Camp Week Margaret

While Year 7 and 8s were on their leadership camp Judy-Anne and I decided to have a camp themed week ourselves at school.  Although there were many activities organised there was a lot of free choice and free time.  At the start of the week we noticed many of the students struggled to find things to do or choose an activity as they were so used to be being told what to do.  Eventually after an hour or so we noticed children settling into a task or game that they had created and become immersed in something that really interested them.  Even the older students when given boxes, tents, sleeping bags, sports equipment etc and a few prompts were thoroughly engaged in building huts, playing camp and organising games.  We found this was a really great way to get to know the students better, know their interests and found many things to follow up with in the classroom based on individual interests which promotes motivation.

 We were lucky we had so many parents volunteer to take activities such as cooking, sewing, bees wax creations, campfires and damper.  The students really got into the spirit of camp week and we found there was less behaviour problems when the students were allowed that freedom to choose which I guess relates to play based learning.