Last year, while the seniors were in Christchurch at their leadership camp, Margaret and I decided to have a camp week for those remaining at school.
There were a lot of requests for another one so we had one earlier in the year and decided to run another one while the Year 7 and 8's were on their tramp.
It always sounds like a great idea when we are planning it but the reality is always a lot of hard work and very tired teachers! Four hours fishing should be relaxing but add in 34 children...
So why do it then?
During camp week we are not in the classrooms undertaking reading, writing and maths but there is heaps of learning going on relating to key competencies, learning dispositions
and relationship based learning.
The key competencies underpin everything that happens in teaching and learning. (TKI)
The New Zealand Curriculum identifies five key competencies:
- Thinking
- Relating to others
- Using language, symbols, and texts
- Managing self
- Participating and contributing
The term 'learning dispositions', sometimes called 'habits of mind' or 'dispositions to learning', refer to the way in which learners engage in and relate to the learning process. Learning dispositions affect how students approach learning and therefore the outcomes of their learning.Jun 21, 2017
Te Whariki Strand Learning dispositions as actions
Mana whenua - Belonging Taking an interest
Mana atua - Well being Being involved
Mana aoturoa - Exploration Persisting with uncertainty and challenge
Mana reo- Communication Expressing ideas and feelings
Mana tangata - Contribution Taking responsibility
Relationship Based Learning
Create a family like context for learning by:
Rejecting deficit explanations for learners' learning
Caring for and nurturing the learner, including their language and culture
Voicing and demonstrating high expectations
Ensuring that all learners can learn in a well-managed environment so as to promote learning
Knowing what learners need to learn
Interact within this family -like context in ways we know promote learning by:
Drawing on learners' prior learning
Using fornmative assessment feedback
Using formative assessment feed-forward
Using co-construction processes
Using power sharing strategies
Monitor learners' progress and the impact of the processes of learning by assessing how well learners are able to:
Set goals for their learning (GOALS)
Articulate how they prefer to learn (PEDAGOGY)
Explain how they prefer to organise/be organised in theri learning/learning relationships and interactions (INSTITUTIONS)
Participate in leadership roles and functions (LEADERSHIP)
Include others in the learning context and interactions (SPREAD)
Provide evidence of how well they are progressing and what progress they are making (EVIDENCE)
Take ownership of their own learning (OWNERSHIP)
Tuesday - visit to Vette's then lunch and the afternoon at school
Wednesday - fishing at the wharf, walk round the estuary
Thursday - day at school, staying for tea, campfire cooking damper
Friday - day at school, Christmas card making, water fight
What we saw was a huge amount of patience and perseverance, children co-operated to build huts and make shows with minimal teacher input. They problem solved independently, generally just asking teachers for supplies, or to watch their performances. They generally worked out their social issues for themselves. They looked after each other, particularly one little girl who spent much of her time with a potential new student. The boys also did a fabulous job of including our new boy. They thought for themselves about what to do within the day, they ate when hungry and visited the toilet when necessary. There weren't many compulsory activites during the week but everyone was expected to walk to the Vettes, go fishing and go on the estuary walk. There were a few grumbles about how long the walk was, but even the smallest managed the whole thing. (Actually they weren't the grumblers!)
Thus they had to think for themselves, play with children they might not generally spend time with, talk with others, relate their favourite part of the day and week, manage their needs and desires to ensure they enjoyed their days, take part and for hopefully provide ideas or leadership with various activities. It was very definitely a week of belonging to our school and sharing with the successes and joy of others. A number of people were very excited for Samuel and Zach when they caught the eel and the fish- I didn't hear anybody wishing it had been them instead. Children looked after their own well being as well as the well being of others, they definitely explored, they talked, they joined in.
There were moments of pure excitement and joy eg catching the eel and the kahawai. These moments were also well captured on film by Caleb, and shared on facebook by Olivia. Teachers have been sharing on See Saw and there will undoubtedly be writing about camp week in classes next week.
Feedback
Some of the highlights for the children were organised by the teachers
eg fishing, trip to Vettes, water fight, treasure hunt, carpentry, art and craft activities
Some were organised by the children eg fashion parade, dance shows
I'm not sure who thought of the eeling. We were at the Vette's and they have been feeding an eel in the pond. Someone obviously suggested trying to catch it so Louise helped them make fishing rods from a stick and a piece of string with a piece of meat from a dog bone tied onto it.
For some the highlight was having some previous students there with them on the last day
Reflection:
There were definitely some things we could have organised earlier eg thinking about toiletting issues for new boy- just made things a bit more frantic and stressful than necessary.
It may be a good idea to check into other fishing spots. The wharf was safe but the water was very fast flowing so not many nibbles even. In reality that may just have been a weather issue and it amy be fine other times- worth checking.
The eeling was a great addition. One boy lost his string in the water. Between a few of them they eventually fished it back. I imagine he will always ensure things are correctly fastened from now on! (he just tied the string onto the stick with a single knot)
Maybe we should have the campfire during the day again next time, the children who do not stay after school miss out on that otherwise. Hopefully getting the fire permit will be easier again now that I have used the new system once.
Kathryn is an awesome helper with art activities and was appreciative of the fact that there was no drama about what time she arrived or whether anything was planned or not. Funnily enough we had both found some very similar models and there are plenty of supplies in the school so it was easy enough to choose one for everyone interested to do and organise materials relatively quickly. It also meant the children could have some choice in the matter.
The children took a few days to get into the swing of things the first time we had a camp week. This time it took most of them a matter of minutes! There was the odd child wandering, rather aimlessly but for the most part they were busy the whole time. I hardly saw some of my boys as they were so busy riding their bikes or scooters, building huts, building in the sandpit...
The water fight was the nicest one I have seen at school. Children could choose whether or not to be involved, there were boundaries they had to remain inside and a safe zone when filling their water pistols. They were all careful of each other - no water deliberately sprayed directly in eyes or in such a way as to deliberately hurt as has happened during previous water fights. May just be the mix of children but hopefully it is also an improved culture of caring and looking out for each other. They all got very wet but had a lovely time- as it should be.
Camp week covers all the bases for catering to the whole person really and is basically what I am aiming for the whole time at school.
I went to a course last night on Play, Make Create and am about to start an e-course of 6 modules covering the why and how to of Learning Through Play so will continue to build on my knowledge and refine my processes and utilisation of a Learning Through Play philosophy in Room 1.
Next steps:
Plan the next one!
Play, Make, Create research and use
Longworth Education E-modules
- Fostering tuakana/tēina relationships.
- Monitoring ākonga closely to ensure they are treated respectfully and are included in all aspects of school life.
- Seeking ākonga and whānau feedback on these aspects
- Promotion of positive and appropriate relationships with and between ākonga.
- Monitoring of all ākonga closely to ensure they are being included and treated respectfully by their peers.
