“All Children are Capable of Success-No Exceptions!”-Christine R. Tipps


• Ensure that the staff you have hired will build a strong rapport with the students at the camp along with fellow co-workers.


• Have teachers turn in weekly planning sheets that include the activities, goals, and lesson objectives for the week.


• If possible have the summer program staff teachers’ work with the students’ regular classroom teachers to create lessons that will benefit them throughout the summer.


• Create integrated lesson plans for students to participate in.


• Teachers should adapt their lesson plans and teaching style to fit each group to students they teach throughout the day.


• Make learning activities hands-on and inquiry based.


• Plan positive activities that all students can participate in.


• Teachers should monitor their lessons to observe if the students are highly engaged in the lesson. 


• Have teachers implement the “Standards for engaged learning” into their curriculum.  The “Standards for engaged learning” are:  1. Vision, 2. Tasks, 3. Assessment, 4. Instructional models and strategies, 5. Learning context, 6. Grouping, 7. Teacher roles, 8. Students roles.


• Ensure camp members spend adequate time with adult supervisors because this will benefit their overall development through childhood. 


• Post a daily schedule for students and teachers to view each day at camp.  Here is a sample summer program schedule from the Arrupe Summer Program in Cleveland, Ohio:                                                                                                                                         

8:05-8:20 - Staff Meeting
8:30-9:00 – Breakfast for the students
9:00-9:10 – Announcements
9: 15-9:55 – AM-Enrichment 1
10:00-10:40 – AM-Enrichment 2
10:45-11:25 – AM-Enrichment 3
11:30-12:10 – AM-Enrichment 4
12:15-12:45 – Lunch!
1:00-1:55 – PM-Block Fitness & Arts
2:05-3:00 – PM-Block Fitness & Arts
3:05-3:15 – Reminders/Dismissal


• Plan a family night for parents and students to attend together.