Videos about Expanded Learning

California offers more opportunities for students before and after school than any other state in the nation through a program called Expanded Learning.

I worked with the staff of Expanded Learning & System of Support Services of the Ventura County Office of Education to create two videos about Expanded Learning in Region 8 of Southern California.  Expanded Learning is a program that allows students to take part in supervised activities that they normally would not get during school hours. There is a full length video that is 14:32 long and a short version that is 4:09 long.

To create the videos about Expanded Learning, I shot video at schools in all four counties of Region 8: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Kern County. I shot more than 30 interviews with students, parents, teachers, principals, administrators, program leaders, program directors and several leaders at the State level in Sacramento to hear what they think about Expanded Learning. I also shot video of students learning, taking part and enjoying many programs.

What is Expanded Learning?

What I learned is amazing! California legislators have dedicated more money towards before and afterschool programs than all other states combined. According to Michael Funk, the Director of Expanded Learning Division of the California Department of Education, Explanded Learning, “Its a philosophy, its an approach, of really supporting young people in their communities and families.” Ernesto Duran, Regional Director of Expanded Learning & System of Support Services, says, “If you provide a safe place, a place where there’s a meaningful connection, with meaningful opportunities that are created for kids to fully connect to fully be emotional and to fully be authentic, it just changes everything. And that is what we want, because academics are important, but a sense of belonging and connecting and a place that makes students feel cared for, and valued, and important, and loved, that goes a long way.”

 

Short Version 4:09

During my visits to schools during after hours Expanded Learning programs I saw kids building rockets, making pizzas, playing organized sports, building do-it-yourself projects, receiving help with their homework and doing enrichment activities such as hands-on science and math to art and engineering. In addition to these activities, the schools provide a meal that is nutritious and that the kids enjoy so that they are able to stay after school as late as 6 pm.

Some of the Benefits of Expanded Learning:

Student classroom performance improves for many students because they can get help with their homework during Expanded Learning programs from student leaders. They can ask questions and finish assignments before they go home from school.

Sschool attendance improves for some students because they like to attend Expanded Learning programs and it gives them incentive to attend school during the regular school day.

Expanded Learning programs provide a safe place for students to stay after school when many parents are still working and are not available to pick them up. Expanded Learning also allows parents to work at their jobs knowing that their children are safe.

Language acquisition for English learners dramatically improves when they attend Expanded Learning programs because studies show that many students speak very little during the normal school day, but their participation and use of English increases dramatically during after school programs.

Many students learn social skills and career readiness skills during Expanded Learning programs that they can take with them into their futures.

Students can play organized sports through Expanded Learning programs that normally might not be able because their family cannot afford club sports programs or because their parents do not have time to drive them to practice and games.

The most important asset of the Expanded Learning programs is the personal relationships and the opportunity to be guided by people who are here and are taking good care of them.

The students I saw were enjoying taking part in Expanded Learning programs, hanging out with friends after school, and appreciated the extra attention they were receiving from the program leaders and directors.

A Big Thanks to Everyone Who Contributed

I really enjoyed learning about after school programs and I think that a new generation of students will be better prepared for the future because of all the opportunity they are experiencing and because they are taking part in a safe, loving environment.

This project would not have happened if not for the leadership, guidance and funding of the staff of Region 8 Expanded Learning & System of Support Services: Regional Director Ernesto Duran, Daisey Valadez, Operations Specialist II, and Andrés Ceja, Operations Specialist I. Their job is to ensure that Expanded Learning programs run smoothly and they wanted to share with the world the exceptional programs and staff that make Expanded Learning in Region 8 so successful. A huge thanks to each of them for their support and trust in me to create these videos.

I am very appreciative of everyone that I interviewed and that shared their experience with Expanded Learning. Several people helped coordinate the interviews and my video shoots on their campus and I appreciate their help, especially Nicole Shostack-Gonzales, Raven Aipa, Erika Maldonado, and Kevin Rascoe.

If you have an idea that you want share, whether its about Expanded Learning Programs at your school, or something else, contact me, Jim Knowlton, Owner and Director of Photography of Blue Ocean Productions. Let’s discuss your idea and your interest in video production services.

The Benefits of Sharing Videos about Expanded Learning

I find that creating videos that share who we are and what we do help people to understand what we offer to the world. The new Expanded Learning videos will hopefully help people understand the amazing opportunities that are available to students in California schools. These videos might inspire additional students to take part in these programs and it could enrich their lives. Hopefully, these videos about Expanded Learning also help people to understand the amazing effort and love that the staff give to the students and the program every day.

Production Photos