Tag: value of camp

For the Love of the Game

If you’ve been on social media recently (and who hasn’t?), chances are you’ve seen Geno Auriemma, Head Coach of the University of Connecticut Women’s basketball team, comment on what he looks for in an athlete while recruiting his players. UConn hasn’t lost a game in two years and there’s a reason why. We need to… Read more »

My Bunk

While I am now surrounded by the comforts of home, I would gladly give them all up again just to be back at camp, sleeping in my bunk. I must admit that the first few days of falling asleep in a quiet room, sleeping in my own bed, and waking up without bugles ringing in… Read more »

Bringing Away Life Skills

For most campers, when the summer of 2014 draws to a close, there is always next summer to which they can look forward. For the oldest campers, however, farewell this summer means farewell forever to their years as campers. Even though a significant number of former campers choose to return to summer camp as staff… Read more »

5 Minutes at Camp

We focus a lot on how much happens at camp over the course of the summer, but the amount of activity that takes place in just 5 minutes on any given day is mind blowing to anyone who is not familiar with camp. Five minutes at summer camp is like a symphony: many individual components… Read more »

Camp Influences

In their book True North, Bill George and Peter Sims challenge readers to examine the qualities and influences that have made them great leaders through a series of motivational chapters complemented by interactive surveys. In the survey that follows the first chapter, readers are asked: “During your early years, which people had the greatest impact… Read more »

I Never Thought I would…

A recent blog shared some of the most popular counselor ‘I never thought I would…’ thoughts. Counselors aren’t the only ones from whom this phrase is commonly heard as the introduction of wonder throughout the summer. It’s heard just as often from campers. Here are some of the most popular perspectives of camper exclamations that… Read more »

Why Summer Camp is More Important Now than Ever

As the digital age in which we live seems to be accelerating, it’s easy to dismiss traditions that are not technology focused, such as summer camp. There is an argument to be made, however, for why summer camp is more important than ever for that very reason. There is a lot to be said for… Read more »

参加STEM相关的夏令营活动的好处

STEM 是一个热门词–或者,更贴切地说,是一个缩写–流传使用在教育圈,可也许不是人们期望会从夏令营领域圈子中听到。STEM代表了科学(Science),科技(Technology),工程(Engineering)和数学 (Math),教育者们越来越要让学生们增加接触的四门课目,而夏令营如今也在想这么做。根据美国 夏令营协会(American Camp Association),STEM相关的活动在过去5年一直是最受欢迎的夏令营活动新增项目之一,而且有很好的理由。夏令营为宿营者们提供了一个另外的场地,用有乐趣的方式来学习。替换掉教室,取代的是户外,或专门用于个人培训而设计的场地设施,大幅度减少了班级大小,可以让宿营者通过相关的夏令营活动,在探索STEM的各领域采用更精细的,和动手的方式。根据《纽约每日新闻》 报(New York Daily News),在夏令营尤为受欢迎的纽约,平均班级大小是25个学生。一些学校的班级超过了30个学生。STEM相关的夏令营计划,例如,“自然”(Nature)、“火箭”(Rocketry)和“无线电”(Radio)通常每个活动时间段最多不超过12位宿营者。STEM相关的宿营计划越来越显示出是受到了宿营者们最大的欢迎。那么为什么孩子们踊跃报名参加教育的偏门计划?有一些可能的原因。 首先,夏令营提供了一个非正式、放松的环境。没有家庭作业。没有课程表。没有教课。没有规定完成时间。没有考试。 完全是一个“根据您感到舒适的水平参加”的环境。鼓励所有宿营者们在夏季参与至少一次STEM有关的活动。“自愿参加”的方式还让宿营者选择如何关注自己的兴趣。辅导员通常是他们所领队地区的大学生或教授,扮演的是辅助者。他们是在那里鼓励帮助宿营者们,另宿营者们的努力放在一次STEM相关活动的自己想要发展的某一个方面。 其次,夏令营的真正目的就是让宿营者玩得开心。所以不用说了,对营地活动的设计强调了乐趣,即便和上学时学生一般不太有热情的学科相关的活动也一样有趣。从那方面说,在“过夜”的夏令营进行的辅助教育活动不是为了与学生上课时的学习进行竞争或替换它,而是为了强化。

Camp Pets

Experts unanimously agree that there are benefits to pet ownership for children. In addition to teaching them responsibility, pets also entertain children, keep them active, alleviate stress and teach them about life. For some families, however, busy lifestyles make pet ownership impractical and even unrealistic. Enter another little known benefit of summer camp: summer pets…. Read more »