Section 3: Planning for Staff Orientationcampsource.pbworks.com/f/03planningOTrev.doc · Web viewPlanning for Staff Orientation. Camp Calendar. Before reading this section, you

Section 3: Planning for Staff Orientation

Section 3:Planning for Staff Orientation

Camp Calendar

Before reading this section, you should review the Camp Calendar provided in Appendix E. This calendar outlines specific tasks related to camp operation, many of which will affect your plans for staff training and orientation. The calendar also provides space for you to include your own site-specific tasks.

How is it we can find time to do it over, but not the time to do it right initially?Source Unknown

Planning for Staff Orientation and Training

The camp director and leadership staff are responsible for designing a training program which takes into consideration content, process, and environment:

Content: the concepts, skills, and attitudes needed to effectively carry out one's responsibilities within the overall framework of the program;

Process: the approaches (methods, structures, and strategies) by which that content is delivered; and

Environment: the physical and psychological surroundings for the training session (location, facilities, materials, food, etc.).

Brainstorming Session Ideas

A first step is to list all concepts, skills, and attitudes which you feel are prerequisite to working with children at camp this summer. Working with leadership staff (in order to get a variety of ideas), you should brainstorm a list of these concepts, skills, and attitudes. Keep in mind that

true brainstorming does not judge or exclude any ideas; ideas can be as general or as specific as a contributor chooses; all ideas shared may not pertain to all staff members; and logistics of time, place, cost, etc. should not be considered at this point.

All ideas should be jotted down on 3 x 5 cards rather than listed on a large pad. These cards should be pinned or taped to a large wall where all participants can

The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Camp Staff Orientation and Training Manualpage 3:1


view them as they are written.

At the beginning of the brainstorming session, your lists may look like this:

Concepts

camp ruleschain of command

signs of abuseschedules

daily routinesstaff roles

age characteristic

Skills

behavior managementoutdoor cookingleading devotions

First Aidleading games

search and rescuephysical restraint

Attitudes

PatienceEmpathy

TeamworkCooperation

FairnessChristian loveForgiveness

Some topics (such as getting acquainted, risk management in regard to site, preparation of program areas, knowledge of required paperwork such as reports and evaluations) may be hard to categorize, or may fit into more than one category. Feel free to start an “Other” category; just don’t be slowed down by the categorization process. What you are really striving to do is to list the desired outcomes of orientation. On the morning that first bus rolls into camp, what should our staff members know, what should they be able to do, and how should they feel about themselves, others, and the mission of our camp?

Once brainstorming is over and your group has exhausted all possibilities, your group should then (and only then) refer to other resources for training ideas (see also the list of session ideas in Section 5):

old orientation schedules, old weekly schedules, camping books, camping magazines, staff feedback forms, staff evaluations, educational journals, personnel policies and practices book, parent/agency letters which comment upon children’s camp experiences, your staff manual, and “to do” lists, daily logs, and session summaries from previous summers.

These resources will make three things clear to you:

Many of the ideas on your list were never emphasized in past orientations; Because those concepts, skills, and attitudes were not emphasized during Orientation,

problems did occur; and As full as your list is, there are still ideas your group missed.



Once you have recorded additional ideas, some time might be spent grouping ideas together; that, however, is really a task for the next session.

Sorting and Grouping Session Ideas

When you return to the cards, your group should be able to combine several ideas and discard others immediately.

The next task is to begin grouping ideas which might share common elements, such as

sexual harassment, physical abuse, and reporting abuse; age level characteristics of children, developmentally appropriate activities, and

planning for cabin devotions (by age group); icebreakers, group games, and CDA’s (counselor directed activities); routines for getting paid, storing valuables, posting mail, receiving phone calls, and

signing out to leave camp during a break; dining hall procedures and etiquette, meal times, rules concerning food in the cabins,

and information regarding staff snacks; personal hygiene, cabin cleanliness, housekeeping supplies, and laundry days.

You may not agree with how the topics above are grouped; that may very well happen when you and your staff attempt this process yourselves. The goal, however, is to begin combining ideas which might be covered in the same session.You may discover, for example, that a number of topics that seem related (such as physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment) might best be discussed with staff by a professional with more experience and credentials than any member of your staff. So the groupings themselves naturally lead to questions and concerns about how sessions will be designed to meet the outcomes of your staff training.

The next step is planning for discrete instruction of this content.

Planning for Content Instruction

Selecting Appropriate Content

In selecting content to be included in the Staff Orientation, three factors must be considered:

First, the content should be directly relevant to your established objectives. This simple requirement will help you further “weed out” the lists created in the first step. If the subject matter will not help participants accomplish the objectives, it should be omitted. Content which you feel is attractive but not critical can be made available in readings, or can be shared as the summer progresses.

Second, the content should be appropriate to the experience and educational levels of your staff. Since few, if any, of your counselors are professional teachers, your presentations should steer away from unnecessary jargon. This does not, however, mean that material must be dumbed down. It simply must be broken into easily digestible pieces. A discussion on behavior management, for example, should not occur before a session discussing the social,



environmental, physical, or emotional reasons for these behaviors.

Third, the trainer should review existing literature and training materials since developing new content can be time consuming and expensive. A director may even decide that it is more cost and time effective to bring in professionals in each area. The staff’s increased effectiveness will more than justify the expense. You may also find that these same professionals can be consulted during the summer for advice on problems which are beyond the training and experience of your staff.

Sequencing the Learning

Training content must be presented systematically if participants are to meet the goals and objectives of the camp. Some general guidelines exist for structuring your sessions.

For each topic you plan to cover, ask yourself, “What does the staff member need to know ahead of time to really understand this concept?” If a session will discuss the counselor’s responsibilities within program areas, for example, an earlier session should have outlined the basic daily schedule so that each counselor has a very clear idea of the time periods being discussed. Too often, questions about what is already unclear will prevent learners from truly focusing on any new content. Therefore, careful task analysis is crucial!

Introduce single skills and concepts before they must be combined. Instruction in selecting tinder, kindling, and fuel (the three basic types of firewood) should certainly precede learning how to build a fire or how to cook on a spit. And none of this instruction should occur in the pitch black, when learning conditions are at their worst!

Present skills and knowledge in the same sequence as required for use on the job. Spending a session in June discussing procedures for August’s program camps, for example, is a waste of valuable time.

Introduce a knowledge or skill in the context of the task in which it is most likely to be used. In other words, practice what you will play. Use role play, case studies, quizzes, etc. to practice and assess the newly learned concepts. Don’t do it just once, either. An important concept in teaching called distributed practice states that once something is learned, it must be reviewed and reinforced at later times, over a period of time, if it is to be remembered.

Place easily learned skills or concepts early in the content sequence. These will build confidence in your staff members.

Place complex and cumulative skills or concepts later in the sequence. Earlier successes and previously learned skills will make attainment more likely.

Organize the content in such a manner that the content presented for each learning task builds on what participants have learned already. Like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces will begin to fit together and make sense.

Designing Training Modules (Sessions)

Step One: The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Camp Staff Orientation and Training Manual

page 3:4


Organize the Content and Methods into Modules

Once you have selected the content and skills that meet your objectives, you will need to divide this curriculum into self-contained units or modules that can be covered within 90 minutes or less. Larger units (and units that will require practice, role plays, etc.) will need to be subdivided to fit within a 90 minute period. Short modules:

can be videotaped, and any staff member missing a training session can later view it at his/her convenience.

keep interest and energy levels high. keep presenters on-task, since they know time is limited. provide trainers with clearly defined benchmarks for assessing learning. can be easily manipulated when designing your schedule for Staff Orientation.

The design of these sessions is discussed in much greater detail in Section 4. This process occurs first in order to allow the Orientation planners time to choose the best personnel to present each session. Training session needs should determine the presenters you choose, NOT the other way around!

Step Two:Establish Continuity Between Sessions

Whenever possible, sessions should transition smoothly. Some directors believe that alternate sessions should be as different as possible, in order to keep staff interest high. Ideally, however, two to three sessions a day should somehow be linked so that staff members can see how the concepts and skills they are learning will fit into a “bigger picture.”

Techniques for creating continuity include: summarizing each module before beginning the next; summarizing previous material when introducing new concepts; and establishing bridges by clearly demonstrating the relationships among the modules and between the module content and the training objectives. Visual aids, such as flipchart notes or transparencies, can be used to clarify and reinforce these transitions.

Step Three:Schedule Key Sessions During Prime Learning Times

Activities should be scheduled so that they have a positive, energizing effect on participants throughout the training event. Times of the day during which participants' energy levels tend to be low include

very early in the morning on all days except the first day of training; immediately before lunch and mid-afternoon breaks; and immediately after lunch.

Interactive structures such as role plays and group discussions can increase participants' energy levels, whereas relatively passive activities such as lectures and multimedia presentations are The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Camp Staff Orientation and Training Manual

page 3:5


much less energizing. When feasible, interactive exercises should occur when participants' energy levels are low, as passive activities can have an anesthetizing effect on the training group.

In all fairness to your presenters, their sessions should be scheduled for the “high energy” times of day, unless you know for certain they are conducting very active sessions (such as instruction in group games or teambuilding/trust activities). Activities such as case studies and in-basket exercises (What would you do if the following occurred...) should be scheduled so they can be completed the same day they were initiated; otherwise, you run the risk of participants losing their chain of thought.

In addition, trainers can conduct a brief exercise to raise participants' energy levels. These exercises, usually physical in nature, are called "energizers." They provide a refreshing change of pace in the training activities. (Some energizers are included in Appendix F: Staff Training Games). Pacing the training delivery appropriately according to the time of day and type of method helps ensure that learning occurs effectively and efficiently through the training event.

Step Four:Develop the Orientation Schedule

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it up.Henry Ford

When developing an orientation schedule, you want to create a tool that is as flexible and interactive as possible. The easiest method to accomplish this is to label an index card with the main topic of each session you have decided to create.

Then, on a large, vertical surface, use masking tape to delineate as many columns as you have days for the training. Run three strips of masking tape horizontally across the top, center, and bottom of the columns. On this tape will be written the breakfast, lunch, and supper times for each day. You may also wish to stretch tape across the middles of the morning and afternoon sessions, to not only mark the midpoints (probably around 10:30 and 3:00), but also to remind yourself that these would be ideal places for scheduled snack or juice breaks (see diagram on the next page)

What is left, then, is a number of “fields” in which the session cards can be placed. The masking tape arrangement will clearly illustrate that two sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon are feasible, as well as one after supper. Your leadership staff may want to mark other index cards with activities such as “structured free time,” “staff free swim,” “staff night out,” etc. This is advisable, since your staff will quickly burn out if you fill every spare moment with training!



Even a series of interconnected sessions will still break down into separate knowledge/ skills modules, each of which should be carefully placed onto this master schedule, and then planned for accordingly.

This careful planning will help to assign leadership responsibilities as well. Consider an afternoon devoted to Outdoor Living Skills instruction. This includes a session on trail knowledge, followed by an outdoor cooking lesson, followed by group meals cooked by campfire, followed by a traditional storytelling campfire, followed by a night hike, followed by s’mores over the fire, and finally a staff sleep-out. How can these responsibilities best be sorted out and delegated?

Compare the list of skills and activities presented in the paragraph above with the chart below. Note that the chart is much easier to read, and points out an important fact: although Tim, the Outdoor Living Skills Instructor, is responsible for this series of activities, the assistance of numerous other staff members will be needed to pull it off successfully.



Time Activity Resp. Staff Supplies4:00-5:15 Trail Knowledge Tim maps, compasses, trail

markers

5:30-6:00 Outdoor Cooking Andy, Beatrice foil, food, matches, spices, serving utensils

6:00-7:00 Group Meals Andy, Beatrice plates, flatware, cups, drinks, napkins

7:30-8:00 Storytelling Malcolm, Shira books, other resources, storytelling apron

8:15-9:00 Night Hike, Night Sounds

Tim, Nigel flashlights, red cellophane, tapes and tape player

9:00-10:00 S'mores and Devotions

Andy, Paula food, sticks, cups, drinks, devotional booklet

10:00- Staff Sleepout (Counselors Only)

Tim, Donnie assignment sheet, bug repellent, lanterns, extra blankets

Additionally, the chart brings up other questions such as:• Who will collect firewood for these activities?• Will fire building be taught during this skills progression?• Will fire safety and the use of an axe be discussed?• Who will be responsible for clean-up at the site?• Are there enough sleeping bags in the camp inventory to supply all counselors?• Are the needed foods in stock, or will they need to be purchased from a local vendor?

Many directors may wonder, Why create the training schedule this way, in such a large format? Why not just plan it out on a calendar page or a spreadsheet?

The large format simply allows for a clearer overview, and plenty of space for all needed information to be added. The wall cannot be carried around with you, of course, and must therefore be rendered into a more traditional size at a later time. But for the initial planning stage, this method is remarkably effective.

Once all the session cards are placed, for example, notes can be added to the index cards which will help in planning the session. You might even consider taping or pinning envelopes with each session name to the wall, and then enclosing pertinent details relating to that session inside. Sessions which are related can be color coded; all sessions which must be attended by counselors, for example, might have a red dot on an upper corner. Sessions requiring special multimedia devices can have their own codes as well.

If a scheduled speaker calls at the last moment and will be three hours late, a quick overview of the whole board allows sessions to be “cut and pasted” with ease. Similarly, a number of sessions can be earmarked as the “rain plan,” and put into effect immediately in the case of inclement weather. The director models exceptional planning skills through the use of this method.



Step Five:Prepare Training Materials Training materials are generally organized under three headings:

the trainer guide or notes, equipment (nonconsumable) and supplies (consumable), and the participant materials (workbooks, hand-outs, etc.).

Trainer Guide (Session Outline)

The trainer or facilitator should review his/her notes or outline to see that the objectives of the session will be met. Clear plans will help the presenter to remain on task, and will also allow last minute changes to be made. A clear outline is also an excellent piece of documentation to be filed for future reference. Be aware, however, that many professional presenters which you may use as consultants use no notes, or use their transparencies or other tools as simple cues in their presentations.

In developing training sessions which your resident staff will lead, you may wish to confirm that the following elements are included in each trainer guide, or session outline:

Session title, presenter(s), day, time, place; Session objectives; Length of time required for the entire session, and for activities within the session; Statement of primary teaching/learning methods; A list of equipment and materials to be used by the trainer (see Appendix G); A list of materials to be handed out to or used by the participants; Room arrangement; List of major concepts/skills/attitudes to be included in the session; An opening activity; Leader’s input; Sequence of group and individual tasks; A closure activity for review; and Intended follow-up to see that concepts/skills were learned.

Equipment and Supplies

Having all necessary supplies and equipment on hand is simple, yet often overlooked. Appendix G contains a supply list which can be easily adapted to your particular situation.

Participant Materials



Participant materials may include:

goals and objectives (of the camp, of The Salvation Army), instructions for exercises, worksheets (which are then discussed in small groups), schedules, rosters, readings (such a synthesis of research on children’s behavior), quizzes and tests, checklists (such as what to do to combat homesickness), reprints of articles, lecture outlines or summaries (perhaps with blanks to be filled in), and glossaries (camp acronyms).

Participants' materials can be used to:

Review concepts/skills which have been presented; Assess information comprehension and retention; and Present new or additional information upon which the session’s activities will be

based.

The camp director and leadership staff should keep in mind the following guidelines when developing and preparing materials:

Materials should be clean, clear, attractive copies. Participants will be better able to read and follow along if the text is well spaced, organized by numbers or headings, and if margins are wide enough to record notes.

Materials should be developed and presented in an organized fashion. If numerous materials will be given out, participants should be provided with folders or binders in which the materials can be organized. If hand-outs are meant to be kept in a three ring binder, for example, then they should be three-hole punched prior to distribution.

Whenever possible, materials should be withheld until they are needed. They otherwise become a distraction to the participants (and the facilitator).

Materials should be developed with audience in mind. Excessive use of jargon or idioms will make comprehension difficult for some younger or international staff members.

Get It Together: The Three Ring BinderIt is highly suggested that you provide every staff member with a three ring binder. While at first the cost may seem prohibitive, remember that these binders can be collected at the end of the summer in your standard check-out procedure and used again in future seasons. Vendors may also be able to supply these binders to you at no cost (as promotional items). The binder ensures that all staff will have access to policies and procedural information as well as a secure, centralized place to organize additional resources from orientation sessions, inservice training, etc.



Some standard contents of this binder should include:

camp history and mission statement welcome letter from camp leadership, stating goals for the summer orientation schedule summer camp sessions schedule daily schedules rainy day schedules mailing address/phone number of camp list of all staff members, with positions map of site personnel policies emergency procedures camp procedures (mail, laundry, trash, recycling, requisitioning of supplies) staff evaluation form position-specific information (counseling aids, counselor-directed activities, program

area briefs (3:15), lesson planning outlines (Appendix K), dining hall/kitchen guidelines)

requisition sheets question and answer section blank pages for notes

Not all contents need to be initially included in the binders. Schedules, program ideas, session notes, etc. can be handed to staff in those sessions where they are discussed. Just be certain that any items handed out during the summer are three-hole punched, and that they are given out at a time when staff will be returning to their quarters (so that papers aren’t lost in the daily chaos that is camp).

Another extremely helpful tool is plastic protector sheets, which are clear plastic pockets measuring 9 x 11.5 inches. These can be used to hold any papers which are not punched, such as weekly folded-and-stapled program booklets, maps, notes, index cards, etc.

Also available are zipper-pouches which can be attached to three ring binders to hold pens, pencils, erasers, loose change, watches, whistles, etc.

Other items in a staff binder might include

downloaded articles on homesickness, behavior management, and indoor games; a copy of the weekly devotional theme, and age-appropriate cabin devotions ideas; a copy of that staff member’s medical form (for easy referral in the case of an

emergency, or trip to the medical center); blank to do lists; a number of blank word searches, crossword puzzles, coloring sheets, etc. which can

be pulled to fill time when needed; a list of kid-level trivia questions, which are used to kill time while on line at lunch,

or waiting for swim time to begin (there may be several of these lists, and counselors swap with one another every few days);

camper evaluation forms (names have already been written in since the first day of The Salvation Army Eastern Territory Camp Staff Orientation and Training Manual

page 3:11


the session, and the counselors add on anecdotal comments as the week progresses); CDA (counselor directed activity) ideas; personal time-on, time-off schedules; and maps of the camp and surrounding areas (free maps of the United States, in any scale,

and with any level of detail, can be obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau at http://tiger.census.gov/cgi-bin/mapbrowse-tbl).

Leadership Staff Orientation

Once at camp, leadership staff (including but not limited to Program Director, Chief Counselors, Program Specialists, Nurses, and Dining Hall, Kitchen, Housekeeping and Maintenance Supervisors) can assist in the final stages of developing orientation plans. As indicated by the list below, these qualified individuals can lift a number of tasks from the shoulders of the already overwhelmed camp director.

Tasks which can be performed by your Leadership Staff include:

Revising the Staff Manual or Counselor’s Handbook to reflect changes in the program;

Collating and assembling manuals; Writing original case studies (see 4:19), role plays (4:18), and other materials for use

in training sessions; Sorting camper applications and noting impact of gender and age upon cabin

assignment of counselors; Sketching out rough plans for evening programs and weekly themes; Compiling literature resources for use by specialists; Confirming plans for visiting presenters and programs (for Orientation and the rest of

the summer); Training in CPR and First Aid (Territorial Risk Management will pay for this); Learning routes to local merchants, hospitals, etc.; Identifying remaining cabin repairs to be made; Identifying remaining site hazards (6:15) to be addressed; and Training in the operation of computers, VCRs, public address systems, security

systems, etc.

Due to the need to plan well in advance for supplies, equipment, guest presenters, etc., it is imperative that the camp director have a very clear idea of the Orientation goals and schedule before the leadership staff arrives. This staff should not be expected to “plan orientation.”

During Leadership Staff Orientation, a large percentage of the time should also be spent making certain that these key individuals understand their responsibilities (for the job), their relationships (to each other), and their roles (as leaders of other staff members).

Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him.

Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery



Leadership Staff and Group Development

We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.

Petronius Arbiter (210 B.C.)

Teambuilding can be a confusing and inefficient process. A first step to sorting out and implementing effective team building is to realize that there are overlapping, yet clearly discernible stages of Group Development, illustrated in the chart below.

The Stages of Group Development

All groups, when first forming, experience a similar progression. Some directors may become frustrated if they sense tension in their leadership group, or if they fail to reach consensus easily. What directors must realize, however, is that a group must progress through a number of stages before they can operate efficiently and effectively, in the same way that children must progress through various stages (filled with much trial and error) before they are able to perform sophisticated tasks with any degree of success. That is why it is important to provide a variety of experiences for your Leadership staff during their Orientation period at camp.

Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working



together is success. Henry Ford

In addition to numerous informational sessions, your staff will need “work” sessions to truly bond with one another. Some directors feel that assigning specific leadership roles (such as conducting a session) for the whole-staff orientation is one way to get their supervisors working cooperatively; other directors prefer to assign manual labor tasks, such as setting up tents or clearing the campfire site. Simply realize that the more opportunities you provide for your leadership staff to work together, the more quickly they will progress through the group development stages. You want this core staff to be as cohesive as possible before the arrival of your remaining staff members.

You can buy someone’s time, you can buy someone’s physical presence at a given place; you can even buy a measured number of skilled muscular motions per hour or day. But you cannot buy enthusiasm; you cannot buy initiative, you cannot buy loyalty; you cannot buy devotion of hearts, minds, and souls. You have to earn these things.

Clarence Francis

Using a Knowledge Inventory

Whether you hire a new staffer or a veteran of ten years, it is your responsibility to see that program specialists know their job. The Knowledge Inventory (see Appendix H) allows you to easily assess a specialist's familiarity with his/her position and responsibilities, and the camp program overall.

The Inventory can be used in several ways:

Prior to any training, to assess existing knowledge. Subsequent training is then used to “fill in the holes,” or to correct misconceptions. (Returning staff members, in particular, possess assumptions regarding their responsibilities which, although correct last year, may no longer be accurate due to changes in schedule or procedure).

During training, as an organizer for recording information provided through individual or group sessions. Staff members focus more easily in training sessions if given specific information to find, or tasks to complete.

Subsequent to training, to evaluate how well each specialist understands his/her specific position and responsibilities. Even the most thorough training is likely to leave unanswered questions and issues. Staff members become more empowered, and feel a greater ownership in camp planning, if given the chance to offer input in such situations.

As an aid for the director’s precamp planning. Many of the questions asked on the Inventory can only be answered through careful planning beforehand by the camp and program director. Questions regarding schedules, resources, ACA standards, etc., are an excellent starting point for those leaders asking, "What do we still need to do to be ready?" Given time and flexibility, many of the issues can be worked out in the camp setting (such as scheduling). Others, such as standards, are nonnegotiable, and must



be dealt with prior to Orientation.

In order to make the best use of the Knowledge Inventory,

Read the Inventory and adapt it to your program and site; Collect necessary data that is requested for use by specialists; and Highlight those areas which need to be addressed by leadership staff prior to

Orientation and training.

Program Area Briefs

Earlier it was mentioned that Program Area briefs should be included in staff binders. A Program Brief is intended to do two things:

Summarize a program area or event, and Make recommendations for future use of area or future programming of the event.

The Program Area Brief outline (see Appendix I), if handed to a program specialist at the end of the summer, is likely to cause frustration and ill will. If this same tool is given to a program specialist at the start of the summer, however, it is invaluable in organizing a program area for the present and future summers. The specialist may even request to see the briefs of prior summers, which will aid in designing his/her own unique program.

One worthwhile task carried to a successful conclusion is better than half-a-hundred half-finished tasks.

B. C. Forbes

It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't.Martin Van Buren

Leadership for Program Activities

Listed below are some generic tips that, while appearing perhaps simple or obvious to experienced directors, may often decide a program's fate when ignored. This list should be supplied to all Leadership Staff, and later to all Program Staff and Counselors.

Plan in advance (so that you don't waste time). Write down your program (so if you're sick or suddenly called away to handle a

crisis, someone else can take over). Take all safety precautions. Prepare site and equipment ahead of time. Participants (whether staff or campers) can

be asked to help clean up and put away equipment, but should usually not be asked to help set up. Everything should be ready to go.

Be sure that you understand all rules and aspects of the activity; try to do a "dry run" with other leaders, or with a small test group.

Utilize volunteers. Be energetic when welcoming the first volunteer. Always start on time (this makes people show up on time; set a precedent that things



will begin precisely as scheduled). Have leader identification (a hat, a clipboard, a special place to stand, a certain color

shirt). Get into a position where all can see and hear you. Avoid teaching at eye level; distinguish yourself as the leader. Teach with the sun to participants' backs, rather than in their eyes. Be enthusiastic about the activity or game you are leading. Lead just enough to set the pattern. Avoid letting children choose their own teams (they can be nasty). Utilize whistles for officiating only (otherwise no one knows what the whistle is for). Have clearly marked physical boundaries established ahead of time (better too close,

creating a small playing field, than too far away, which will create unnecessary fatigue and waiting).

Start with the simplest activity and move toward the more difficult. Start your explanations from what the campers know by using analogies. For

example: "This game is like kickball, because you kick the ball to run the bases, but it's also like basketball, because to get someone out, your team must get the ball into this basket before the runner reaches second base".

Carefully choose who is “It.” Have sides as even as possible (make it a fair contest). Always have eight or less on a relay team (if there are more than eight the wait time

becomes too great). Terminate one-sided activities quickly, and make adjustments as necessary to try to

make teams as competitive as possible. Don't be afraid to change rules to necessitate a better game. When using blindfolds, have one for each participant (eye infection spreads easily). Be subtle in pointing out mistakes. Anticipate mistakes, petty cheating, and poor sportsmanship. Limit your discipline. Avoid physical discipline. Make campers feel that the camper who is annoying is actually transgressing against

the group. Compliment people in front of others (that way others know about it, and proper

conduct is reinforced). Have a definite end and beginning (so that players and leaders know what's going on). Kill an activity at its peak (that way participants will still be enthusiastic and want

more). Always have back–up space and an alternative activity (in case of rain); planning and

having one activity per age group ready-to-go on the spur of the moment is prudent and responsible.

Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.

Conrad Hilton



The Most Common Staff Orientation Mistakes(And How to Avoid Them)

By recognizing what could possibly go wrong, costly mistakes can be avoided. As the old adage goes, “Hope for the best but plan for the worst.” The following list illustrates some of the all too common errors of staff training which can easily be remedied through better planning.

• Too little time is spent on immediate, practical issues.When staff members first arrive at camp, they are concerned with such issues as:• when will I be paid?• how and when will my laundry be done?• when is my time off each day? • with whom will I be paired up in a cabin? • when are breaks in the season planned?• where can I get phone and computer access?• what program resources are available to me?• how can I get other resources I might need?Rather than wait to address these issues in a session, this information should be supplied in a brief “introductory packet” which each staff member receives upon their arrival.

• New and old staff aren’t integrated well; too little emphasis is placed upon getting acquainted. Many directors make the mistake of having a single session solely devoted to getting acquainted and having fun. The next session deals with camp rules or procedures, or camper management. Keep in mind that every session should involve an activity or exercise which helps staff get to know one another better. Sorting activities should be used at the start of almost every session to break up rapidly forming cliques.

• Too much telling and showing, not enough discovering and doing. Instead of handing out a daily schedule, one camp actually ran a “dress rehearsal,” allowing staff members to act out a complete day as campers. At each program (activity) area visited, counselors learned a specific skill or participated in a game or learning activity. At arts and crafts, for example, every counselor was taught two basic lanyard knots. They not only experienced the frustration (and later satisfaction) which campers experience when learning a new activity, but the counselors also learned the skill so that they could then assist the arts and crafts specialist in later classes, or teach the skill to their own campers on a rainy day. Similarly, the outdoor living skills instructor taught staff how to select the proper site and wood for a campfire.

• All sessions occur in the same place, and are led by the same people.

• Veteran staffers are not given the chance to share their experience or expertise. (One easy solution is to create an Expert Panel. See 4:18).

• Orientation sessions are seen as the sole dissemination of information. Every camp needs to provide basic procedural information, schedules, standards, and job-related resources in writing. In the case where resources are too large to provide to individuals, staff must be made aware of locations of such materials.



• Outside resources are ignored and expert training is not provided. Most veteran camp directors agree that the cost of training is an investment in the camp, yet many refuse to pay professionals for their time and expertise. Good training yields competent staff members, who in turn can anticipate and manage crises which would otherwise be costly to the camp; costly in terms of morale, public relations, and overall effectiveness. (No mention was made of lawsuits and insurance, although they are certainly to be considered!).

• All staff are required to attend all training sessions, regardless of whether the topics are germane to their roles and responsibilities.

• Staff presenters are given little time to prepare, and information presented is therefore incomplete or inaccurate.

• Directors “hope for the best,” but fail to “prepare for the worst.” When you ignore the gathering clouds and the increasing wind, hoping to grill those three hundred hamburgers before the rain begins to pour, you are modeling poor planning. You might start the charcoal burning, but at the same time it would be wise to have the kitchen staff heating the grill inside!

In Conclusion

Truthfully, it is impossible to effectively train a staff in a single week. There are, however, basic concepts and skills your staff can learn that will help them to cope during their first few weeks. When and where, you are probably wondering, will the staff get the rest of the training they so desperately need? The answer is simple. If the third component, attitude, is given as much emphasis as concepts and skills, then your staff will remain receptive to additional training opportunities throughout the summer. These additional opportunities may occur during a planned day of in-service between camp sessions, or during the evening hours. They will be receptive to discovering and adapting new concepts and skills in their everyday workings with children and peers. It is crucial to remember that, for all of our elaborate planning, the real development and growth of your staff will occur when they are “tested by fire.” You and your leadership staff can accelerate that process by providing constant positive, yet corrective, feedback and exemplary models.

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. Source Unknown


Documents

Section 3: Planning for Staff Orientationcampsource.pbworks.com/f/03planningOTrev.doc · Web viewPlanning for Staff Orientation. Camp Calendar. Before reading this section, you