Fake it till you Make it…by Karly Taylor

Fake it Till You Make it…

by Karly Taylor

That was the advice given to me my first summer as Camp Director. My only thoughts were: “I have a degree in EDUCATION, not CAMPING… how in the world am I gonna survive- they’ll see right through me!” Turns out, Camp was not that much different than what I had learned teaching. My mentor teacher my first year in the classroom told me a “secret”- TEACHERS ARE THE BEST THIEVES she said. You do not have to recreate the wheel, if you see something you like- ASK to borrow it, ASK for the plans, ASK to take it and make your own… if you are too afraid to ASK then you will spend forever recreating the wheel. Bottom line- ASK! 

I learned very quickly that “fake it till you make it” meant the same thing. My first year as the Camp Director I am sure I annoyed any and everyone I came into contact with: Tell me how you do____, explain to me the process you use for ____, what would you differently about ____? I was always asking, probing, and basically harassing anyone with more experience than me.

To save you the time, the effort and the fear of harassing others… here are a few places I have found to be helpful:

ACA's - Camping Magazine

Parent Resources – www.timetotalk.org

GREAT ideas, programs, advice:

• www.ultimatecampresource.com
  
• www.mycampresources.com
  
• www.mysummercamps.com
  
• www.michaelbrandwein.com
  

Books:

• Training Terrific Staff: A Handbook of Practical and Creative Tools for Camps, Michael Brandwein
  
• Behavior Modification in Children: Case Study from a Summer Camp, Henry Charles Rickard
  

This is cross posted in the November issue of The Buffalo Bur. If you have a resource you want to share, post it for everyone in the comments for this article.