Focus Initiative

Summer camps are in full swing!  We’ve had our first week and things are going great.  We have an intelligent, inquisitive group of campers. Some of our lessons this week from the different classes have included “Big Problems vs. Little Problems and How to Tell the Difference,” “Working With Others When We Just Want to be Alone,” and “Understanding Our Parents.”

Some memorable quotes from the week are:

StudentA: “I’m going to slap you across the ant hill.”

StudentB: “I’m allergic to ants.”

Teachers Response: “When someone says they are going to slap you across the ant hill that is an inappropriate threat not a conversation topic.  A good way to respond to a threat is… (lesson continues)”

(Practicing introducing friends)

StudentA: “Mr. Richard, this is Jeff Gordon.  He’s from Mississippi.” (Student starts laughing) “I called Matthew, Jeff Gordon.”

Teacher: You may know a person that only wants to be friends with someone who wears Abercrombie.

Student: “Oh no!  I only wear Abercrombie.  Is that a bad thing?”

Teacher: “It was just an example. I wasn’t labeling Abercrombie as inherently good or bad... (continues with lesson on Friends Expectations)”

We have thrown Frisbees, waterballoons and playground balls.  We have flown kites, jumped on trampolines, had pillow fights and read books about dragons.  We have drawn pictures of pokemon, made fancy papier-mâché vases and most importantly (through all of these activities) learned about the complicated world of social interaction.  Our goal is that each camper leave each day thinking about the meaning of the interactions they experienced during the day at camp.  Thanks for a great first week campers and parents!