Inclusive Summer Camp Culture

Magen's Bay Beach, U.S Virgin Islands

Inclusive Summer Camp Culture

This summer I had the opportunity to work with a local summer camp done through a local church on Magen's Bay beach on the island of St. Thomas. Your probably wondering isn't this normal as a teacher for me to work at a summer camp or with a likewise program; your probably correct as I normally do, but this one was different. This camp was completely inclusive of children regardless of their developmental delays, disabilities, or economic status; simply put it was amazing!

As a mother and teacher I have not seen any programs that encourage and incorporate inclusiveness for all at this level in any setting. All students were given equal opportunities and activities with the option of opting out for an alternate socially motivated activity. The environment was like a utopia rather than a summer camp. Teasing, bullying, and impatience were practically nonexistent ( as most of us know there's always that one or those few that have to ruin a good thing). The most exhilarating thing for me as a teacher and parent was that even in those rare moments when  a moment may arise the youths, adolescents came to the rescue and aid of their peers recognizing that they are all in camp as one group of all of God's children.

Every time I witnessed these glorious acts that made my heart smile I wondered why was it so hard for all children to understand and empathize as these children had and come to a consensus? Why was the world at large so behind, not mention the little ole island of St. Thomas? I came to one conclusion, our culture.

Culture is derived through the experiences of norms and values held within a society and in the Virgin Islands, we have the 'solid as a rock' mentality. We condition our children to be "hard" and tough inadvertently making them unsympathetic and unable to empathize with others.  As adults and parents we are guilty of the same mistakes accusing parents of not "training" their children and that they need "blows" (corporal punishment) when truthfully we just don't believe that everyone and child is different and most of them can't help their actions.

My fellow Virgin Islands, parents, professionals; by brothers and sisters please let us change this part of our culture and recognize the need for empathy in this world for those who need it and the rest that sincerely deserve it. Children and adults with special needs did not make the choice to do things differently; they actually had no choice.


The views expressed within this blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the youths of the U. S Virgin Islands visit https://www.usviearlychildhoodlearning.blogspot.com . For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Extra Curricula Activities since IrmaMaria.

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

Life Long Lessons: St. Croix

    In a season that usually celebrates promotional exercises and vacations I have grown fond of watching the endless pictures of graduations from preschool to college. I can't speak for everyone else but it makes me reminisce on adolescent memories, lost opportunities and life-long lessons! As I scroll through my news feeds and read the paper during this season I sometimes feel a sense of pride recognizing my career choice does matter ( even though I get horrible hours, make minimum wage, and am constantly ridiculed). Today I was stripped of such after reading Facebook posts about adolescent twin boys ( from St. Croix) that will not be able to participate in their graduation. While this was completely their own faults and choice according to reports by the associated press I'm shocked at the stance many have taken with regards to the consequences set forth by the U.S Virgin Islands Department of Education.

     Parents and teachers alike spent time coaching, training, and teaching adolescents to become responsible citizens that can contribute to our society beginning from the early years. We have become a society that makes excuses for our children rather than letting them learn.

    While it is sincerely terrible that these young men, the epitome of many of our young men, will be deprived of this epic opportunity they were given a choice and they had to choose what was best for their futures. It was all their choices from beginning to end.

    Just like the world we live in today everyone has to face the consequences of their actions. While the circumstances are unfortunate these young men have just received a life lesson they will never forget.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Curricula Standards & Benchmarks

Quick & Simple Classroom Management Tips

I'm sure we've all heard of the old saying 'you live and you learn'; well I've certainly learned a lot in the past six months and I thought it wise to pay it forward as I know I still have much more learning to do. I would also like to quickly touch on a topic that I think is usually taken for granted and that is mentoring. While I think it pertinent to find ways to incorporate mentoring and apprenticeships within our educational institutions, I also think that there is an important aspect being ignored which is the mentorship of new teachers. Having mentors ensure that we are continually able to pass our cultural traditions on through educational lessons as well as bridge the old with the new. While there are many new practices in early childhood and education in a whole over the last few decades they have all come with a great deal of good and they were all also build on the backs of the previous generation. Encourage others you know to mentor new professionals entering their field. It does not mean that they have 'vouched' for them but rather taken time out to share some of the experiences they have learned within the classroom. For new professionals adopt a mentor, tell them how much you value their professionalism and would like to learn more about their journey through professional development in a hopes to find peace within your own niche.  

Now that we've gotten through how I got my idea for this blog post let's actually get to the post. Within the last six months I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing individuals, all with a vast variety of techniques and methods for classroom management. Being the inquisitive individual I am I decided to try a few of these classroom management tips or 'diffusers' and I found five to be effective hands down with different age groups. As I mentioned before I decided to share them in the hopes of continually 'paying it forward' and I hope that others will too share their ideas and experiences as well. So without further adieu, these are my quick simple classroom management tips! 

  

Quick & Simple Classroom Management Tips 

1. Give clear and concise directions 

• Post classroom rules and expectations within eye level and sight range. Use teachable moments to reinforce the need for rules and consequences if necessary 

2. Engaging work alternatives for students who finish earlier 

• Use learning areas/ stations with engaging manipulatives as resources to aid in lessons 

3. Engaging energetic activities 

• Play student oriented music during transitions and encourage them to dance and re-energize themselves. I've personally become partial to the Jammin Minute videos that are engaging ways to exercise while having fun. As school across the nation participate there are many video to different songs that can be found via YouTube and incorporated into any routine; you can even add your own! 

4. Rearranging furniture  

• Redecorating can have powerful positive effects on the environment and may possibly changing the tone in your classroom; restructuring/ rotating learning areas and tools or even student partners can also attribute to a positive environment for learning 

5. Humor 

• Reading age appropriate comic strips or even using spontaneous moments to encourage laughter in the classroom. The classroom should be viewed as neutral place where they can have fun and learn, usually giving students the opportunity to laugh at the teacher is usually ideal and always calls for response. 

  

Regardless of your teaching style, culture, or the environment in which you live I'm sure you can agree that an engaging activity can usually set a positive tone within the atmosphere. With that being said I believe the greatest tool to classroom management is to model and display a mutual sense of respect within reasonable bounds. It is understandable that a line must be drawn between teacher and student to many great reasons but role modeling a mutual sense of respect for all regardless of everything is a lesson that students can take with them throughout their lives and one in this day and age that many would say they need.  

  

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Too Much Violence: USVI Shootings Near Preschools, USVI Shootings Near Preschool's 2, and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student