Behavior Expectations For Campers, CITs, and Staff

Behavior for Campers & CITs

We’ve all got plenty of goals we try to achieve every day in camp. It could be finishing a Growth Ring, defeating the Lich, or nervously touching a crawfish for the first time. We’re also working on big goals – working together in a group, learning how to deal with the disappointment of losing in a game, and how to communicate kindly, honestly, and effectively.

We believe kids are capable of amazing things and we work hard to nurture good humans. Part of our philosophy is giving everyone responsibility and accountability for the choices from our youngest campers to our most senior staff.

What We Expect

We expect all participants to act in a way that keeps themselves physically and emotionally safe and keeps the other people in camp physically and emotionally safe.

Our Maximum Support Level

We take great pride in the support we’re able to offer campers through conversations, individual support, and borrowing techniques that are successful in school or at home. We are unable to provide prolonged one-on-one support to your camper. If we find the amount of support your camper needs from us is negatively impacting the group, we’ll reach out with you to make a plan which may include removal from camp.

Three Factors we Consider:

What is the unsafe behavior? Unsafe behavior includes anything that puts our community in an unsafe place – things like not being able to stay with the group, not following staff directions, screaming at participants or staff, or any other physical, verbal, or emotional violence.
What is the intention? Sometimes we misunderstand or make a big mistake. We understand that and take intention of actions into consideration. We know there’s a difference between tripping into someone and knocking them over and intentionally pushing someone down.
Can there be immediate improvement? For unsafe behavior, we aren’t able to support incremental improvement over days or weeks. We need unsafe behavior to change immediately for the safety of the group.

Behavior for Staff

We have high expectations for our staff. We train hard and hire the best and then unleash these empathetic, kind, smart counselors out into camp! We expect our staff to be kind and curious and professional in all interactions, including those involving challenging behaviors. We expect our staff to protect the physical and emotional safety of all campers – yours and the next parent’s – and their coworkers. We expect our staff to know their limits and ask for help. Most of all, we expect our staff to act as role models and those most directly responsible for nurturing good humans.

Addressing Behavior

Behavior falls into two categories for us. The first is behavior that is disrupting the group and could lead to impacting the physical and emotional safety of the camper and the group. The second is behavior that clearly puts the physical or emotional safety of the camper, the group, or staff at risk.

Disruptive and Potential Safety Issues

Our staff work incredibly hard to connect with and guide campers. We use a mixture of communication styles, redirection, flow of the day, and many more strategies to give a little nudge to campers who might be drifting. If a camper is having some challenging behavior, we take time to listen, have a conversation to clarify the expectations, and make a plan moving forward.

If this behavior continues, and continues to impact the camper and the group’s experience, another conversation will be had to talk through what’s going on, clarify expectation, clarify consequences, and reevaluate the plan moving forward. Depending on the behavior, the camper’s grown up will be looped in either with a mid-day phone call or at pick up – this will include keeping you in the loop about what happened, what the plan is to move forward, and what the consequences might be if it continues.

Clear Safety Issues

There are rare times when a participant’s behavior creates an immediate safety issue. If this is the case, the participant’s grown up will be called and they will need to be picked up immediately. We will have a conversation with the participant and their grown up about what happened and to determine if the participant can return to camp and if so, when. This may be later in the week, later in the season, a following season, or a following year.

If a camper is removed from camp for a behavioral or safety issue, no refunds are given.

Philosophy

Schoolhouse doesn’t employ a traditional approach to engaging campers or managing behavior. Our fundamental commitment to child development and mutual respect means there’s no place for time outs, public shaming, humiliation, and other forms of punishment.

Instead, we first connect on an emotional level through a combination of listening, relating, and teaching that we call a “reroute.” Our staff stays positive, proactive, and curious about what each child is trying to communicate with their behavior. What’s the root cause? Are they feeling hungry, angry, lonely, tired, or bored? Is there conflict between campers?

Behavior is, after all, a form of communication, and behavioral challenges are just that: challenges that allow for learning and growth. When children (and adults) feel heard and respected, it is much easier to redirect and refocus them toward acceptable behaviors.

Have questions? Need support? Want to talk it out?

We LOVE having conversations! Wondering if Schoolhouse will work for your camper’s specific needs? Does your camper have special needs? Does your camper need some extra support to be successful in camp? Email us at schoolhouse@schoolhouseofwonder.org and we’ll set up a time for you to chat with our staff.

Camper Requirements Is your camper ready?

Camper Requirements

Logistically, we have a few clear requirements campers need to meet to be in our camps.

Your camper must be comfortable and successful using the bathroom independently. We know accidents happen, but we don’t have the facilities or staff to accommodate campers who don’t meet this benchmark.
Your camper must be able to stay with the group.
Although we often provide individual attention and support, we aren’t able to provide 1:1 support for continued stretches. Every camp group has more than one camper.
Your camper must be able to follow instructions from staff, including safety directions.
Your camper must reasonably be able to take care of themselves including eating and staying hydrated (with reminders and support!)
Your camper must be able to carry their own backpack including all of their supplies for the whole day (depending on age, they likely will be walking several miles)

If you’re not sure your camper meets those benchmarks, please email us or give us a call.