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Title: Senior Camp Counselor Experience Date: Summer 2012 Description: During the summer of 2012, I was a Senior

Camp Counselor at YMCA Camp Alexander and worked with children ages five through sixteen, and also supervised counselors ages eighteen to twenty-three. Included are a few pictures and documents that help to explain this experience. At YMCA Camp Alexander I experienced teaching children different group activities, and grasped a better understanding of how children act whether alone or in groups of different numbers. On an average day I worked with a group consisting of ten children. However, some days could be as few as one or two children, or as many as 75 to a 100 with help from other counselors. As senior camp counselor, I also had responsibilities to direct, guide, and supervise other counselors which in return gave me experience in supervising peers. Alignment Wisconsin Teacher Standard Alignment: This artifact best aligns with Standard Four: Instructional Strategies, of the Wisconsin Teacher Licensure Standards. Standard Four states that the instructor understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies, including the use of technology, to encourage childrens development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. My experience at the YMCA Camp Alexander best aligns with Standard Four of the Wisconsin Teacher Standards because as Senior Camp Counselor I organized and performed numerous instructional strategies. I learned strategies and techniques through observing other counselors and also through my own trial and error experiences of what did or did not work. I found that progressive instructional approaches were helpful to my instruction. For example, I asked the group to take a vote on what they wanted to learn about during that day when given a few options. I used this approach to many situations was effective and encouraged the children to then be involved in the education. I also utilized technology by using a projector. I used examples and illustrations of tree identification to teach that further helped the visual learners. I personally grew in communication skills through the use of different instructional strategies. I grew confidence in my communication with students, as well as my methods such as student participation as mentioned above. I experienced various students approaching the learning activities differently. For example, some students were able to completely focus on my demonstrations of casting a fishing pole while other students had a hard time paying attention. However, most of the students who had a difficult time paying attention during the demonstration approached me afterwards and wanted me to walk them through casting a fishing pole as they did it. This taught me that some students can see or hear something done, while others learn more effectively by actually doing it. As a result of differences, I was able to adjust my teaching methods by providing multiple routes of instruction, whether it is verbal instructions or a demonstration, so that all students could clearly comprehend. This experience was important because it taught me to be flexible with my teachings. If I am more flexible to

the different learning styles, it will ultimately lead to more success for both the student and me as a teacher. I also found success and accomplishment by adjusting instruction to the needs of various ages of children, both individually and in groups. After a few weeks I was able to distinguish and gauge the depth of content I was teaching based on the age group I was working with. I encouraged critical thinking and problem solving through many settings that naturally arose during the camp setting such as how to paddle a canoe backwards, or how to start a campfire with wet wood. Students had to critically think about how to find dry firewood in a wet forest. I also took advantage of unique situations that arose, such as what to do when someone in a group gets hurts, to encourage students how to absorb learning experiences related to emotional intelligence. This taught me and my students about how to apologize, how to work as a team, how to try new things, and how to treat others. Other examples were more in depth questions that came about with age; such as empathy, and the true meaning of friendship. UW-Platteville School of Education Knowledge, Skill, and Disposition Statement Alignment: This experience best aligns with KSD2.a of the UWP School of Education Knowledge, Skill, and Disposition statements which states: This candidate demonstrates genuine care and respect for students while the students exhibit respect for the teacher. The students also display genuine care and respect for one another as individuals and as students, and are aware of cultural, social, intellectual and physical variations among their peers. During my experience at YMCA Camp Alexander, I was interacting with many students as well as counselors, supervisors, and parents of the students. I learned through day to day happenings such as voting fairly for activities, and/or listening to the needs of a student, that an educator, who respects his or her students, will in return be given respect. I also learned that when students respect themselves, each other, and the teacher; it will ultimately make a more safe, comfortable, and positive environment for everyone.

Secondary KSDs: KSD1.c: Selects Instructional Goals KSD2.d: Manages Student Behavior KSD4.c: Communicating with Families

Personal Reflection: What I learned about teaching/learning from this experience. I learned that teaching can be powerful through multiple instructional strategies and techniques. These instructional strategies and techniques need to be organized, formatted, and structured so that it fits the needs of different styles of learning. Through this experience I also learned how to enhance, adjust, and coordinate a lesson plan to the corresponding ages, groups, and specific children I am teaching.

What I learned about myself as a prospective educator as a result of this experience. I learned that I enjoy planning, organizing, and developing instructional strategies. Through the experience I found an appreciation of instructional strategies that have already been discovered, but also like to bring in new teaching techniques. Ultimately, as a prospective educator, I find the greatest personal gratitude through my students comprehension and understanding as a result of using a variety of instructional strategies.

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