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by Robert LaFave, O.S.F, and Sandra Buck Loughran,
Ph.D.
Students can reap many benefits while serving as camp
counselors. Working at camp helps prepare them for college or their chosen
career, and they learn how to get along with people from diverse backgrounds.
However, there are other educational opportunities associated with the
role of camp counselor that can be offered during the summer camp period.
In the summer of 2000, Camp Alvernia, in Centerport,
New York, developed a course called "Leadership Skills in Community
Youth Recreation." The course was based in part on the camp’s annual
precamp orientation program, and camp counselors who participated could
earn college credit.
The course was accredited by the National Program for
Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction (referred to as National PONSI),
which recommended four college credits for any counselor completing the
course. National PONSI was initiated by the Board of Regents of the University
of the State of New York in 1973. In 1994, California State University
joined New York as a cooperative partner. PONSI provides the administration
of a system for non-collegiate organizations nationwide that evaluates
courses and educational programs and subsequently recommends to universities
and colleges that credit be granted when these courses and educational
programs compare to college-level programs.
The course presents one way to keep valuable staff by
providing an additional incentive for the counselors to continue with
the camp experience. Counselors, when empowered to feel like leaders,
identified with the rest of the staff, such as supervisors, program directors,
the assistant director, and the director. In other words, they became
more closely associated with the camp because of their better understanding
of the complexities of the job. It was not just an "easy" camp
counselor position but a job that required diligence and know-how. In
addition, counselors as leaders then influenced camper behavior, which
resulted in a happier, safer, and more effective camp.
The Course Curriculum and Objectives
This college-level course, "Leadership Skills in
Community Youth Recreation," enabled the camp directors to cover
more areas and spend appropriate time that is not always available in
camp orientation. It offered additional time and depth, which enhanced
the counselor’s readiness in dealing and working with campers. The course
used the text The Situational Leader by Paul Hersey, and lectures
and discussion groups allowed an in-depth approach to positive camping
skills.
The course developed multifaceted objectives for the
participants. For the counselors, the objectives were to be able to:
- create and organize age-appropriate activities
- practice active listening skills with campers,
co-workers, and supervising staff
- identify the specific needs and abilities of
children in groups
- adjust strategy for instruction and supervision
based on the needs of the members of the group
The learning experience of the course emphasized the
following areas:
- proper supervision of campers
- components of a well-run activity
- management strategies in dealing with children
- identifying child abuse and neglect
- disciplining with dignity
- the functions of play
- sports and young children
- risk management
Focus on developing leaders
The term "leadership" was used extensively in the course, promoting
the belief that all staff members are leaders and to be effective as leaders
they must learn and reflect on leadership styles and how to be an effective
leader in all situations. The classes, discussions, readings, and activities
focused on being a situational leader, or defining ways in which a leader
totally individualizes a program.
The emphasis was continually and primarily on the people
involved. The tasks were secondary but essential. In other words, a counselor
should never lose sight of the camper; the camper is the focus, not the
activity. Planning the activity was essential in bringing out the focus
where it belonged. It was essential to know when to give support and when
to give instruction. Adequate understanding of the needs of the camper
created the fertile environment necessary for a rich camp experience.
The ability to understand this was critical to becoming a good leader.
Learning to explore and observe individual differences
in people and to respond to those individual differences led to creating
young leaders. In The Situational Leader, Hersey emphasized that
leadership style is defined in the manner that is observed by others.
All too often there is the attempt to define one’s own style of leadership
and, thus, an individual cannot understand when others do not define it
as he do. It is not how an individual sees himself, but how those he is
trying to influence observe the individual. According to Hersey, others’
perceptions, not one’s own, will affect behavior.
Elements of the Course
In addition to reading the text and participating in
lectures and discussion groups, counselors were required to keep a daily
journal and plan activities.
Counselor journals
During the eight-week camp season, counselors were required to keep a
daily, self-directed learning log in which they would describe an incident
or event, analyze the incident or event, consider the alternatives, and
plan on how they would apply their skills and behaviors in similar situations
that may arise in the future. Their entries did not detail complaints
about an event but rather a careful look to determine how to make the
situation better. One student wrote, "In my eyes, leadership isn’t
always the movement, the control, or the wielding of power, but the ability
to use one’s own knowledge to promote an environment and an activity space
that is safe and appropriate." The students’ reflections on their
roles as leaders were empowering to them.
Planning activities
To emphasize leadership in a practical manner, the counselors were required
to conduct two activities of their choosing. In the pre-planning stage,
they were to meet with their supervisor and discuss their plans for the
activity and the appropriateness for the age level of the campers involved.
Also included in the pre-planning stage were the aim, goal, and purpose
of the activity and the motivation.
Determination was also made as to the procedures, implementation,
and closure of the planned activity. These areas of pre-planning became
basically the points of observation. The post-activity meeting allowed
a review of the pre-planning meeting and observation assessment, as well
as comments and suggestions for improvement. The counselor was afforded
a clear, precise, and directed manner to evaluate their style of leading
the activity and, in turn, another leader evaluated their style as well.
Counselors were given a structure within which to plan
their activities. They were not "winging it," which often times
happens. They were armed with two things: they knew what they were going
to do, and they had the confidence of knowing how to do it.
Lessons Learned
The experience of teaching the course allowed the camp
leadership the luxury to look at the total camp (campers, staff, and program)
in a new light and from a different point of view. They learned many lessons
through the process of creating and implementing the course on leadership:
- To refocus precamp orientation. Orientation seeks to create
an effective staff ready to implement an effective and successful camp.
Since there is a correlation between topics covered in orientation and
in the leadership course, it makes sense to run the orientation in a
manner similar to the course. In effect, to use the overriding theme
of leadership.
- Leadership style affects behavior and, thus, attitude. Again,
from the leader standpoint, behavior is what the leader says and
does and attitude is one’s feeling, value, and concern for or against
something. A behavior evokes a response in someone else. It is one
thing to bring awareness to others regarding dealing with children,
managing anger between children, encouraging sportsmanship, etc.
It is another to demonstrate and discuss how one’s behavior and
attitude as a leader will possibly be the most powerful tool to
develop the desired behavior and attitude in campers.
- Improve the course. Based on recommendations of the students
and PONSI and on camp leaders’ reflections of the presentation of the
course, the themes found in the readings will become a focal point of
the course. Building themes will create more interpersonal meetings
with the students during the camp season. Also assigning weekly themes
for counselors’ logs will help them focus and observe on particulars
rather than a general approach, which will result in more effectiveness
in performance and confidence in the counselors.
- Improve supervision. Supervision, following leadership management
styles, can be more effective as well as supportive and productive.
Individualizing the course allows camp leaders to model the characteristics
of leadership that they are trying to instill in counselors. By addressing
counselors’ individual needs at different periods in the program and
acting accordingly, camp leaders can more adequately demonstrate the
approach they want counselors to take with campers.
- Improve the camp program. Improvements in the camp program
are based in part on evaluations from campers and parents and suggestions
from staff. The role of leadership will have an immense improvement
for the camp, as it encourages staff to take campers from where they
are and their experience level rather than the program being the leading
component.
Retaining Counselors
Camp Alvernia’s training program for counselors has improved
and been strengthened, and camp leaders will continue to look for other
opportunities to do so. They hope the leadership course will help increase
their counselor retention rate, which is currently 50 percent. By investing
time and money more effectively, most specifically by affording the counselors
leadership skills that will give them confidence on the job at camp and
a chance to practice invaluable skills that will last them a lifetime
— not to mention college credit — they hope their retention rate will
increase dramatically.
Originally published in the 2001 March/April
issue of Camping Magazine. |
