Posts Tagged ‘summer camp’

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Summer Camp: The Kitchen of Human Relations

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Happy Campers: An essential ingredient

Beyond the incredible opportunities for personal growth, exposure to the natural world, and the connection (or reconnection) with one’s sense of wonder, camp provides campers a unique opportunity to build a community from the ground up.

Building these communities is a little like baking at high altitudes: there are plenty of modifications to the recipe you can try…but you are never sure exactly which one is going to work.

Take our recipe for a FANTASTIC cabin/unit community at Sanborn:

9-10 happy campers
2 dedicated, attentive counselors
1 personable, knowledgeable assistant counselor
3 tons of positive attitude
1 ton of mutual respect
100 lbs. of integrity
18 gallons of flexibility
10 quarts of compromise
80 lbs of problem solving techniques
5 buckets of perseverance
5 buckets of resilience
1 truckload of empathy
A bunch of new experiences
A dash (or 200) into the outdoors  for new perspective
An infinite number of amazing opportunities and fun to be had!

Teambuilding activities build community

That said, sometimes campers or staff unintentionally modify our ideal recipe.  Occasionally, some snarky comment gets spilled in, or a selfish behavior is added, or—in some cases—an entire ingredient is forgotten or substituted.  And, like the high altitude cake with incorrect modifications, you find yourself with a crumbly, grumbly, salty mess on your hands.

Yet unlike the adult world, where it is sometimes more admissible (and far easier) to just cut your losses and walk away…at camp, these are the people you are living and working with for the rest of your summer.  You have to figure out what went wrong and try to fix it…otherwise, your summer simply won’t be as sweet.

You never expect the first cake you bake at 8,600 feet will turn out perfectly (though you do hope it will be edible)—similarly, you cannot expect the desires, wills, values, beliefs, emotions, and hormones of 13 unique individuals to always line up and converge in perfect harmony.  So you tinker with the ingredients: you teach the staff some new problem solving techniques, spend time getting to know each camper very well, and you show everyone support, gratitude, forgiveness and empathy along the way.

Fun and silliness at camp!

It is easy to get frustrated with a crumbly cake or with someone you are living with…but the cake won’t respond to your irritation or anger any better than a person.  So, through the daily mix of ingredients in our living units, on trips, on activities, and everywhere at camp, we create a unique and ephemeral “Daily Special.”  Because of all the factors involved, a day at camp cannot be repeated.  Each day is unique, it never has been, or ever will be the same again.  Some leave a bit of a sour taste in your mouth, others will represent the high point of your life for many years to come.

At the heart of camp, just like at the heart of cooking, is the playful spirit and desire for fun, wholesome experiences—the experiences that all campers and staff are seeking from their summer in the Colorado mountains.

And the best part?  There are NEVER too many cooks in this kitchen.

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Outdoor Education, Parenting, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Getting to the Top

Monday, July 5th, 2010

Celebration for a Lifetime

Twelve different groups from Big Spring and High Trails stood on the summits of thirteen Colorado mountains last week.  Other campers will have this awe-inspiring experience in the coming week.  Climbing a mountain is a real accomplishment and an exciting adventure.  To crawl out of a warm sleeping bag before dawn and face the brisk morning temperatures is an act of courage in itself.  The long climb upward, step-by-step, requires perseverance, commitment, and teamwork.

The Alpine tundra is beautiful, dotted by tiny forget-me-nots and other flowers.  Often we are fortunate enough to spot marmots, ptarmigans and other mountain wildlife.  The best moment of all, though, is stepping onto the summit and catching a first glimpse of the spectacular vistas.  Climbers always gain a well-deserved feeling of pride, and the self-confidence that comes from “making it to the top”.

Climbing a mountain provides so many benefits for young people. Youth development research tells us that young people need challenging and engaging activities and learning experiences in order to grow into confident, happy adults.  Reaching the summit requires hard work, determination and a lot of self-discipline. Mountain climbing stretches perspectives as well as legs, and it takes place in some of the most stunningly beautiful places on Earth.

Mountaineer Sir John Hunt said “The true result of endeavor, whether on a mountain or in any other context, may be found rather in its lasting effects than in the few moments during which a summit is trampled by mountain boots.  The real measure is the success or failure of the climber to triumph, not over a lifeless mountain, but over himself.”

We have many truly triumphant individuals in our midst.  The successes our campers experience at camp will be revisited countless times throughout their lives…and they will be better, stronger, and happier because of it.

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Education, Outdoor Education, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »

From the Archive: Top 10 Things I’ve Learned at Summer Camp (that make me a better parent)

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

This post first appeared in April 2009 on our previous blog.

Part I

Most of these lessons apply to littles, middles, and beyond...

I love summer camp. Being a camper, being a camp counselor, being a camp director, being a parent—I have made summer camp a part of my life and, now, part of the lives of my children. That said, it is remarkable how quickly you forget some of the cardinal rules you learned while you were a 20-something summer camp counselor about working with kids when your own children are in mid-meltdown about the shark show that “Daddy promised!” they could watch if they ate all of their mixed veggies. Sigh.

In order to help me regain my sanity, I have compiled a list of some of the most effective tools I have found for working with kids in the summer camp (and home!) setting, whether the kids are mine, yours, your sisters’, your neighbors, or “that kid” from down the street. I would love to hear from wise parents, youth development professionals, and other summer camp believers about kid-centric tools and techniques you find have worked for you. Since this is a two-part series, you may see some of your ideas in the next post.

10. The Power of Choice: Give kids real decision making opportunities by providing them with choices you can live with (i.e.: Do you want to clean the toilets before or after you make your bed? or What are your goals for this summer camp session? Do you want to climb a bunch of mountains or do you want to ride horses? Or Do you want to help mom set the table or do you want to make the salad for dinner tonight?). By doing this, you empower kids to take responsibility and ownership for their own actions.

"Should we play in the mud?"....Yes we should!

9. Allow kids to define their own boundaries; facilitate the boundary creation. Give them ways to “frame” things in the positive: We’re going to the zoo today, what SHOULD we do at the zoo? We SHOULD stay together, we SHOULD wait our turn to look at the otters, we SHOULD have lots of fun. And what SHOULDN’T we do?…. “RUN!” “Eat too much candy!” “Feed the lions!” “Cut in line!” “Talk back!” You quickly learn that many children, even very young ones, have a great understanding of right from wrong…and by “framing” activities before they even begin, they can more readily “own” their actions and are more willing to respond if they accidentally do something they SHOULDN’T do.

8. If conflicts do occur, make kids right about what they need to be right about. “She hit me first.” “Yes. I saw that she hit you first. Why did she hit you, do you think?” Also, in heated situations, never make assumptions. Ask A LOT of questions and remember that most kids WANT to do the right thing…but sometimes they just forget how to do it. Don’t put kids in a box that they can’t get out of—during conversations, as they are growing up, socially, etc.. A great technique for getting a kid to talk is to MOVE. Children, especially boys, can have a hard time expressing their feelings if they feel like an adult is standing there, waiting for an answer, and “pressuring” them to say something. If you can remove the child from the situation and go for a walk (ideally outdoors), the questions you ask may elicit more than the standard, “I dunno” answers.

7. When they make bad choices, assign real and timely consequences. This one takes practice and you have to know your children or campers very well in order to assign a consequence that is neither too harsh nor too lenient for the action. I will often make sure I—with the help of the kids–have “framed” the entire experience so any resulting “bad choices” already have consequences assigned (i.e.: “We decided as a group that people who don’t help with clean-up today won’t get to have any of Emily’s cake after clean-up. SO…is everyone ready to win cabin clean-up today?”). That also takes some of the emotional volatility out of the situation. If everyone knows what will happen and when, I am not perceived as being arbitrary or unfair.

Opportunities to practice leads to self-efficacy and confidence

6. Give them plenty of opportunities to practice making both good and, inevitably, bad choices. Give them a safe framework to practice in…overnight camp is an outstanding, safe place to practice decision-making. Overnight camp provides a community with multiple supportive adults who genuinely want each child to have an outstanding camp experience. Through their interactions with other adults and children, who may or may not have similar interests and experiences, kids learn how to make and keep friends, practice perseverance and resilience, and gain a better understanding of themselves…all of which helps them become wise decision-makers.

Next time, Part II! I look forward to hearing your thoughts….

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Education, Outdoor Education, Parenting, Summer Camp for Kids, Uncategorized, summer camp in Colorado | 1 Comment »

Getting To Know You: Meet Our #GNO Twitter Party Panelists

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Tonight, from 9-11 p.m. EST (7-9 p.m. MST), Sanborn Western Camps is sponsoring a #GNO Twitter Party with host Mom It Forward about The Benefits of Summer Camp and How To Pick a Summer Camp.

The Twitter hashtag #gno stands for “Girls (& Guys!) Night Out”.  Once you are on Twitter, do a search on the hashtags #gno and #sanborncamps to join the chat or click here to follow the chat using Tweetgrid.  This promises to be a very informative, fun conversation with folks from all over the country.  It will get you pumped up to pick a great camp for your kids this summer!

Sanborn Western Camps is giving away a full Sanborn Junior tuition (or a 1/2 tuition for the full term) for summer 2010 or 2011,  based on availability.  Visit www.momitforward.com for more details on how to enter.

We wanted to take a moment to thank all of our panelists for tonight’s #gno party.  They are great people to follow on Twitter and in the blogosphere.  We look forward to their insights and contributions during tonight’s event.  Think summer!

Our tremendous panelists are:

@acacamps The American Camp Association (formerly known as the American Camping Association) is a community of camp professionals who, for nearly 100 years, have joined together to share our knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. Because of our diverse 7,000 plus membership and our exceptional programs, children and adults have the opportunity to learn powerful lessons in community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living — lessons that can be learned nowhere else. Learn more about ACA and their rigorous camp accreditation process by visiting www.acacamps.org.

@acacampparents CampParents.org is a comprehensive summer camp resource for families—offering expert advice from camp professionals on camp selection, readiness, child and youth development, and issues of importance to families. ACA helps you find the right camp for every child.  Dawn Swindle, head of ACA Publications (both print and web) will be tweeting using @acacampparents during tonight’s #gno Twitter party.  With her years at ACA, and as a long time camp professional, Dawn is a great resource for parents and camp professionals alike.  Learn more about Dawn and use the impressive camp finder tool at www.campparents.org

@annie_fox Annie Fox is a prolific writer, great thinker, youth development expert, excellent speaker, and phenomenal correspondent.  From writing books, designing computer programs for kids, and being a phenomenal correspondent, Annie takes youth development and growth TO the teens and families she serves on her website, blog and Twitter posts.  Visit Annie Fox and learn more about answers to tough questions facing tweens, teens and beyond at www.anniefox.com

@ashleykingsley Ashley E. Kingsley thrives on connecting people and is a solid engineer of community. She brings years of marketing, social media and community relations expertise to her clients at www.ashersolutions.com.  Ashley is a lucky wife, Mama of two kids and two dogs. Ashley has been blogging since 2004, considers herself an early adopter, a wild event thrower, and a loyal and adamant promoter of community. Ashley founded @TwitStroll a diverse and spontaneous alternative to the #TweetUp designed for people that do better “on the fly.” As a Colorado native, camping, hiking and skiing are at the top of her list.

@balmeras Bethe Almeras, The Grass Stain Guru, is an award-winning author, web producer, and eLearning designer. Co-founder of the National Wildlife Federation’s Green Hour®, she has been connecting people with play and nature for many years. A gifted speaker and trainer, Bethe also specializes in inclusive education and accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities.  We love Bethe because, as she says, “I also believe that childhood was meant to be messy. Muddy. Slimy. Silly. And most of all, joyful. Steeped in awe and wonder, childhood should be spent outdoors as much as possible, and should rely on imagination and whimsy as much as it does on rules and regulations.  I firmly believe that nature is the best therapist and teacher any of us will ever have, and that the magic of childhood should be rooted there, and the peace of adulthood is waiting there. It’s not only in nature, but the connections we make with ourselves, and each other, when we slow down long enough to notice the beauty around us and simply play.”  Agreed!  Visit her at www.grassstainguru.com

@CarissaRogers Carissa Rogers is “a Mom of all trades…a Jack of NONE.”   She is a consummate blogger, reader and co-founder of the MomItForward and #gno concept.  She has three wonderful children and, like many panelists, believes in Manifest Destiny…and she just keeps going West.  She writes about her family, blogging and social media tips, great books she’s read, and really tasty recipes (some of which may find their way into the Sanborn Western Camps kitchens this summer!).  We are excited to have Carissa as a panelist because she knows all of the tricks and tips to make everyone’s ideas and voices heard.  Read more about All Things Carissa at www.goodncrazy.com

@fleurdeleigh Leigh Caraccioli is a Master.  A Master Photographer, a Master Mother, a Master of Technology, and a Master of the Real (not unlike “The Matrix”).  Leigh seeks to “craft a moment in time” for her photography clients—to capture and sculpt a memory which will both captivate and last, but she also values the ephemeral, fluid nature of the online social media experiment where she has made, and maintains, true and close friendships.  With technological connections so important to her and so much about camp being “unplugged,” Leigh might seem like an odd panelist. Yet we knew we had a kindred spirit when she wrote in her blog about a camping trip where she WAS going to unplug because, “I need to draw true warmth from my loved ones around me. I want to sit and listen to the birds, feel the rift of waves on the side of the oar flanked boat.  I need to catch a large mouthed bass, with my father at my side. I cannot hear, see, smell and taste as well when I am talking. (ie; tweeting).  I plan to embrace the chatter of nature over the chatter of social society. I need to plug back in to nature’s outlet and feed my little outdoor girl soul.” Connect with Leigh by visiting www.atfleurdeleigh.com

@FreeRangeKids Lenore Skenazy was vaulted into a Brave New World when she published a column in The New York Sun titled, “Why I Let My 9 Year Old Take the Subway Alone.”  Many parents branded her “The World’s Worst Mom”—but many others said, “Thank you.”  In her words, “Free-Rangers believe in helmets, car seats, seat belts — safety!  We just do NOT believe that every time school age kids go outside, they need a security detail.”  Lenore’s book and blog provide tips, humor and a good dose of common sense to help all of us raise wise, independent, thoughtful, and functional children in these uncommonly overprotective times.  Learn more about Lenore at www.freerangekids.com

@JasonFlom Jason Flom is a Super Dad, incredible teacher, inspired writer, former Outward Bound instructor, and vocal outdoor educator.  He teaches 5th grade in Tallahassee, FL, but also blogs for ecologyofeducation.net, has started a Green Schools group on Edutopia.com and is a regular contributor to the daily Twitter #edchat.  He is funny, articulate, and dedicated to quality education both inside and outside the classromm.  In a blog post, Jason surmised that kids (and their educators) just need to get outside. “How do we help students understand the dynamic nature of our planet? Go outside. How do we give students a baseline of experience with nature to help them appreciate the value (and necessity) of it? Go outside. How can we strengthen students’ insights into how nature solves problems in order to create and cultivate sustainable innovations? Go outside. How can we provide authentic opportunities for students to strengthen their engineering skills while broadening their understanding of natural materials? Go outside. How can we keep students active in authentic ways while also providing a relevant context for numerous academic concepts? Go outside.” Read more of Jason’s posts and watch an incredible video his students made to promote their fundraiser, “Haitian Food for Haitian Lives” at www.ecologyofeducation.net

@JylMomIF Jyl Johnson Pattee lives, works, and breathes a special kind of magic.  As the founder of MomItForward.com, Jyl combines a passion for communication and people, and she launched the site in 2008 with the mission to “change the world one mom at a time.”  We think the concept is a perfect use for value-added social media (and a great metaphor for human relations all the way around)—great ideas are TOO great not to be shared.  She is THE hostess of the weekly #gno parties on Twitter, which started in September 2008. Jyl is known as a “connector” who brings good ideas and people together both on and offline to make a positive impact for causes and brands through education and sharing of experiences.  Jyl is also a tremendous mother to two active boys, an intrepid traveler, the creator of the EVO conference, a wonderful writer, an occasionally irreverent wife to Troy, and a great friend to any parent online.  Please take the time to visit her and learn more about Jyl, the EVO conference, the Mom It Forward movement, #gno and much, much more at www.momitforward.com.

@momspark Amy Bellgardt is the mom of two very active boys in Oklahoma.  Amy created Mom Spark in July 2008 as a way to connect with other moms who were experiencing the same joys and challenges of parenting she was. She wanted Mom Spark to become a community of women who love to laugh, learn, and support fellow parents. In addition to the blog, Mom Spark also has a forum, which is open 24 hours a day.  In addition to Mom Spark, Amy also runs the successful Mom Made That!, a site for supporting and promoting mom businesses.  Mom Made That! has over 200 business listings and was just recently recommended by Etsy as an economical method of advertising.  Visit Amy and learn more about Mom Spark at www.momspark.net

@rockandrollmama Lindsay Maines is a camp-loving mom of three who lives in the DC suburbs and loves music.  Yet, like all parents, she has struggled to balance her and her husband’s musical passion (they both play bass—he is the bass player for the band Clutch) and the needs of her family.  After connecting with her on Twitter, we have learned she has excellent abilities—not only musically (she plays the bass, too)—but in creating time for her family, herself, and for her community…her blog posts are informative, thoughtful, and real.  We love this rockin’ mama!  Learn more about Lindsay by visiting www.rockandrollmama.com

@sanborncamps Ariella Rogge, Program Director/Assistant Director/Outdoor (and indoor) Eductor/Social Media Junkie/Mom of Two Boy Wonders/Toilet Plunger, manages the @sanborncamps Twitter account both day (and more consistently) by night.  Ariella has been involved in some capacity (see “Toilet Plunger”) at Sanborn Western Camps since she was 12.  She is a true believer in the transformational power of the camp experience for all children because for her, like Richard Louv (author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder) says, “The woods were my Ritalin. Nature calmed me, focused me, and yet excited my senses.”  She would love to answer any questions you might have about summer camp (or help direct you to the right person!)—either at Sanborn or anywhere else—feel free to email her at ariella at sanbornwesterncamps dot com.

@texasholly Holly Homer is a HUGE advocate for the summer camp experience.  As a counselor for four summers she thought she had seen it all—then she had kids.  She has three great boys and writes a blog that gives voice to EVERYTHING that your inner voice may say (with really fabulous Crayola marker sketches to boot).  Even though she drives a minivan, this Uber Mom is no June Cleaver.  Check out Holly’s blog and join in one of her riotous “Potlucks” at www.junecleavernirvana.com.

@TroyPattee Troy Pattee is a Man Among Women.  Troy is THE “G” in #GNO.  Troy’s wife, Jyl, founded the Twitter #GNO (Girls Night Out) party—and has brought her affable “Guy” with her to every event.  @sanborncamps first connected on Twitter with Troy—and later with Jyl—because he has an unnerving propensity to be skiing EXACTLY when we wish WE were skiing (and, we’ll admit it, sometimes the snow IS better in Utah).  Troy has a brand new, and fabulous blog called Dadventurous.com where he will be sharing tales and adventures with other like minded dads…and—knowing Troy–probably moms, too.  Check out the new blog at www.dadventurous.com and hang with him during the weekly Tuesday night #gno Twitter parties.

@zealandsmom Danielle Wann is a long-time camp enthusiast, and loves her trips out West!  She is also the host of #bfcafe (breast feeding café) a Twitter party that has great giveaways every Thursday evening.  Though her kiddos are too young to head to camp just yet, with her breast-feeding, baby-wearing, eco-wise attachment parenting practices, they will—undoubtedly—become intelligent, educated stewards of the Earth…who are going to have a TON of fun at camp!  Learn more about Danielle at zealandsmom.blogspot.com.

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Education, Fun Activities, Outdoor Education, Parenting, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | 7 Comments »

Happy April 1st!

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

Vote today for the two High Trails Projects!

No April Foolin’ here!  Along with EVERYTHING else we are doing in the natural world, we have some AMAZING things happening in the virtual world this April.  As part of the Pepsi Refresh Project, Colorado Outdoor Education Center and High Trails Outdoor Education Center submitted grant proposals for Building a Hands On Solar and Wind Learning Station and for Creating a High School Leadership Program for Colorado Students . Pepsi funds the top vote getter–so we are asking for ALL of your help this month.  Please vote for both of our projects once a day–click and bookmark this page/link to vote for both High Trails projects every day in April.

Join @sanborncamps for our #gno Twitter Party!

For those of you on Twitter, we have joined forces with Jyl Johnson Pattee who hosts www.momitforward.com and one of the most fun, successful, and interesting Twitter parties on the web: #gno (Girls (and guys!) Night Out).  On Tuesday, April 6th, we are hosting the #gno event and our discussion topic is: Picking a Great Summer Camp for Kids and The Benefits of Summer Camp for Kids.  We invite all of you to RSVP for the party and enter to win a Sanborn Junior tuition for the summer of 2010 or 2011.

We have an excellent line up of panelists, including American Camp Association representative Dawn Swindle, Bethe Almeras (The Grass Stain Guru), Lenore Skenazy (Free Range Kids), youth development expert Annie Fox, outdoor and classroom educator Jason Flom (prolific writer for Ecology of Education and Edutopia) plus plenty of camp parents and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the country.

If you have never participated in a Twitter party, this is a fun place to start and to find new friends, thinkers, and followers…plus we will LOVE having lots of Sanborn participants.  To follow us, visit our Twitter homepage and follow us–we always share LOTS of great information about camp, outdoor activities, the Children in Nature movement, education, parenting, blog updates and much, much more!

Up at camp (and offline), we had a lot of snow in March and are grateful for the moisture which means spectacular summer wildflowers and green grass.  After a wintery month, we are especially enjoying a few days of really warm weather right now.  Despite the snow on the ground, we know that Spring is on the way.  A few of our summer birds, including bluebirds and robins, have returned and we’re keeping an eye out for the first Pasque Flower of the year.  The summer staff will begin arriving in less than two months.

Speaking of staff, we have some great people returning for 2010.  At Big Spring, Sam  will head a crew of wranglers that includes Andrew Robbins, Will Ostendorf, Andy Johnson, and Danny Berry.  Ridge Leaders will be Kevin “K-Rob” Robinson, John Brown, Chris Huber and Andrew Jones.  Mike Potts will be back as the “Art Dude” and Falcon Craft will be the “Co Art-Dude”.  Returning counselors include Taylor Emanuels, Brendan Jones, Matt Malloy, Branden Manuel, Fred Schmidt-Arenales, Zach Schoenfelt, Ian Stafford, Eric Carlson, Eddy Rutledge, Jeff Krueger and Ryan Schilling.  Margo Cromack, Teresa Day and Holly Lehmann will return as the Big Spring nurses.

Maya Ovrutsky, Reggie Cahalan and Jessie Spehar will be returning to the High Trails staff as Ridge Leaders in 2010.  Maren, Ashley, and Rosie will work with wranglers Jessie Tierney, Bea Raemdonck, Lisa Boyko, Lacey Ellingson and Jenny Hartman.  Returning counselors include Kimberly Foster, Hannah Eldredge, Sara Maurer, Keenan Meyer, Lacey Meyer, Kelly Muedeking, Amanda Oates, and Heidi Schoedel.  Megan Clover will be a trip leader and program specialist

We have begun our Spring outdoor education program and are excited to provide experiential, nature-based classes for 25 schools over the next six weeks.  Among the staff who will be serving as teachers for this program are Ian Stafford, John Brown, Brendan Jones, Andrew Tromey, Jessie Tierney, and Heidi Schoedel.

Our April will be filled with putting the finishing touches on improved programs and trips for this summer, renovation projects to improve our facilities, hiring the last few summer staff and counting the days until camp begins.

Enrollment is significantly ahead of last year and several grades in both terms of High Trails are filled or close to filling.  Big Spring is also nearing completion in several grades, especially in the First Term.  Several Sanborn Junior terms in both camps are filled and building waiting lists.  Families interested for the summer of 2010 should call to check availability.  As always, we are happy to send our brochure, DVD and references to any interested families.

Phew…can you believe summer is just two months away?  We can and we are READY!  We can’t wait to begin creating the fun, adventure, and friendship of the Summer of 2010!  Til then, THINK SUMMER!

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature, Education, Fun Activities, Outdoor Education, Parenting, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | 6 Comments »

How Can I Promote Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy in My Children?

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Proud Mountain Fisherman

What is the difference between self-esteem and self-efficacy? Self-efficacy, or empowerment, is the belief in one’s self. Children with skills of empowerment believe that they are effective in the world and have learned their strengths and weaknesses. Self-esteem is inexorably linked to self-efficacy…but our culture and society tends to promote “strong self-esteem” as a goal on its own, forgetting that in order to “feel good” about yourself, you have to “believe” in yourself and your abilities.

In our schools and families, we are quick to say, “I am so proud of you for completing your class project”—terrific words of encouragement, shared in order to promote good self-esteem—yet we should ask ourselves what we are really saying. By saying “I” or “We” we are owning the accomplishment ourselves, and not giving full credit to the child. Better to say, “How do you feel about what you accomplished?” Then the child can say, “I really worked hard to get my class project done on time, and I feel really good that I was able to help Emily with her project, too.” To which, as a teacher or parent, we can add, “You did show a great deal of dedication to accomplish the project, and you were also very generous with your time and demonstrated great teamwork and creativity when you helped Emily.”

When we perceive we don’t have time to promote self-efficacy in our children, or we think a broad blanket of esteem-enriching encouragement will suffice, we are doing our children a significant disservice. Rather than developing necessary resilience on their own, they will fall into a pattern of seeking their sense of self from outside sources. In a recent study, it was shown that kids who were distinctly told they were “hard workers” tended to be more persistent when they approached challenging tasks or new situations. Children who had been told they were “very smart” tended to become more easily frustrated or more readily quit the challenging task that was placed before them.

As parents, teachers, and youth development professionals, the staff at Sanborn Western Camps know and understand the importance of teaching empowerment and providing children with opportunities to build their own self-efficacy. By giving campers choice with their trip and activity selection, challenging them physically on mountain climbs and horseback rides, allowing them to find and define their voices and attitudes away from their home peer group, spending reflective time in the natural world, and providing them with multiple supportive adults in a tight-knit community, our campers develop internal motivation and satisfaction from their everyday accomplishments—a skill they will continue to use for the rest of their lives.

What other activities besides summer camp do you think promote self-efficacy in kids?

Mountain climbing in Colorado

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Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature, Education, Parenting, summer camp in Colorado | 5 Comments »

Liberators, Integrators, and Hope Generators with Mawi Asgedom

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Find the Invisible kids. This was Mawi’s call to action during a morning keynote address at the ACA National Conference. How do we do that as youth development and camp professionals?

We SEE all of the campers. We KNOW all of the campers. We seek to build AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS with our campers. These campers may be invisible because they aren’t “seen” by the adults in their lives, they may not be “seen” by their peers, and some may not even be “seen” in the camp community as a whole because they are unable to attend camp. It our job as youth development professionals, and as a greater camp community to come together and help ALL of our youth be seen, be respected, and be known.

Youth today can create their lifestyles at a depth unknown to the adults around them. When we were young, many of us had perimeters when it came to our chosen “lifestyle”. Sure, we could relate to, talk to others about, and put on the appearances and behaviors of our “chosen” lifestyle: the sports, music, fashion that defined those styles. And then we’d head home, where we were sharing (typically) a single phone line and we were battling our family members for control over the TV remote…and we would just be ourselves.

Youth today can maintain the lifestyle they choose almost 24/7. They can IM and tweet and Facebook chat about it late into the night under their covers. They can shut their doors and Google search, watch YouTube videos, and Hulu shows that inform their opinions of their lifestyles. They can create virtual worlds where they, in fact, are both known AND invisible. They can be invisible, safe…and yet they can still FEEL known.

What lifestyles are your kids embracing? Are they known in the virtual world or in the real world? How can we help them find unique identities beyond their embraced “lifestyle”? How can we help them see that–Because of Camp

Mawi Asgedom

–they can and will be able to create a lifestyle for themselves, rather than having that lifestyle dictated to them by the outside world?

By teaching them how to make a friend, and how to keep a friend; by helping them understand the importance of values; by modeling authentic, healthy relationships; by spending time in the outdoors; and through the recognition that the world is both very big and very small we can help promote the “camp” experience for invisible and visible children all around the world.

In the end, “camp” will mean one thing to a child refugee in a remote village in Africa, something else to a kid on the Upper West Side, and something else entirely to an indigenous child living on a reservation. It is our responsibility, and our mission, as Mawi said, “To make the invisible, visible” and to make the summer camp experience as we know it, accessible to all.

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Opening Session at ACA National Conference

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

100 Campers for the 100th Birthday Celebration!

Our super Sanborn Western Camps choir crew ask, "Why no Dew?"

Singing "Choo-Choo-Cha!"

The first day at the ACA National Conference in Denver, CO, 100 Colorado campers kicked off the ceremony by singing camp songs with the nearly 1000 conference attendees. Elizabeth Rundle, along with other directors and staff members from the Rocky Mountain Section, had the privilege of teaching the campers the camp songs (new for some) transporting the kids to and from the conference venue, getting them lunch, and just hanging out with them.

When the campers arrived in “Capitol Ballroom C” the energy in the air was electrified. The campers were SO excited to be there—and they loved the unique opportunity to connect with other camp-loving kids from all over the area.

They wowed the audience with a three-part round, an interactive call and response that left Those Of Us Above 30 bent over at the waist, elbows back, knees together and tongue out while singing, and a beautiful camp modified rendition of “Taps.”

Most of all, they energized the 100th anniversary celebration of an organization made up of so many fantastic individuals from all over the country and world who are committed to the importance of a camp experience for each and every child.

Because of camp….

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Summer Camp Should Be Fun

Friday, February 12th, 2010

I just read a blog post this morning where a blogger is “taking the summer off” from attempting to find fulfilling, educational, inspirational activities for her kids. She simply doesn’t want to deal with the pressure anymore of the “right” summer program. I don’t blame her. As a parent, the pressure to “position” your child is ridiculous, and, sometimes, paralyzing.

My son is only 5 and has a hard time w/ his “k” pronunciation–I had mentioned it to LOTS of people–spouse, teacher, school speech therapist, and the like–and everyone told me to STOP being dramatic and reactionary.

Yet during his Valentine’s Party yesterday, the speech therapist came in and pulled my son and another boy out of the class to “play”. The subsequent explanation was that my son wasn’t pronouncing his “k” sound at all (shocking), and that he was “helping” another boy with his pronoun use, and boy, it was a good thing I was there so she could talk to me about it in case it didn’t improve by the end of the year and then there would have to be additional intervention/pull-out/IEP action during kindergarten.

What?

This is probably the first true crossroads moment in my mothering career: I was/am at a complete loss. I could freak out and blame the school, blame the naysayers, blame myself…or I could see it for what it is—a deficit to be worked on—and get on with it. Parents encounter these crossroads repeatedly through the journey of Human Being Facilitation/Creation/Motivation/Inspiration/Frustration/Celebration known as Parenthood.

Parents who lose sleep over what their children SHOULD do during the summer should take a deep breath and remember that it is called “summer vacation” for a reason.

In my opinion, and in the opinion of my mom, camp should just be a place where kids can be kids…away from the angst and turmoil of constant judgment, positioning, angling and other unauthentic behaviors that typically leave us confused and, at worst, paralyzed.

So, if you DO want your kids to go to summer camp this year, then let them help choose the summer camp and the program.

THEY need the break, too.

-Ariella Rogge

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Snow Storm Fun

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

With the abundance of snow this weekend, we thought we would share some good activities to get the kids or the whole family outside to enjoy the fun and beauty of the wintry natural world. Enjoy!

(Excerpted from 101 Nature Activities—a Sanborn Western Camps guide of great activities to get kids playing in the outdoors.)

62. Snowflake Capture: You can make “snowflake impressions” by catching snowflakes on cold glass sprayed with cold hair spray, and then view the results under a magnifying glass.

63. Winter Scavenger Hunt:
•seven different colors
•something that is red
•something that is brown
•something that is very old
•a track? Who do you think made it
•a hole dug by an animal? Why do you think it dug the hole?
•a tunnel in the snow
•a snowflake
•an icicle
•brown leaves still hanging from a tree
•signs of insects (rolled leaves, galls, leaf mines)
•an abandoned birds nest
•a squirrels nest of leaves?
•a hole in a tree where an animal might shelter from bad weather?
•five different kinds of leaves? (Don’t forget evergreens)
•three tree buds waiting for spring
•holes in tree Who made them woodpeckers, insects, someone else?

64. Sugar Snow: A tradition that dates back over 200 years this is a fun way to create a winter treat. For detailed directions go to www.massmaple.org.

65. Winter Nature Sketchbook/Journal : Buy an inexpensive artist’s sketch pad or book and begin a winter nature diary. Each time you take a walk, observe something up close in nature. Draw the item, then write down descriptive details and date the entry. Continue observations and entries throughout theyear as seasons and locations change. This is especially fun if you visit the same area year after year you can compare your observations over time.

66. Icicle Hunt: Take a hike to look for icicles. How many can you find? Where are they located? Look at them up close. Why are some longer than others?

67. Winter Time Zoo: Take a hike through the snow to look for tracks. Then have children make snow sculptures of the animals whose tracks they saw.

68. Snow Tag: Just like any tag game snow tag can have lots of variations. (Especially this weekend…your backyard snow Superbowl might be the game of the season!)

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