I'm Teaching Summer Camp This Summer

This year will be my first year as a summer camp teacher. We have 8 weeks of the camp, and each week there is a new theme, with some of them repeating throughout the summer. The first week is Minecraft, then we have Lego, artistic adventures, S.T.E.A.M, and one week of food science.

The summer camp position is definitely different from my regular private school teaching in a few major ways. As a private school teacher, I don't need to plan the lessons as each student is on their own individual program within our curriculum, my classes are typically a max of 3 students at a time, and the classes are between 1 - 3 hours usually.

As the summer camp teacher however, I'm in charge of pretty much everything except registration. Lesson planning for 6 hours of instruction every day for the 8 weeks we're running the camp? That's on me! Resource collection? That's on me! Creating the daily schedule, setting the time limits for how long we do book work, creating the camp rules, etc. That's all on me!

Cutting out cardboard Minecraft pickaxes

I haven't had this type of responsibility in my teaching career yet. I've created and supplemented lesson plans before, I've created resources, I've taught big group of students multiple times, but I've never had where it's all on me.

I'll be so honest though, and say I'm not really daunted by the whole process, I'm more just excited for all the freedoms and opportunities that come with this position.

Right now, I mainly teach English with some math mixed in, but through this camp I'll get to teach science and art too. I'm excited to expand my repertoire by stepping out of our norm of book work and, instead, conducting experiments as well as creating crafts with students.

Finally finding the perler beads!

During the past few weeks, when I finish teaching on the weekends, I've been staying behind at the centre to create models of the activities we're gonna be doing such as clay animals, Lego keychains, paper dolls, and so much more.

I've decided we'll be watching a bunch of Bill Nye during the STEAM weeks and so reviewing Bill Nye videos has been really nostalgic, informative, and fun for me.

Since I do some of the social media for the centre too, creating social media content to market the camp has also been really fun.

The most challenging part of the process so far, I would say, was planning the Minecraft week. I don't know much about the game, and I don't want us using computers, but I can now confidently say, the activities I have planned, I think, the students will really enjoy.

Overall, the whole process thus far, has been so fun for me. I'm gonna learn and grow so much as teacher from this and I already can't wait! Anything that has to do with progression in my career is always awesome for me, even constructive feedback.

I gotta mention though, my co-teacher is amazing! She will be there with me throughout the entire summer as I need her. She is a fantastic teacher, with a different teaching style that, I find, compliments mine. I tend to be more serious and structured, while she is more fun and lighthearted. She just knows how to be this fun, loving teacher that the students can't help, but smile and laugh with.

Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but I find where I struggle, she is fantastic, which makes us a great team. I have so many less concerns about my first year as a summer camp teacher thanks to her. Love you Em!

I can't wait to update you all on the progress of the camp and how it impacts me as a teacher. I have a feeling it's gonna be a good summer.