It's D-Day. It's breakfast and there is a distinct air of anticipation at each and meal table. There is usually plenty of chat between staff during training - but it is somewhat hush this morning. I haven't really been nervous at all at camp, but this morning, all change...
After making final preparations to the bunk, we all headed to the dining hall around 10:30. There was again a mix of chatter - a little nervous but mostly excited. Then the buses finally pulled up, meaning that camp can now properly begin.
The first day is always a challenge - even for a returner. Remember when I said I was prepared for the kids to arrive? Ha ha ha ha ha... My kids were so full of energy - and I completely forgot just how much energy these kids need. Arrival day has a real lack of structure too. It's mainly just admin, so stopping the kids getting bored is a near impossibility. Combine that with the fact kids have just left school and are super excited to be on camp... Not easy. Nothing really went wrong on day 1, but I feel I could have done so much better. Come evening, there was a part of me who was thinking why oh why I wanted to come back...
Day 2 was completely different story though. Our bunk of kids (I am with the second youngest, the Merry Men) had drastically calmed down, are proving to be a really great group of kids. Walking down to breakfast, and they were completely different people. Instead of being rude, not listening and running off; they were now calm (albeit a little unenthusiastic) and super friendly - an ideal combination. In the evening, we also had the "camp fire" (well, sort of, given it was raining). The campfire is essentially an introduction to camp for the kids - with the highlight being a series of 'skits', where the counsellors perform songs to entertain the kids. I was part of 2 - 1 for the Lower Boys unit (Sherwood) and the waterfront one. Both were really fun to do. Both were adaptations of Disney songs - with the waterfront one being "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast and the Sherwood one "Hakuna Matata" from the Lion King. One of the lifeguards in our unit is super talented and wrote both. After performing, seeing the kids faces changed a lot. After seeing 100 smiling faces after both performances, I thought to myself, THAT is why I am back at camp. What a difference a day makes.
Or indeed, what a difference a years experience makes. Excluding day 1, I really feel I have hit the ground running. Myself and my co-counsellors for our tent feel like we have nailed it so far. Admittedly, things can change in an instant, but all is good so far. Our tent seems to be having a great time, with no notable arguments or disruptive behaviour. For other counsellors, it really has been a steep learning curve. I was the same in my first year, but it takes time to get used to working with children - especially with the challenging behaviours and backgrounds of our children. But, I have confidence in my colleagues, and believe we all pull through.
Seems as this is my first post since the kids arrived this season, I probably should give you a run through of my daily schedule. Breakfast is at 8am. After that I will have 2 lessons before lunch, then a further 2 and a staff swim after lunch. Dinner is at 5:30pm, then the rest of the evening is spent with the bunk. Whilst I am assigned to a bunk, the majority of my time is spent with the waterfront. For my 4 lessons a day, I will teach each age group - the lower boys, lower girls, upper boys and upper girls. Each group will also have varying ability, from non-swimmers up to, semi-proficient swimmers, although most are weak (but confident) swimmers. Each lesson is 20 minutes, with the remaining time dedicated to 'free swim', where there are no taught lessons and I am purely lifeguarding.
Life of the waterfront is going very well too. Again, what a difference experience makes. After comparing my very first lesson to 'like a supply teacher', my first one this year was so much better. I am able to reflect on my experience, positive and negative, and I feel my teaching is strong. Let's hope it stays that way. There is one group in particular that I am particularly pleased with. I teach the 2 highest ability swimmers in the lower boys unit. They can both swim in the deep end, albeit there ability isn't great. But, there amount of effort they put into improving their stroke is actually pretty incredible. One of the boys was one of the ones I had a real challenge with 2 years ago (he referred to me as the worst counsellor he had ever had... And a few things a little less PG) but we are able to work together a lot better now. His behaviour has also improved greatly, which is great to see. The other in the lesson I had in my bunk 2 years ago, and is also a really great kid.
For me, whilst early days so far, camp has been going great. I've hit the ground running and seem to have upped my game. I still have two and a half sessions to go, but let's hope it stays that way.
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| The Team |
Labels: #Camp, #camplife, #session1
