The other fifth grade intern and I were invited on the overnight trip to Camp Schmidt with our students. We were extremely excited until we saw that it was forecasted to rain the entire time - and, boy, did it rain! Although the weather was less than desirable, it was an experience that I am so glad to have been a part of and one that I will never forget.
We taught the problem-solving course. Students had to work collaboratively to figure out how to complete four tasks. The first was to swing across a pit of "quicksand" using a rope that was hanging directly in the middle of the pit. They had to figure out a.) how to get the rope without stepping in the quicksand and b.) the best technique to swing over the pit without touching. The second challenge was to fit the entire group (between 10 and 12 students) onto a tiny platform. Students struggled with this and not single group was successful. The third activity was the "electric fence" where students had to get through the holes in the fence without touching and part of it. And finally, they had to get over "THE WALL." The wall was almost 8 feet high and students had to work together to get over it. Almost every student was successful and the only ones who weren't refused to try. It was so interesting and entertaining to see how the students worked as a team to get over and through the various obstacles.
Although the activities were fun (students also went on a ropes course and a nature walk, worked on mapping skills, and explored the stream), there were several things that really had me concerned. For one, the walk to the dining hall was almost a mile away and we ate their three times during our stay. All three times, students and chaperones were left behind! I was left behind two out of three times! It was frustrating to see that the individuals in charge really had no idea who was missing from the group and were not concerned enough to wait for them.
I also was extremely bothered by the emphasis that was placed on scaring the students to the point that they were reduced to tears. The story is that Camp Schmidt was built on an old plantation owned by the Clutch family and that Old Man Clutch still haunted the grounds. Although these are "mature" fifth graders, many of the students were sobbing hysterically through the night, too terrified to sleep because of the stories. To increase their terror, one of the teachers and the other intern thought it would be funny to bang on the windows and doors of the cabins and further traumatize the students as they were trying to get to bed. For many students, this was their first night away from home in an unfamiliar environment and they were already scared based on that alone. I'm not sure what part of scaring children is funny, but, regardless, I felt that it was completely inappropriate, unnecessary, and cruel.
