Today as I drove back to the city from Camp Diamond, I listened to Michael Eisner's book "Camp", a story about his childhood experiences at Camp Keewaydin for boys in Vermont. Though I am not a huge fan of listening to stories about my line of work, I found this book to be extremely uplifting and moving. One of the first comments he makes is about a time when he was speaking at a local university and a student asked him the question "Which educational institution was the most important to you and your life?" His answer - Summer Camp. This statement, I feel outlines to us all that there is a very important education component to summer camp - especially overnight camp.
Kids, adults and especially politicians need to understand and accept that summer camp must be a part of a child's education experience. Over the past decade, studies have shown that more and more politicians feel that the school year should be extended to meet the demands of the global community. Japanese children are in school for 243 days out of a year, and the world's average school hours is 200. Children in the USA and Canada only attend school for approximately 150 days based on holidays, PA days and summer holidays. However, these hours are extended for kids who attend summer camp. Imagine what your child could learn in only 7 days at an overnight camp.
Let's think about the experience in terms of a typical school day. A child will wake up at 7 am, gets ready for school, some will have breakfast while others will not. Some will jump into their parents car, others onto the school bus. Some will arrive on time, others will be late. Two to three periods will the national anthem and then lunch. Again some kids will eat a nutritious meal, while others will not because there was not enough time to pack it, or because there is a lack of funds to purchase it. Two to three more periods will occur before the kids head home. Some met by interested family members, some not. In a typical day kids will learn mathematics, science, language and reading. Some schools have music time, others do not. Does this sound familiar to anyone? As a former teacher at a private school, I witnessed this large gap in learning, social hour and home time, and wished that these kids had more opportunities to attend camps and even out the scale.
Camp of any type adds meaning and education to kids lives, but for this instance I speak only about overnight camp. At overnight camp, it doesn't matter who picks you up, where you live, what you eat and whether you have access to Rogers On Demand or not. What matters is the type of person you are and whether you try or not.
Let's think about a typical day at camp: Wake up is about 7 am, just like in a school day. The difference being everyone wakes up together (or at least tries to) and everyone eats breakfast in the dining hall. Two to three periods of activities that interest you are there to keep you company. You don't have to sit nailed to a chair & desk with a teacher telling you to stay seated for 2 hours. You are up, moving about and learning at your own speed. Learning at camp? What a concept! After morning periods, kids come together and eat the same thing together in a family type atmosphere in a dining hall. Afternoon periods follow after a rest hour (which I believe everyone needs regardless of age). Learning continues, followed by free time, dinner and evening program. Then everyone heads off to their rustic cabin for a pleasant filled sleep. Bottom line - even playing field.
So let's get back to the learning at camp. If we think about learning in terms of academic classes, it might help to see that overnight camp is actually an educational institution rather than a tourist attraction. A few examples of such academics are as follows:
Science– Hikes – Identify various species (trees, frogs, birds, plants, insects and more); Water studies: pH & turbidity recording, scientific method, rain cycle; Chemistry: learning to make stalagmites, salt crystals, making rain; Astronomy – learning locations & names of stars & constellations; Sustainability: Ecology of surrounding environment, recycling, composting, using materials over again for arts & crafts or campouts; Conservation: recycling, Leave No Trace camping
Geography: Orienteering- parts of a compass, directions, map reading; history of environment and topography of area; learning how to get to one place to another in the shortest amount of time
Language Arts: Learning to write a letter; Penmanship; Addressing an envelope; Script & story writing; Journaling; Reading a book either as a cabin or individual; book club discussions; Campfire wishes; Performing & writing skits for campfire
Mathematics: Science classes ie: pH, turbidity; Tuck Fund Account – How much do I have left?; Evening Programs – Let’s make a deal, Jeopardy; Keeping score at a soccer game; cabin clean up scores; Campfire songs and music night
Music – campfire vocals, talent nights, cabin songs
Physical Education – walking, running, cabin clean up, swimming lessons, hiking, biking, canoeing, aerobics, cheerleading, sports, archery
Healthy Eating – Menus based on the Canada Food Guide, Limited junk food, selection of fruit, 3 meals per day, encouragement to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep hydrated
Psychology – problem solving, group dynamics, success, failure, personal challenges, communication, learning to stand for what you believe in,
Home Economics – making a bed, taking garbage out, cooking, sweeping/dust pan, cleaning bathroom, folding clothes, sorting dry and wet clothes on the clothesline, brushing hair, spot cleaning clothes, writing letters, addressing envelopes, personal hygiene (responsible for showering, brushing teeth on own – no one to remind you (until it’s too late of course), washing face), placing clothes in laundry bags
Art – arts & crafts – painting, bracelets, sculpture, clay, chalk
Drama – drama classes, group work, fairy tales, acting, evening program (dress up counsellor, give them name and history, campfire skits)
History – Campfire stories, Name that Tune (music history), Jeopardy quizzes – evening program, area history
As you can see there is so much more to summer camp then just fun. Of course, learning should be enjoyable and the best learning happens when kids do not realize they are. What more could a child ask for then to expand their knowledge to include independence and self-awareness. Encourage politicians to include camp in the academic curriculum and promote such programs, rather than sell it as a "tourist attraction."
