Community Service Reflection

Rebecca Hazlett

This past summer I worked as a camp counselor for the local YMCA in Columbus,

Nebraska. Our camp was a day camp and we hosted children ages six to eleven years old at

Camp Pawnee. While at camp, kids play games, learn about the nature around them, increase

social skills, and get to make friends with other kids their age. We do activities like archery,

canoeing, pond study, hiking, hammocking, fort and fire building, and crafts. As a counselor, I

led the children in all these activities over the course of a week and then we would get a new set

of campers the following week. Over the course of my summer, I learned so much about working

with children and learned a lot about myself as well. All this new knowledge will be used to

assist me in my career as an educator.

The most beneficial skill that I learned at camp this summer was how to keep children

interested in activities. Children tend to get bored and let their minds wander minutes after

having to be still and focus. One thing that we were taught as counselors is that when a game

reaches its climax, we should move to the next game. At first this seemed like the exact opposite

of what I should be doing. I thought that if they were at a high point and enjoying what they were

doing, they should be able to continue doing that activity. However, I realized how soon a

decline in energy and interest can follow the climax of the games and activities. This heavily

applies to the education setting because when your class is having loads of fun, that can be the

perfect time to redirect that feeling of good energy toward the next activity. By creating an

energy high through learning activities that do not get out of control, I can keep my future

student engaged for longer periods of time.

 Another realization that I came to is that making an impression on children right away is

super important. A very common phrase for people to be taught is that first impressions matter.

This is true for people of all ages. By having campers every week I had to make sure that I was

on my A-game on Mondays and maintain that energy for the next four days at camp. By creating

a positive first impression I was able to earn their trust and respect much sooner than I would

have been able to otherwise. In the typical world of teaching, you only get one real first

impression at the very beginning of the school year or at least the semester. That is why it is

super important to have a plan for your classroom. You must be organized, have systems in place

for discipline, and have a positive and inviting classroom. All these are important because

changing things can be harder for some kids than others especially depending on the age group.

By already having a solid system for your classroom and knowing how you will operate as a

teacher you can be better set up for daily and long term success.

However, another essential understanding of that side of education is recognizing that

change is okay. If something is not working out, modifying and adapting your classroom,

lessons, and organization is necessary. I realized this at camp when I had a particularly difficult

group to work with. As a whole, they were less interested in nature and doing anything involving

physical activity in the hot summer sun. With this group I adapted by doing more shaded

activities like hammocks and crafts rather than going on a hike in the heat. I think that being able

and willing to adapt is what makes a teacher stand out. If my future students are not

understanding some of the information, I must be able to adjust my lesson plans or methods in

order to educate them well.

Overall, I think that being a camp counselor this summer truly helped me learn more

about how to work with children. It helped me learn how to successfully make a difference in my
future students’ lives, adapt to different situations, and curate high energy environments that help

children love to learn. By implementing all these concepts, I will be able to help my future

students focus on all the new concepts that are being thrown at them.