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CAMP TREETOPS

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Practical Application of Progressive Educational Theory
Location: Camp Treetops, Lake Placid, NY.
Length: Minimum of 320 hours of supervised field experience (8 weeks) in a residential summer recreation program; in addition, 16 hours of initial classroom orientation, lectures, and workshops, and 6 one-hour seminars with course instructors.
Dates: June 2002 - Present.
Objectives: Explain basic principles of progressive educational theory as they have evolved from the work of John Dewey and the influence of these principles on education in the United States in the twentieth century; plan and implement activities appropriate in a summer camp setting that are consistent with the principles of progressive education expounded by Dewey and his contemporary followers; explain the concept of individual differences and needs of children; work with individual children on goal-setting and achievement of those goals; describe and apply concepts of disciplining with dignity, conflict resolution, and civic and social responsibility; describe techniques for motivating children; develop activities that provide children with opportunities to solve meaningful problems, develop decision-making skills and have fun; describe and apply principles of fostering a non-competitive environment that emphasizes fun and learning for children.
Instruction: Participants in this program work as counselors in a residential summer recreation program under the direct supervision of professionally qualified staff. In addition to working with children on a daily basis, students meet weekly in groups with facilitators from the camp’s professional staff to discuss assigned readings and their application to their experiences as counselors. The students keep a journal in which they analyze and evaluate their experiences and reflect on the readings. During the summer the students will plan and lead a number of activities that will be assessed by course facilitators. The learning experience emphasizes the following topics: John Dewey, Ted Sizer and the Coalition for Essential Schools, history of Camp Treetops, introduction to child psychology, management of groups of children, conflict resolution, decision making, problem solving, physical and emotional challenges of children.
Credit recommendation: In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, or in the upper division baccalaureate degree category, 6 semester hours as an elective in Education or Recreation (5/02) (7/07 revalidation).

Updated 1/11/08

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