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A COUNSELORS CHECKLIST
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Here are some thoughts we have asked the counselors to ask themselves and to think about as they begin to prepare for the important summer ahead and to look after the most important people in your family’s life! We think this will give you a good idea of the type of people we have asked to be Counselors at Camp Cadicasu!
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- How did I get into this leadership thing? What do I have to give? Do I realize that each of have something to share…Can I look into my real self and find something very special –that only I can give?
- Have I as a Counselor read and understood the Counselor manual? Can I buy into the things that are being asked of me?
- How do I handle confrontations? Do I as a Counselor think before I act?
- Do I wonder why the camper is behaving that way? Does she/he come from a family in conflict, remembering all behavior is caused? Perhaps the camper has low self esteem; perhaps they just can cope anymore.
- Can I stop before I act…and then do whatever is necessary in a caring loving and thoughtful way?
- Have I as a Counselor taken advantage of all the resources that have been offered to me at staff training sessions, by the director, chaplain, program director and the other senior staff?
- Do I know where the camp library is and what it contains? Do I really know enough about out trips, horseback riding, programming, camp spirituality program, monitoring/supervision, communication, Counselor in Training program, camp rules and terms of reference?
- As a Counselor what kinds of role model am I and want to be? How can I ask of the campers to be active, fun, loving and caring individuals if I am not one?
- Do I as a Counselor remember the importance of others? How unique we all are. Each person on camp can be a gift to get to know, understand and care for.
- As a Counselor can I use the opportunity to learn from the campers? Can I share their wonder, life and God’s gifts? Am I willing to share my gifts and talents with the campers and fellow staff?
- Can I stand to make mistakes and find I am not perfect? Can I learn from my mistakes and move on? Can I forgive my self for making the mistakes and if not why not?
- As a Counselor can I live in harmony with others-and if I can’t, do I have the self confidence that I can either talk with the person, or if not speak with a senior staff member to work out the problem? Do I have a desire to make things better?
- As a Counselor do I take time to listen to others? As a Counselor can I take constructive criticism? Can I act fairly?
- Do I as a Counselor know and accept how to be loved and love? Am I willing to risk? Am I willing to share my feelings?
- As a Counselor am I prepared to welcome campers to camp and help them to leave camp?
- As a Counselor how do I cope with emergencies? Have I read all the rules and regulations and procedures? Do I know how to do them?
- As a Counselor have I prepared activities, such as games, songs and activities that are age group specific? Have I tried them out? Will they work for campers of various skills and interest levels?
- Do I know how to adapt the week’s program for the needs of that week’s specific group? Before I respond to a situation do I carefully analyze and assess it? Is it necessary to make an immediate decision?
- Can I define the problem? Who is involved? Having identified the problem, what are the feelings of those involved? Are there any camp policies to help with the decision? What has worked in the past?
- What is the maturity of the group? Are they ready and willing to solve the problem? Should I defer the decision to someone else? And after the decision has been made is the problem really solved? Did I check back on the situation at a later time to ascertain that the problem was indeed solved or were you just fooling yourself? Was it the best decision in light of the solution? How could the situation have been avoided?
- As a Counselor am I flexible? Have I gotten myself so well organized that I won’t be upset by change or new ideas?
- As a Counselor do I sometimes forget ”THAT GROWING UP CAN SOMETIMES BE TOUGH”?
- As a Counselor, what is my motivation for running a particular activity? Is it possible that my reason for running the activity is to fulfill my agenda and not that of the campers?
- As a Counselor do I care for my campers as I would like them to care for each other?
- As a Counselor do I take my campers seriously? As counselors do you take your campers suggestions seriously?
- As a Counselor, do I ask my campers “what do you think?” and then listen to what they have to say and act on their suggestions?
- AS A COUNCELOR DO I FOLLOW THE COUNSEL OF ST. FRANCIS?
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