survived camp, and thrived!

[Zoe Girl]

okay one more day but today went very well. of course something was messed up a little but it worked out okay. My camp supervisor came by and was totally helpful, another site was really a super mess. I can't even imagine and since i am on the committee for a lot of this i feel horrible for the staff there. the camp supervisor told me i can bring this feedback to the committee, i told her i am ready to quit this committee. And i confirmed what i thought, the camp director of over 10 years was just put in a different position (as my new boss) and told to stay out of the new model.

i really like the people working for me, and i also got an 'opportunity' to use my best people skills with one of them. She is great at what she does, and kinda crappy at communication. Hey it is one out of a dozen.

tomorrow is the last camp day i have to work until summer!!!

[iris lilies]

Why do they call this "camp?" It doesn't have anything to do with outdoor activities, right?

[Zoe Girl]

oh no, it is the days kids don't have school and it is all day instead of after school only. Camp is easier than 'dismissal day child care'.

[Packy]

Educatorese is something I learned about, watching PBS and in school many. many years ago. See, Educators always liked to make their indoor, white-collar jobs sound every bit as demanding as Unionized blue-collar jobs, that paid more than teaching school 9 months a year and retiring with a pension. Teachers bitterly resented that "some guy standing there all day, screwing on armrests for GM is making almost TWICE as much as ME, and I've got a MASTERS DEGREE in ENGLISH LITERATURE!" . Comparing apples to Oranges, but we kids didn't know it. Anyway, teachers had "Workshops", where they "Rolled up their sleeves" and "sweated out the details". See? There's more, but you understand. Well, don't you? That's why they have "camps". Hope that helps you some.

[libby]

Educatorese is something I learned about, watching PBS and in school many. many years ago. See, Educators always liked to make their indoor, white-collar jobs sound every bit as demanding as Unionized blue-collar jobs, that paid more than teaching school 9 months a year and retiring with a pension. Teachers bitterly resented that "some guy standing there all day, screwing on armrests for GM is making almost TWICE as much as ME, and I've got a MASTERS DEGREE in ENGLISH LITERATURE!" . Comparing apples to Oranges, but we kids didn't know it. Anyway, teachers had "Workshops", where they "Rolled up their sleeves" and "sweated out the details". See? There's more, but you understand. Well, don't you? That's why they have "camps". Hope that helps you some.
Nope I really don't understand what you are trying to say at all...

[mschrisgo2]

"Camp" is a parents' code word for "all day, day care- on (parent) work days when school is not in session." Sometimes these are teacher training or conference days, or winter break, or spring break, or summer vacation! Theoretically, the planned activities are similar to what a child might experience at an outdoor day camp... theoretically, anyway.

This one can't be blamed on teachers, lol! It came mostly from the parents, trying to make the kids feel like they were getting something special, and was readily accepted by the after-school programs, because yes, it is easier to say. A real time example of how the accepted meaning of words changes quickly. I know, crazy, huh?

[Zoe Girl]

yeah camp is not run by teachers at all, so anything about teachers is not relevant. actually the OST (out of school time) world is not considered education by most anyone no matter what we do. But it is very fun, we made 3D snowflakes did a million games in the gym, ate snacks, recreated blubber with gloves, crisco and ice water. when we can we go on field trips, anytime the weather is okay we get outside. I am okay calling it camp.

now i am waiting to see what is wrong with camp, are we not nature oriented enough? not educational enough? maybe having teachers do a planning day is wrong or it is wrong for parents to expect schools to take care of their kids. the possibilities are endless so give me a hint Packey

(PS my camps actually are something special, just saying)

[JaneV2.0]

Educatorese is something I learned about, watching PBS and in school many. many years ago. ...

I find educator-speak completely incomprehensible. I worked with a woman with some kind of teaching position who asked me to edit a letter, and it might as well have been written in Urdu, it was so convoluted and full of jargon. It was my only real editing failure there.

Sorry for the sidetrack.

[Packy]

Camps=Supervision for kids, during what would ordinarily be school hours, when school is not in session. Got it. I can see how it would be a challenge, when the kids are revved up, playing. There is a 250-acre park, just 3 miles from my place in a rural setting. I was walking the dogs there during the morning, and one fine spring day, I found a large sign stating that the park was closed from oh, 8 A.M. until oh, 3 pm all summer! Well, I got there at 7 AM, set out on the gravel trail which was wide enough to accommodate official vehicles. No sooner than I got 1/2 mile down the gravel road/trail, than this gal comes zooming down there in an SUV, prolly 35mph, in a cloud of dust, jumps out carrying a walky-talky, confronts littlebittymee and the Huskees in a very officious manner, and says I need to clear out, asap--it is Day Camp, the park is closed! Well, I can see where the "Day Camp" is held--it is kind of a picnic area with benches, restrooms, etc.; A relatively small part of the park that I wouldn't be going anywhere near. But, the whole 250-acre park is OFF LIMITS to humans like Me. The Kids Must Be Protected. So, in my usual reactionary self, I addressed the Lady with the Walky-Talky. I said that if anyone was a danger to young children, it's people in SUVs ZOOMING down a park trail like it was a 4-lane highway. And, I said that the sign clearly states that it is closed from8 AM to-3 PM, and it was only just after 7, and I was going for a 45-minute walk. If she'd been a cop, I'm sure she've shot me for my impudence. She talked on her Walky Talky awhile, and then said--Okay, but if you're not out of here by 8,I'm calling the Sheriff's Department!! It still was very annoying. It seems like you can't go out without falling into a trap, anymore. See, we must protect The Kids. We don't want anything bad happening to them at that age. No, let's just wait until they are 16, let them get a license and buy them a car and an I-phone. Then, they can get killed-maybe take several others with them. How does that sound? But, I now know what "Camps" are. They are "Day Camps".

[mschrisgo2]

Personally, I think it's wonderful that there are now "camps" at schools for the kids on non-school days. It used to bother me terribly that "school-aged day care" would be stuffed in the basement of some building some where, while the schools sat empty! After all, we all paid for these buildings, they should be used- for the kids!

Zoe Girl, your activities sound great- I'm sure my grandsons would have loved them! - and much preferable to watching the same movie over and over and eating chips all afternoon, which was what they were treated to.

[Zoe Girl]

i recall daycares that had kids in playpens eating junk food and it was perfectly acceptable. the standards have definitely been raised and it is a good thing. we usually get a lunchroom and a gym to work with, sometimes a classroom, but the activities are varied and we do our best to meet all age and ability levels. there are so many kids in school and our programs that used to be totally left out because of some level of special needs. i had to diaper today, but the child was able to do most everything else with the kids, just needs diaper help.

we made aurora borealis in a bottle, that was cool, a kid gave me his for my desk

[sweetana3]

Met a woman once that had probably one of the best day care businesses. One of the many things her kids did was learn to type doing games with the keys all blacked out. When they left her, they were touch typists and thought it was fun. It is hard work coming up with stuff to do.

[Zoe Girl]

very cool idea, as educators we totally steal from each other all the time. then we still have to adapt to our kids, the ages, materials available, etc. pinterest has been the greatest! there are so many good ideas and even things that get beyond the simple crafts