Discussions

I want to spend some time talking about the older children I know and serve.  They are a very special group of children, of course they all are, but these kiddos attended camp.  I fretted before camp started with being able to keep the older children engaged and providing things they would enjoy.  I have known some of the children since they were three years old.  Some of the children were new to me and to each other, but as it worked out, they all loved each other and from reviews - they loved the camp. 
An activity I knew would be difficult for them, but I decided to go ahead with was an item called 'Action Art' - I took it from a workshop put on by Sibshops and adapted it for this particular group of children.  It was meant to be an 'ice breaker' and 'get to know you', done each morning as group music finished and we transitioned.  At first they hated it, struggled with it, and then something wonderful happened.....but I'm getting ahead of myself.

After each camp session was over for the day, the adults would get together and discuss how the campers did that day.  The adults came up with one word that described the campers as a whole.  It was written as bubble letters on a huge piece of butcher paper, torn up and given to the campers the next day.  Item number one: the campers then had to take those papers and decorate what they saw; be it coloring; fancy art work, or painting.  Item two:  they then had to try and piece the letters together.  Item three:  they could not work by themselves....they had to work as a group!! discussing!! Whew! That was hard!! 

They kept talking to me...I didn't want them to talk to me...then they turned to the other adults in the room.....I didn't want that either.....the idea of the activity is that they talk to each other, learn to work together and ask each other the questions they were asking of us adults.  My thoughts kept coming back to: did they not trust each other or the understanding they thought they had of each other?  Did they not trust each others language?  I even found myself repeating what each had said....could they not hear each other?                                       

 And then it happened.....It finally dawned on me; the adults had to remove themselves from the group entirely.  It was Thursday of the first week, the campers sat looking at each other for about 20 minutes not talking to each other and trying to engage the adults in conversation.  The adults were under strict orders not to interact.  The two older campers finally took charge....stood up and began to ask questions of the others and interact with each other.  They discussed and gave orders and in no time, of course after an hour and a half of getting nowhere, they got their word together and were extremely proud.

So was I - they had finally realized they could do it and do it with confidence.  Each morning they began asking me for the papers and each morning they got a little faster on working, discussing, and coming up with the word that described their group - what is even more amazing; they discussed the word and what it meant!  Then decided if it truly described them - all I can say is amazing!  I believe they came up with the correct conclusion....those words truly described them! 

 They were full of energy, and tried everyday.  They were helpful and absolutely, without a doubt - GREAT!