In the next few weeks, I will be teaching at a gifted camp for the fourth year in a row. You get the same type of kids each year-- you know the ones... they have a lot going for them: parents who care where they go after high school, strong opinions, exceedingly brilliant minds... and last but not least, they lack social skills. The purpose of these camps is to not only inspire and stimulate intellectual neurons, but also to encourage social interactions with like individuals. We all desire to be around people who are like us... and because of this, I love the premise behind a gifted camp.
The whole "academic camp" experience really is a lot of fun, and the girls I always have are just so sweet. It's sadly mostly the boys who have more awkward social issues. Nothing beats the little J of Summer 2006's "insult" of telling someone that "I wish she would just go to 7734!!!" Obviously, I had the look of confusion until the proverbial light bulb illuminated above my head. He meant 7734 on a calculator. Now turn that upside down. Yes, he just told some girl to go to the "naughty place" via a calculator's numbers. Oh, the interesting times at gifted camp. These kids truly crack me up.
Thankfully, I will be teaching English-related classes and can really get the kids involved in writing. One is a middle school class and another is a high school class. I'm slightly worried seeing as that I'm trained to teach ELEMENTARY grades. Quite honestly, not a big fan of the older kiddos; I just fit better with the spunk and energy of a first grader. However, each summer, I fall in love with these middle school girls and their quirky, awkward ways. They teach me something about life or show me something that makes me question or reevaluate my perception of people. I went through that same strange stage they are going through... it is nice to hear their stories.
It's an overall good job for a teacher. For just three weeks of the summer, you can teach, bond with kids, make new friends, go on fun 24-hour days off trips, and make really good money for such a short amount of time. That will always leave me the rest of the summer to travel! It's a good life. :)
- Miss Chelsea :)
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2 comments:
Next summer, maybe I will try and get in on this camp thing :)
You totally should! :) I can hook you up like I did with Faith (she's the third girls' housemaster at Amherst... Saba is the second). hee hee
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