Getting Adjsted

I am sure that I am not alone in saying that this first week has been one of many challenges, especially for someone such as myself who has little to no real teaching experience.  Suffice it to say that I was less than prepared for the week in the sense that I did not really know what to expect.  On the very first day of camp it became obvious to me just how much energy these kids have, and how crucial it is that I am able to keep up with them.

While the energy level and excitement of the students certainly keeps everything interesting throughout the day, it also leads to difficulty in the classroom.  Students are constantly getting out of their seats without permission or talking out of turn, and sometimes it is difficult to keep them focused and engaged in the lesson, or in their independent reading time.  

These difficulties in turn lead to another challenge, that of pacing and timing.  I have found that it is very tricky to transition between lessons fluidly and also to complete all lesson components within the given time period.  However I am confident that this is a skill that will develop itself with time and practice.  

I believe that the skills of positive reinforcement and " the contingent yes" that we learned in training have been effective towards maintaining a positive environment and using the children's energy for constructive purposes.  It is crucial to the success of the program that these kids have fun and are happy to come to camp; otherwise, it has the atmosphere of being back in school, and no child wants to feel like their entire summer has been spent in a classroom.  

Overall I think the first week of camp has been a success, but there is still plenty of room to improve.  I look forward to rest of the summer and Super Kids Camp, and I know that by the end the children will have had a fantastic experience.