Combining Social Learning Theory With After-School Programs in Hollywood, Pembroke Pines

hild psychologists are taking an active part in the planning and developmentof After-School Programs in Hollywood and Pembroke Pines. Teachers and tutorshave started their orientation with the different developmental theories ofsocial and emotional learning from formal schools of thought like those ofPiaget, Erickson, and Bandura, in order to be better equipped when dealing withchildren’s learning experiences.

One theory they have focused on is Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Thegeneral idea behind the theory is that individuals learn and acquire knowledgethrough observation and experience with the environment. The theory alsoimplies that most social and emotional learning are gained through observingand imitating models. Progressive schools that are in the process of developingtheir curriculum and K-5 After-School Programs know that teaching youngschool-aged kids have to go beyond the academic and must also tackle otheraspects of their development (social, emotional, physiological, cognitive, andmoral). That is why character education is part of most after-school curriculumacross the Florida state.

There are exactly 4 processes under Bandura’s theory. The first one isattention. The process of developing attention among young children stimulatesand encourages exploration and perception. Tutoring programs in Broward Countyand Dade County, FL,  as well as After-School Programs in Hollywood andPembroke Pines practice this process by alternating paper and pencil activitiesand outdoor activities. Subjecting kids to everyday desk work cannot provideenough mental and socio-emotional stimulation for the them. Giving them outdooractivities such as insect explorations or mini filed trips to the school labare some of the ways educators can capture the attention of young learners.

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The second process involves memory. The tutoring process is one way ofconstantly reviewing lessons learned in class, but, tutoring is also one way ofembedding non-academic learning for kids for the improvement of futurebehavior. A story-telling activity is a non-threatening way of continuouslyreminding kids of good moral values and positive attitude. And since storiesare symbolic and visual representations of real situations, kids tend to bemore receptive to these information, rather than simply giving them phrases andwords to remember. Enrichment Programs in Broward County have thesestory-telling sessions to teach reading and reinforce character education aswell.

The third process has to do with motor development. According to the sociallearning theory, children learn gestures and motor reactions from theirimmediate environment (i.e. family members and teachers). Exceptional childrenwho learn to paint or to play the piano by merely watching others do it is aconcrete example of the link between learning and observation. Enrichmentprograms and After-School programs are expected to provide the needed supportsystem for exceptional and gifted kids in order to nurture their skills. Manyschools in Broward County have answered this need for a nurturing supportsystem.  

Lastly, the fourth process has to do with the concepts of incentives andmotivation. This process implies that with the right amount of motivation and ahealthy reward system, kids will be expected to give appropriate responses forfuture situations.

The Social Learning Theory is mostly applied to children with anxietydisorders and aggressive behavior. The use of this theory for problematic kidsprovide counselors, teachers, and tutors with the right resource for explainingnegative behavior and then creating a strategy to effectively deal with theproblem. Summer camps that provide intensive counseling services for troubledkids also use this theory as part of their background for interventions andpsychiatric therapy sessions. Furthermore, the theory provides the basis formost current behavior-modification interventions in clinical practice.