterschool! Learn more!

VersaTiles Math Labs and VersaTiles Reading Labs are featured products in The Consumers Guide to Afterschool Math and Literacy Resources!

Click here to read how VersaTiles' puzzle-like, self-correcting system actively engages students in afterschool review of essential math skills. Available for grades 1-8!

Click here to read how VersaTiles's puzzle-like, self-correcting system activity engages students in afterschool review of essential reading and language arts skills. Available for grades 1-6!

View a VersaTiles Video Demonstration

The Consumers Guide to Afterschool Math and Literacy Resources is an initiative of the Program in Education, Afterschool and Resiliency at Harvard University and the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning at SEDL, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The guide is designed to help programs locate and make informed choices about high-quality math and literacy resources that match their individual needs.

Research shows that effective afterschool programs are "intentional learning environments" (McLaughlin, 2000). Intentional learning means having clear learning goals and activities specifically designed to meet those goals. The key to intentional learning is creating a precise match between curricula and learning goals, while taking into account program resources and restrictions.

The Consumers Guide to Afterschool Math and Literacy Resources was created to aid programs in choosing high-quality literacy curricula that would support the creation of intentional learning environments in afterschool programs. The guide includes in-depth reviews from literacy experts as well as from practitioners who have experience using the specific curriculum. Versatiles Math and Literacy were both featured curricula in this guide. The full reviews can be found at:

For more information on the Program in Education, Afterschool, and Resiliency (PEAR), please visit their website at www.pearweb.org.

McLaughlin, M. (2000). Community Counts: How Youth Organizations Matter for Youth Development. Washington, DC: Public Education Fund Network.

Increase Student Achievement with a Hands-On Math Program Designed Exclusively for Afterschool!

Learning Place for Afterschool Math is a comprehensive, hands-on instructional system designed to increase math performance with activities that keep students engaged in afterschool learning. Built to support instructors with any level of experience, the program is easy to implement and puts students at the center of learning.

Each grade level is thematically organized and provides enough activities to support up to 150 days of instruction, making Learning Place for Afterschool Math easily customizable and comprehensive.

Learning Place for Afterschool Math supports the recommendations of the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning for effective math instruction by–

Utilizing a disguised learning approach that is fun for students, yet provides standards-based skill development
Aligning to regular school day instruction to ensure purposeful learning
Using hands-on activities that keep students active, develops problem solving skills, and increases conceptual understanding
Providing small group and individual activity formats that are student-centered and easy for any instructor to implement
Including Pre-tests and Post-tests that provide a method of tracking and reporting student progress
Containing ELL support to help address the differentiated instructional needs of second language students