CAMP DISCIPLINE POLICY

9. The Responsible Thinking Classroom is a place where the camper receives individual help with opportunity to succeed.

10. The Responsible Thinking Classroom is a place where the campers learn that others care about them.

11. The Responsible Thinking Classroom is a place where the camper is taught self-control, also known as responsible thinking.

12. The Responsible Thinking Classroom is a place where campers go when they refuse to obey the rules in any camp area.

13. The Responsible Thinking Classroom has as its purpose to assure the success of all campers who want to succeed.

14. A camper is never sent to the Responsible Thinking Classroom. Failure to obey the rules in any camp area is tantamount to a camper’s choice to go to the Responsible Thinking Classroom.

The Responsible Thinking Classroom Atmosphere

1. The Responsible Thinking Classroom has a supervising teacher.

2. The Responsible Thinking Classroom teacher works individually with campers in the class.

3. The Responsible Thinking Classroom teacher is important to its success.

4. The Responsible Thinking Classroom teacher teaches how to construct an effective performance plan.

5. Parents may need to be contacted.

6. Camper performance plans may be coordinated with parents, campers, and teachers.

7. The responsible thinking teacher is a conduit for a camper to move through the most efficient process for individual success.

The Responsible Thinking Classroom Rules

1. Each camper will sit in a seat assigned by the Responsible Thinking Classroom teacher.

2. A camper is not allowed to talk with other campers in the Responsible Thinking Classroom.

3. A camper is not allowed to disrupt other campers in the Responsible Thinking Classroom.

4. Things a camper may do in the Responsible Thinking Classroom:

· stare at wall

· work on plan

· read

· put head on desk

· sleep or rest (if necessary)

5. If a camper disrupts the Responsible Thinking Classroom, the camper has two choices:

· a choice to act responsibly

· a choice to go home until willing to obey the rules

6. If the camper chooses to go home, if he should choose to return to camp, he/she must return to the Responsible Thinking Classroom and must follow the procedure required to return to the class from which he/she originally came to the responsible thinking class.

Some Definitions

1. Discipline: Discipline is teaching the camper to respect the rights of others by learning to obey rules through responsible thinking.

2. Punishment: Punishment is trying to change a camper’s behavior by hurting him/her, either physically or verbally, or giving them no options or choices.

3. Good discipline plan: A good discipline plan provides opportunities for a camper to learn the necessary responsible thinking that will enable them to think and act responsibly.

When Should Discipline Be Used?

1. Basic assumptions:

A. In general, campers are given progressively more freedom according to their ability to handle camp privileges.

B. In a ministry such as AWFR, the more a camper can demonstrate the ability and willingness to act appropriately in social situations, the more privileges they can be given.

C. Since campers live together in close confines, all need to respect the rights of others by following established rules and standards.

D. In camp teaching situations, the teacher has the right to teach and every camper has the right to learn.

2. When a camper acts in ways that keep a teacher from teaching and keep other campers from learning, or in ways that bring harm to himself/herself, there is a discipline problem that demand attention.

3. Any type of disruption that acts as a disturbance to others who are trying to achieve camp goals constitutes a violation of the rights of others.

4. Some actions, although undesirable, are not discipline problems that disturb others; for example, forgetting to bring paper, pencil, or Bible to class, daydreaming, not wearing name tag.

5. The following actions indicate that responsible thinking training is required (representative, but not exhaustive):

· a camper bothers another while the latter is trying to learn

· one camper hits, pushes, shoves, or trips another

· a camper speaks out while another camper is speaking

· a camper comes into class late

· a camper throws something during class

· a camper distracts another camper while the latter is listening during a teaching session

· a camper takes what belongs to another camper

· a camper makes fun of another camper

· a camper interrupts conversations

· a camper fails to treat all others with respect

6. Discipline should always be tied to lack of respect for others, for example, the uninvited intrusion into the activities or private concerns of another camper.

Establishing Discipline

1. Establishing discipline in the home:

· Parents should have an agreed-to strategy for raising their children, especially when it comes to establishing the rules and standards of the home.

· Parents should be fair and consistent in the treatment of children.

· Specifically established rules allow the children to gain responsibility in a secure environment.

· Problems can be expected from campers if discipline has not been established in the home.

2. Establishing discipline at camp:

· It is critical that teachers, counselors, and administrators work together to develop and implement camp standards and rules.

· In order for a camp staff to succeed, they must continually align their goals with other members of the team, and they must understand as a team what behavior campers need to modify.

3. Campers must learn to live with the different individual personalities of camp leaders. These differences merely prepare the camper for life.

Setting Rules and Standards

1. Whether people live or work together, they have to learn to get along together.

2. Living in accordance with standards and rules is something all children must learn if they are going to be able to function effectively wherever they live.

3. There are always consequences that flow from not following rules or standards.

4. When a camper persists in breaking the rules, he/she should be given a choice of whether or not he/she wants to be removed from wherever he/she is to the more restricted area known as the Responsible Thinking Classroom.

5. The requirement for the camper to return to the area from which he/she chose to leave is to work on an effective performance plan when a similar problem arises in the future.

6. Responsible thinking is taught when campers are given choices, and from this they learn that whatever happens is in their hands.

7. When campers are disruptive and hurtful to others, AWFR will already have some established standards with which to assist the administration in dealing with them.

8. When a camper is not willing to obey camp rules or follow camp standards, he/she should be asked to name the various choices he/she has and to explain the consequences that will result from making the choices.

9. Consequences should include loss of privileges related to the responsible choice they refuse to make.

10. Restrictions and loss of privileges must result from a camper’s unwillingness to work at resolving his/her problem.

11. Lifting restrictions and returning privileges should be tied to a camper having committed to a specific effective performance plan to resolve his/her problem.

Rewards and Punishment

A system that produces desired behavior because a reward is forthcoming or because of fear of punishment does not teach a camper how to resolve his/her problem with divine problem solving devices.

What Should Happen When a Camper Breaks a Rule?

1. When a camper refuses to obey the rules in any camp environment, the key to successful discipline is to offer him/her choices, so he/she can choose where he/she wants to be.

2. The camper should be given the freedom to choose the level of social contact at which he/she is willing to act responsibly.

3. A camper should through his own choice experience the loss of the privilege associated with staying where he/she is until he/she is willing to accept responsibility for his/her actions.

4. If a camper refuses to obey the rules in any camp setting, he/she must be given alternative choices: choose to obey the rules or choose the Responsible Thinking Classroomroom.

5. Children know who is in authority and who is not, and they are willing to deal with those they perceive to have authority.

6. When campers gather for a common purpose, there is an unspoken agreement to accept the rules and standards common to both the activity and the environment.

7. Respect for others is part of every culture and is a necessary part of living in harmony with others.

8. There are always established rules and standards. Campers learn from experience that there are particular standards and rules for every situation.

9. Whenever a camper violates the rights of others by refusing to obey the rules and standards of wherever they are, they should be given the choice of being allowed to stay and obey the rules and standards or leave where they are, reducing their social environment until such time that they are willing to commit to following the rules and standards and making an effective performance plan to resolve similar problems in the future.

10. When campers cannot act responsibly in particular situations, then they choose to forfeit the associated privileges.

11. Whenever a camper disrupts and refuses to obey rules, there must be a place for him to go until he is willing to commit to following the rules. That place is the Responsible Thinking Classroom.

12. When a camper is in conflict, time and patience are needed as he/she attempts to reorganize his/her thoughts and decide what he/she really wants.

13. If a human being is pushed rather than given alternative choices, that person will react according to what is currently important to him/her, and not to what someone in authority wants.

14. If adults continually make decisions for campers, who will make responsible choices for them when adults aren’t available. Campers should be taught to think for themselves.