Devising methods to reinforce and reward desired behaviours is one of the biggest challenges of schools and camps. Motivating campers to speak French is no exception.
When a camper goes out of their way to utilize their French language skills in casual conversation, it is magical, and we want to reinforce it as much as possible. In our early years, we recognized our campers’ efforts in the French language with what we called a ‘sticker system,’ in which each group would be given a certain amount of stickers to win each day. At the end of every camp week, the group with the most stickers, and therefore the group who spoke the most French, won prizes. In recent years, we have begun to reward not only French but behaviour as well, by introducing what we call the “Badge system.”
The philosophy behind our custom-designed Badge system is to recognize certain behaviours as well as efforts with French by awarding our campers specific badges at the end of each camp day. Each camper receives a badge card, colour-coded per week, which they will cumulate their badges and take home on Friday as a recognition of their achievements. At the end of each day, every camp counsellor will give out specific badges to campers who have distinguished themselves in one of the many categories we have identified, which include:
- Positive Attitude
- Team Spirit
- Respect
- French Effort & French Improvement
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According to the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families in Washington, DC, if empathy and kindness is reinforced in fun, casual atmospheres, it will help to increase your child’s emotional awareness and cognitive reactions to other people’s emotions. It could also improve their social skills later in life. By reinforcing team building and respect in a carefree camp setting, we allow the campers to see the results of positive gestures.
As parents, we want to help mold our kids into caring, empathetic adults. It is no different here at Camp Tournesol. We want to continue to help the campers develop not only as French-language speakers but also as caring, socially conscious friends and citizens of the world! We know that their time at Camp Tournesol will help your children on this Path!
