Dear Bob, I am writing in response to the “Frustrated Director” (“In the Trenches, March-April, 2005, “Respect for Authority”). I liked the article and feel that it provides a valuable perspective. I have a few thoughts: 1. I would answer the director’s question (what do I do with this kid?) more directly. From a Camp Director’s [...]
Respect for Authority (March-April, 2005
Dear Bob, Last summer we had a camper who refused to listen to his counselor. He would not help out during clean-up and consistently pushed his dirty clothes under his bed. Getting him out of his cabin to activities was always a challenge, as was getting him back to the cabin or to meals afterwards. [...]
Internet Blues (January-February, 2005)
Dear Bob, We had an upsetting situation occur between two campers during the off season that we’d like to get your thoughts about. One of our twelve year-old male campers began receiving threatening e-mails from a screen name I can’t share with you, but which was itself a menacing moniker. The camper, whom I shall [...]
Changing Practices to Meet a Growing Concern (September-October, 2004)
The verbal and physical abuse and intimidation of campers by other campers has been receiving increasing attention from both parents and camp professionals alike. In a 1999 survey of several insurance companies that count camps among their clients, I found that up to 24% of “crisis calls” to the hotlines of those companies involved [...]
Seven Skills of Highly Effective Counselors (July-August, 2004)
Whether you are a volunteer, a new staff member or a seasoned counselor, working with campers can be both rewarding and challenging. Children can be fun, warm, engaging and energetic. They can also be cranky, mean to one another, over-stimulated and stubborn! Being successful with campers requires that you have a consistent [...]
Seven Skills of Highly Effective Counselors (July-August, 2004)
Whether you are a volunteer, a new staff member or a seasoned counselor, working with campers can be both rewarding and challenging. Children can be fun, warm, engaging and energetic. They can also be cranky, mean to one another, over-stimulated and stubborn! Being successful with campers requires that you have a consistent [...]
Responding to Inappropriate Counselor-Camper Conduct (May-June, 2004)
Dear Bob, I received a call about an incident that took place at a resident camp this summer that I would like your thoughts about. It seems that two 21 year-old male international staff, off for the evening, returned to camp intoxicated. They went to a cabin, woke up the campers, and stripped one as [...]
Lesson Plans for Cabins, Bunks and Groups (July-August, 2003)
Anyone who has spent much time at camp knows that most activity specialists draw up lesson plans for running their periods. Well crafted lesson plans go far beyond skill instruction and include safety protocols and rules and regulations, all geared to the age of the campers in each activity period.
Anecdotal evidence suggests this approach [...]
Mid-Summer Letter to Staff (July-August, 2002)
Dear Staff,
Right about now you may be having the time of your life, enjoying the freedom of being in the outdoors in a community of good friends; or you may be wondering, “What in the world have I gotten myself into?” Whatever your particular experience at camp so far, I [...]
Counselor Judgment-Camper Risk-Taking (July-August, 2001)
One of the tasks of caring for campers is learning to balance fun with safety. This balancing act is a central, though often subtle part of what counselors do, and it can be a formidable one. There are many times when you as a staff person must make judgments that affect the well-being of your [...]