2. Looking In The Mirror:
How to Reflect, Process
and Better Understand
Your Summer CampSteve Maguire, M.Ed.
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5. 1) Take what you want and leave
the rest!
2) Participation –
“Voluntarily Mandatory”
3) The absence of your phone will
offend no one. Thanks.
4) Be happy
6. Look at 5 areas to get better…
• Infrastructure… Why are ‘things’ the way
they are? Flow patterns, organization
• Staffing… How is your staff with kids and
with each other?
• Physical Plant… Landscaping, conditions
of areas, safety, beautification?
7. Look at 5 areas to get better…
• Customer Service… How do you follow up
with everyone? Who and What is the
voice of your camp? How’s your word of
mouth?
• Campers… How’s enrollment? How’s
retention? How many new campers?
How are you meeting diverse needs?
8. For the next 6 minutes please…
Please make groups of 2 and talk/write
about how you think your camp can
improve in one of the following areas…
• Infrastructure – Flow patterns, organization
• Staffing – How is staff with kids and each other?
• Physical Plant – landscaping, safety, buildings
• Customer service – Follow up, word on mouth
• Campers – enrollment, retention,
9. Real Reflective Organizational Health
Practices Require EVERYONE to …
• Be Honest
• Be Transparent
• Be Emotionally Vulnerable
• Accept Flaws
• Have a Willingness to get better
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12. With Reflective Practice think about…
•How did we get
here? (It’s finding out the why and how, not the blame game!)
• With both positive/successful areas as well as
around areas that need improvement!
13. Infrastructure… Can we do this faster, more
efficiently, smoother? – hear from you!
Sometimes the answer is no. However, try to avoid
“It is what it is.”
15. Staffing... Let’s hear from you!
• Great staff create the heart and
soul of a great summer camp!
• “How was your counselor?”
“What was your counselor like?”
16. “Staff may forget what
you say, but they will
never forget how you
make them feel.”
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18. The ever changing 4 Kinds of staff –
Admin Self-evaluation
•100%er
•Foundationer
•Along for the rider
•Anchor
19. “When it comes to reflecting
on staff behavior and
expectations, camps are as
successful as what they
tolerate”
Mid-summer booze!
20. Physical Plant – Let’s hear
from you!
• EVERYONE CAN AFFORD TO…
* PAINT
* CUT THE GRASS
* IMPROVE YOUR SIGNAGE
* PICK UP AND MAKE TRASH INVSISIBLE
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48. We need to look for
opportunities to create
more shade and provide
more water in/on the
physical plant!
72. The kids – Let’s hear from you!
• Is your staff kid centered? Is ANY staff kid
centered?
• Interview question # 1: “What do you think of
kids?”
• What are we offering from a program perspective
that kids will love?
• How can we be more camper centered?