First Camp!

Saturday October 18, 2008


Okay, so I guess it’s not my official first camp since I wasn’t actually leading on it but was my first full camp experience here!
The group: Shoalhaven Anglican School
Age: Years 3 and 4 (3rd and 4th grade)
Numbers: 41 students, 2 teachers, 1 parent

The students were split into three groups. I was with Shaneo leading a group of 11 year 4 students. Since the kids were so young they only stayed Thursday and Friday; two days and one night. The first day’s activities included orienteering, jetty jumping, and initiatives.

Orienteering involves the students working in groups of three to find markers around the site and record the fish names that are on each marker. Each group is given a map of the site which indicates the location of each marker. As the group had 11 students, I got to play the part of a student for this activity, which was quite fun as well as beneficial; giving me the chance to locate all of the markers so I know for future reference.

Lunch followed orienteering and then we were off to the jetty! Upon returning from the jetty we had afternoon tea before I led our initiatives session. Overall, it went pretty well I guess. I had my list of pre-chosen activities written down which was good. We are meant to start with a warm-up activity, then a communication activity, followed by trust, and finally team work.

The group had a lot of energy and was just excited to be at camp. So in instructing this activity I was definitely using a combination of skills I have picked up from my various experiences. I used my enthusiastic camp counselor persona when explaining the activities / challenges and my teacher techniques and tone while conducting the debriefs. It is a bit tricky as you want the kinds to have fun and enjoy the activities but you also want them to take them seriously and be able to get something from them, preferably something that can be applicable to their life outside of camp. I’m finding this is going to require the appropriate mix of seriousness and enthusiasm.

I’m in quite a unique position; somewhere between teacher and camp counselor. Having experience in both of these roles is definitely valuable and now just leaves me to find the most effective balance, which will most-likely differ from group to group.

This was a really awesome group, very well behaved and polite so I may have been a bit more camp counselorish but then during initiatives I definitely put on my teacher hat; using techniques learned in the classroom to get their attention and help them discuss what they learned (often said “learnt” here).

It was really awesome to be able to use both skills from camp and from the classroom to get the kids talking about teamwork, trust, responsibility, and God. I wrapped up with them as I would with a group at the Marsh; having each kid share their most favorite and least favorite part of the day and something they had learned so far. Finally, since this was a private Christian school I was able to end by praying with them.

Yeah, so it’s pretty cool to think about how God has been preparing me over the years and has set a path that has led me here!

*Working at CA Nature camp – sparked my initial interest in working in a camp setting but also helped me understand that I prefer and desire to work in a Christian setting.

*The Marsh – solidified my desire and love for working in the Christian camp setting

*Student teaching – taught me valuable skills for working with kids in a more structured setting, giving me experience in lesson planning with a focus on delivering content. Not to mention the many discipline and teaching techniques and strategies gained.

*WAC and the college experience – well, there’s no way I can sum that all up but yeah, it helped me grow and discover more about who I was, become more independent and form some pretty awesome relationships.

*Crew - physical challenge, love of the outdoors & water

*Studying abroad – again, helped me grow and learn about myself and survive “on my own” for a while. Not to mention introduced me to this awesome country and gave me the “travel bug.”

Bottom line – never doubt that God has a plan! You won’t always be able to see where it is leading but “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight!” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

P.S. I bought a new bible! A small one I can carry around with me at camp. It is New International Version – good stuff! J $27 but it has a zipping cover, thumb tabs, lots of “stuff” in the back like maps . . . AND – it is maroon and blue like my work shirt- hehe!

Signing off and thanking God for all the people and experiences that have been a part of my life thus far.

Hope all is well back in the states and everyone is enjoying the colors, smells, sounds, and tastes of autumn! I was trying to explain candy corn last night - “Is it sticky?” “Does it actually have corn in it?” “Well, no . . . “

Mel and Julz took me out to Indian for a late birthday celebration!!!