Transformative Learning That Makes Sense
No matter how much you like the idea of camp, skipping a year of school is not an option. That’s why every camper continues his education throughout his time at camp.
School That Doesn’t Feel Like School
Like regular school, camp curriculum has clear learning objectives, defined methods, and evaluations to make sure students are making progress.
But the experience for a boy who hates school couldn’t be more different.
At camp, there’s a lot less sitting still and memorizing answers. And a lot more honest calluses, proud accomplishments, and thrilling discoveries.
Sometimes this style of learning is called experiential education. You could also call it learning by living.
The key difference is this: in camp, most learning happens through real-world tasks, accomplishments, and adventures.
In school, the wrong answer might result in a red X or a poor grade. Those may not mean much to a boy who doesn’t see the point of school anyway.
But at camp, a miscalculation can mean the tent won’t shed water or we don’t get to the destination we were hiking to. Because getting things wrong has real consequences, we have no choice but to work on problems together until we find a solution that works.
Learning like this makes sense to boys, and it can change their mindset toward school. Often, campers who were failing in school before camp start making real progress when they return.
Allegany Boys Camp is a religiously-affiliated private school registered with the State of Maryland. Your high-school-age child will get an accredited transcript from his time at camp.
Learn How to Talk to Your Boy About Camp
Class Is Everywhere
Every hour of a boy’s day at camp brings fresh opportunities to learn. This includes academic subjects, but it also includes practical life skills: the hard work, creative problem-solving, and social mastery we all need to succeed at home, at school, and in the workplace.
Sometimes counselors create organic learning opportunities and guide the group through exploring a new concept. Other times, a boy takes an interest in a subject, like airplanes or biology, and the rest of the group catches his enthusiasm and digs into it together.
This kind of motivated learning can be triggered by anything from a chance observation in the woods to a tidbit of world news.
Learning by Living
The following snapshot of a typical camp adventure shows how learning by living works in practice:
01.
The Pioneer group is planning a canoe trip downriver, and everyone is psyched to make it happen.
02.
Boys pore over encyclopedias and other references in the camp library to learn everything they can about the river (Science). Some write articles about what they’re learning (Language Arts). A few share what they’ve learned with the rest of the camp (Public Speaking), and some write a formal business letter to the local DNR office asking about plant and animal life on the river (more Language Arts).
03.
After weeks of prep, they all head out on the canoes. Everything they studied and discussed comes to life as they paddle downriver. They know where they’re going. They understand the links between the plants and animals around them. They kick back and enjoy the trip, proud to know their own hard work and careful planning made it all possible.
An adventure like this gives a boy a rush of discovery, competence, and mastery that compels him to learn more. Every day at camp brings new motivations to learn and grow, and before he knows it, he’s hooked on school.
See the Latest Camp Adventures
Staying on Track
Even though camp education doesn’t involve many textbooks, it is intentional and carefully structured. Read on for subject-by-subject examples of how camp activities keep your child’s learning on track.
Math
Language Arts
Reading
Writing
Science
Social Studies
Home Economics
Physical Education
And much more...
As you can see, “learning by living” rarely involves just one academic subject area at a time. From learning to sing and play instruments to restocking fish in local waters, to honoring and practicing leadership, education at camp is layered, constant, and life-wide.
Before and After
To see how the learning by living approach can transform a boy’s academic accomplishments, check out these actual writing samples from one of our campers.
See If Camp Is a Good Fit for Your Boy
