First Impressions!

In my short lifespan I’ve experienced the first days of school and summer camps many, many times.  With SuperKids however, the roles have been reversed.  I now hold a leadership position within the Camp and in the weeks leading up to it, I was somewhat nervous.

The first couple of days are always a little awkward for everyone involved.  Trying to learn new names, putting names to faces, establishing routines and learning the people are all priorities during these days.  Luckily, I was well prepared for the start of Camp.  A week of training allowed me to better understand all that was required of me as a counselor.  I was also given some helpful tools to help better conduct my class.

This opening week has had both its rewards and challenges.  The biggest reward is, of course, meeting our wonderful campers.  It has been a long time since I stood in their shoes, but some things never change.  Each child brings with him or her a unique perspective on all of the activities we do throughout the day.  For the most part, they are consistently energized and all of them are more than forthcoming with information.

Redirecting this energy has been one of the biggest takeaways I have from training.  Because of the loads of energy that the campers have, it is important to keep them working productively.  In my brief experience, they become more easily distracted when there is not much for them to do.  So far, I have done my best to redirect energy by starting the class on a task and already having an additional task in mind for those that finish early.

One of the biggest challenges that I have had so far is pacing.  Because I didn’t really have any experience teaching a lesson for a designated amount of time it has been somewhat troubling getting into the hang of it.  Though it does seem like there is plenty of time for a certain task, an actual run through proves that some parts, particularly the parts the campers enjoy the most, can go well beyond time.  However, as the week has progressed I believe that I am doing a much better job with my time management.  By continuing to practice with timing, I expect the problem to be quickly resolved.

Another challenge I have found involves an actual camper.  It can be very difficult to involve a student who has clearly expressed the fact that they do not want to be at Camp.  Luckily, both my site coordinator and academic adviser have been very helpful in ensuring that the student does not continue to be problematic.  Hopefully we can quickly come to some type of resolution.

Overall SuperKids camp has been very interesting.  I have learned a lot about myself through my work with the campers.  Because I am seriously considering teaching as a future profession, my experience so far has been immensely valuable.  I believe a good time is being had by both parties.  It has been very pleasant learning alongside the campers, finding and creating new interests through unique opportunities.   I am really excited about the upcoming weeks!