"Moving On Up"! Camp Summer Plus Builds Students' Confidence and Self-Esteem

Imagine yourself as a grade three student preparing for the Grade Four Literacy Test you will face next year. Imagine the pressure and frustration you would feel if you were so significantly behind academically that you could not spell your name, or even recognize letters. This is the situation of some of the children who attended Camp Summer Plus (CSP) 2011, which provided summer learning opportunities for students in grade three who were performing below grade level in literacy and numeracy.Raising self-esteem is one of the major challenges for these students as past academic failure has battered their confidence. During CSP 2011, teachers increased self-esteem by building an atmosphere inspired by the theme “Moving on up”. The song from the hit 1970s television series, The Jeffersons, reinforced the “I can do it” atmosphere, which is critical to achieving goals and persevering despite difficulties.The creation of a safe and supportive learning environment also played a key role in encouraging the grade three children to take risks despite previous difficulties. The camp’s stable environment was matched by a caring staff, producing a vibrant and friendly social climate that was conducive to learning.The names of the classrooms (Champions, Medalists, Hurdlers, Rising Stars, and Sprinters) formed part of the positive environment and conveyed the camp’s goal of facilitating academic improvement. “Academic Leaders” (CSP teachers) designated a space for displaying students’ work, and rewarding performance on homework, quizzes, behavior, and dedication to hard work.One of the best things visitors to the camp will observe is the positive interpersonal relationship between camp staff and the children. Children received ample attention from “Aunts” and “Uncles” who helped them with academic tasks, listened to them, and encouraged them with “high-fives” and a lot of praise. Camp Summer Plus demonstrated that a key part of promoting learning involves creating a climate that is emotionally positive and supportive. For children to persevere in the classroom, it is important to create a space where they know they will have unconditional support and encouragement.