Discusses how to encourage creative journal keeping among campers during camping trips. Tips include keep it simple, don't present it as an assignment, the counselor should make entries, allow an open format, vary the writing time, make it a group effort, and send it home. (TD)

A study of teacher-mentor relationships found that periodic brief conversations were more helpful and easier to accomplish than longer ones, and establishing shared learning expectations lessened reluctance to seek or provide information. Another study found that analyzing dilemmas concerning the child's best interest during in-service training…

Training can generate long-term benefits for both camp staff and the camp, but camp administration must commit to creating a positive learning environment. Describes the benefits of training, how to identify training needs, key components of training, determining the delivery format, follow-up and retention, and seeking feedback from participants.…

A camp's culture must be established in a way that maximizes the opportunities to fulfill the camp's highest priority goals and objectives. A camp director describes how his staff training emphasizes building relationships, a sense of community, and experiencing camp activities. Skill practice, safety management, policies, procedures, and…

While working and playing together at camp, staff often work through most, if not all, of the stages of group formation, commonly referred to as forming, storming, norming, performing, and finally, transforming. Ten adventure-based games and activities are presented to help camp directors train staff and help them progress through these stages.…

Training effective camp staff starts with reviewing last year's schedule. Desired competencies can be determined by examining existing documents, asking former staff, consulting industry materials, and projecting the future. Specific skills can be taught in orientation and through guided informal experiential learning during the season. A climate…

Summarizes research examining the potential impact of year-round schooling on organized camping, and research on the developmental needs of children ages 8-11. Implications for camp include stressing the educational value of camp, adjusting camp schedules to accommodate year-round schooling, educating camp staff on child development, and including…

Trends in staff development for camp counselors include using experiential training activities, inviting outside speakers to address staff on topics of concern, and teaching staff about child-related issues. Addresses problems in working with staff and provides suggestions for increasing the effectiveness of staff training programs. (LP)