Day 2 of enrichment camp

Today was a GREAT day at camp! I felt so much better about the flow and being able to rotate teachers from one class to another to do activities. Having two adults in each room was very beneficial. Yesterday I felt a lot of anxiety, because I'm so used to following a "plan"and not being able to flow from one activity to the next was driving me crazy!

Today we were able to move the older kids into 3 groups and move them to actual classrooms. When the classroom doors were first opened for us, it was explained that we couldn't use certain classrooms because there were no chairs. On the last day of school, students take their chairs home with them until school opens again in the fall. This was VERY different for me, since we walk into classrooms where tables, chairs, and desks are a plenty for our students in the US; and if not we order more from the warehouse. It makes me wonder what happens if students are not able to provide their own chairs to sit in while attending school.......especially if there are 3 or more siblings attending at the same time and each needs to bring their own chair. Another thing I observed in the classrooms is the learning environment in which the students have to learn. In many of the rooms were broken windows that were taped back together or were not doctored up at all.

I can only imagine what that's like on rainy days when the water would come in the room. In one of the rooms, the bottom window pane was just out. I'm not sure if these things would be repaired over the summer or not, but by looking at some of the cracks.....it seemed like they had been there for a while.






In one of the classrooms used by older students was a daily schedule and from it I could see that there is 30 minutes a day devoted to devotion and bible. I even saw one sign on a classroom door reminding students that memorizing two bible verse would give them extra points on their exam. Even at the public library, the camp was closed with prayer. Religion

is a very important piece of their culture wherever they may be.

The people we pass on the streets on our daily bike rides are very friendly and when you speak, they quickly respond with a smile. There is no "road rage" with people cutting you off or running into the back of you on the streets. LOL! It there were, I would have probably been hit a few times. We happened to be at a small eating place near the school today and some of the students came over to buy something form the store and they were all smiles coming up the steps when they saw us as a group. We spoke and told them we would see them tomorrow and the smiles were heartwarming. I have always "preached" about building meaningful relationships with students when I was an elementary administrator and it doesn't matter where you go, relationships have to be established. At the camp we see many of the older siblings being protective over their smaller siblings. They may want to be together for snack, but if not, you can rest assured they are waiting for them at the end of the camp session. This is similar to what I see in other cultures as well, especially with kids who's parents are working early in the morning or still at work when the kids get out of school. The older sibling takes on that caregiver role.

My struggle is one kid in the 6-7 group who only wants to do a puzzle. I was only in the class for 30 minutes today during the rotation, but he only wanted to get water (even though they just had snack and bathroom prior to us coming in the room). Trying to find a way to keep him engaged throughout the camp will be a task or I foresee it going the wrong way and him turning into a behavior problem. I know we will have to differentiate in some way, so that is what's on my mind.

I have to say I am loving this pineapple juice that is served all over the island!