Hi everyone,
We are finalizing plans for the summer and I want to get your feedback.
As camp grows bigger, we are looking at different scenarios for how to make camp have the same fun, laid back atmosphere while being manageable. We will have 60 kids this summer, which is really exciting but it means that we have to be much more thorough and organized than in the past to make the best use of space and have a safe atmosphere for the kids. Also, we have had requests from a number of parents for more age specific programs.
So, there have been a few suggestions of how to organize and manage it. Here are two different options. Please give your suggestions/opinions on them, or if you have another suggestion, we welcome that too. We want to make this decision as soon as possible. Thanks in advance for checking this out.
SCENARIO 1: 3 PLAY GROUPS/5 AGE GROUPS
5 age groups, 13 kids per group, 2 counselors per group
Age Groups:
5-6 year olds A
5-6 year olds B
7-8 year olds
9-10 year olds
11-13 year olds
3 play groups chosen beforehand, 20 kids each play group
1 director for each group, 3 assistant staff
Split into play groups initially
Staff:
Camp Director
Camp Administrator
Counselors
And we will have specialists to run age group activities and electives, and they will be split up among the play groups:
Theater, Music, Video, Set/costume design, Dance
Suggested Day structure:
9:00-9:30 Full Group Assembly
9:30-10:15 Activity 1 (Mixed age play groups)
10:15-10:35 Transition/snack/stretch
10:35-11:20 Activity 2 (Mixed age play groups)
11:20-12:00 Lunch
12:00-12:45 Activity 3 (Age Group)
12:45-1:00 Transition
1:00-1:45 Activity 4 (Age Group)
1:45-2:00 Prepare to go outside
2:00-3:45 Free time in Central Park and Electives (Go to park in age groups, electives based on play)
3:00 Early pick up in park
3:45-4:00 Snack
4:00-4:30 Return from park/change
4:30-5:00 Full Group Assembly
SCENARIO 2: THREE CAMPS WITHIN A CAMP--MIXED AGE ALL DAY
3 groups, 20 kids each
Mixed staff for each group
One camp director
One director and assistant director for each group
4-5 staff total with each camp group
Specialists would come in periodically
Suggested schedule:
9:00-9:30 Full camp assembly (or small camp meetings)
9:30-11:20-Full groups morning activities
11:20-12:00 Lunch
12:45-1:45 Full groups afternoon
1:45-4:30 Outside/Electives
3:00 Snack/Early pickup
4:30-5:00 End of day sharing for the other camp groups
SCENARIO 3: AGE GROUP/PLAY GROUP
Same as first scenario, only the activities are reversed--age groups in morning, play groups in afternoon
These are the things that are consistent in each scenario, though can be adjusted if necessary:
3 play groups
Opening assembly
Lunch (either full group or split up)
Park time/Electives
Snack
Closing Session
Questions that still remain:
With 3 plays, when would the performances be held? Would they each watch each other? Do we have a time limit?
How would we balance stage time?
When can we hold staff meetings?
Keep field trips on Fridays?
Which Electives? When? Who teaches?
12 staff—Staff breakdown? Who leads the plays?
Do we need a central office?
Please post comments.
Thanks,
Adam, Brian, Stephen and Matt
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Okay...so I'm for senario number 1. And this may be a roundabout way of explaining why, but here it goes...I apologize now for the length.
I personally don't like the idea of splitting into three camp groups--I think we'd end up losing a lot of the community feel that we had at camp last summer. I don't think just trips and playing in the park would be enough time for all the kids to bond outside of their groups. Things that would come along with that...would we be putting close friends together? Splitting them up? Moving kids between groups if they were unmanageable together?
I think we should switch between camp and age groups, making sure the kids build friendships in different areas--also, I think it would cut down on conflicts within groups, as they wouldn't last all day everyday. They would get breaks from each other.
Another thing--I feel like the younger kids have a tendancy to get lost in the mixed age groups. Not true of all of them, I know, but I know that last summer there were times when the older kids were dying to get away and the younger kids just needed time to relax and play more. The younger kids all felt like camp was too serious, the older ones got bored, age groups are good sometimes.
Having the play groups in the morning, then age groups in the afternoon would then balance out by everyone going to the park together at the end of the day...mixed age/same age/mixed age...balance! Yay!
In terms of the questions...
I'm all for friday field trips. Fridays are fun.
In terms of stage time...we could give the stage to a play group for the morning activites, making sure each group gets the stage twice a week in the mornings...and then there'd be an extra day...which would be unfair...could rotate somehow...not sure. I'd vote for Monday being the odd day.
Performances...if we could do two in a day, let the other kids watch, and each play performs twice. say...
day 1: groups 1 and 2
day 2: 2 and 3
day 3: 1 and 3
or one a day, then one marathon play-day with all three. We may as well let them watch, otherwise we have 40 kids backstage to keep quiet...or 40 kids out with staff who never get to see the other play. I'm throwing out the community thing again here.
theres no good time for staff meetings. We need a time without kids...and that would mean before or after camp...I'd vote after...but that gets complicated.
Questions I have: who would be doing which electives?
in terms of costumes and sets...will there be people in each play-group for this, or will Suzu and I be running about between plays?
Also, last summer there were a lot of times that as staff we went off on our own to work on sets/costumes/music/etc...how would we work that in when we're in smaller groups? Would we eliminate it?
I think I've ranted and rambled enough for the moment...
-Sara
Hi there,
I agree with Sara, and I don't think I can really add that much (so maybe I only deserve half a million imaginary $$)
Scenario 1 sounds the best as the kids will have the chance to work with kids from different schools and ages and I like that about camp, the slate is wiped clean and older kids help the younger ones and the younger ones learn from the older kids and there is something so special about that. I also agree with Sara that it is important for the different age groups to be able to have some ativities more suited to thier abilities so thier talents and skills or even weaknesses are not overlooked and each individual can get the attention they need.
The idea of community was so strong last year and I think that really is at the core of camp. It is not grown ups and kids, older kids and youngkids, it is people making a play and communicating in the same language (a crazy rock and roll language!) and we musn't loose that. scenario 1 will allow for that craziness to be within safe boundaries that will lead to wonderful wonderful bizzare plays!!
please no more of the 3 hour plays!! i beg of you!!! I think all groups should be able to watch each othes plays. Maybe one performance a day, in a final week finale extrordinaire!!
Where is camp going to be? is it the same space as last year, if it is, stage time should coincide with quiet activtes going on around in the space (yeah right!)
Again I agree with Sara and the meetings should be before or after as during the day proved impssible.
yey to friday field trips!
So there are 3 different plays right? is there some sort of connecting theme? starting idea? I liked how at 191 they had the same opening idea and the 2 plays grew from there - meaning some of the songs overlapped and if we did this at camp there could be songs that all groups couldsing together, uniting the groups as whole.
ok, i meant this to be brief and say yup i agree with sara :-)he he
yey summer, yey hide and seek, yey carrots!
ooh, I like the theme idea...otherwise we'll have hilarious attempted conversations of "well on the pudding sea the worm is eating a ship,"
"oh, well in our play the space monkeys..."
"but what about stinky the ghost and the father of destiny?"
and yes. Somewhat incoherent plays should not run more than...an hour or so? maybe even less?
All very well said. Personally, since I'm the one giving out the fake million dollars, I'll give both Sara and Suzu one BILLION dollars. Those are all really great points. We will be at Fordham and maybe PS 191. We're still working on some issues, like theater space and lunch, but in general, it will be a much more straight forward structure than in past years.
Keep the comments coming. This is really helpful and fun.
Post a Comment