Workshop References, Videos & Links

Barry Smith
Aug 4, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Jun 14

No Such Thing as a Bad Kid

Part I

Introductions
Opening Discussion Questions

First Activity: Make a new friend.

Part II

Activity : CAMPER BINGO

What is the difference between a mentor and a camp counselor, teacher, coach, manager, supervisor?

Focus on the Strength-based strategies for working with youth.

PART III

What kinds of problems are you anticipating?

🌞 Opening Discussion Questions for Summer Camp Staff

Theme: “No Such Thing as a Bad Kid” – Creating Connection & Understanding in Everyday Moments

1. What qualities make a child “easy” to work with?

How might that shape how we treat them?
What about kids who don’t fit that mold?

2. What kinds of behavior or moments challenge your patience most during camp?

How do you usually respond—and how does it go?

3. Have you ever had a moment where you realized a kid wasn’t “acting out”—they just needed something?

What was it, and how did you respond?

4. What helps a child feel safe, included, and like they belong at camp?

What can you do in your role to support that?

5. Think back to a kid who made a big impression on you in a past program. What stood out about them—and what did they need most from you?

6. If every kid at camp this summer was treated like they mattered deeply, what might change in how we run things?

How would it feel for them—and for you?

What do you think it means to have a strength-based approach?

🧠 The Story Behind the Behavior

Goal: Build empathy by looking deeper than surface behavior.

Instructions:

Each group selects a “behavior”

A. A child throws a chair

B. A camper takes off without telling a counsellor

C. 2 campers get into a physical altercation

D. You hear 3 campers teasing and bullying another child

E. A camper always sits by themselves and does not have any friends

F. At the end of the day the same child always acts up right before it is time to leave.

Discuss:
- What could be going on beneath the behavior?
- How can you respond without labeling the child as “bad”?
- What strength might the child be showing?

Debrief: Shift the question from “What’s wrong with this kid?” to “What happened to this kid?”

6 Habits of Highly Effective Camp Counsellors

#1. Be Proactive

#2. Begin each shift with the end in mind.

#3. Think Win-Win. Set them up for success.

#4. Listen.

#5. Be respectful to the child’s parent/parents

#6. Self-Care – Self Management

Breakout Activity

🔥 Trigger Tracker

Goal: Build self-awareness in challenging moments.

Instructions:

Think of a time a kid’s behavior really got under your skin.
As a group, discuss:
- What was your internal story or assumption?
- What emotion came up in you?
- What could you do differently next time (pause, reframe, respond)?

Stimulus vs. Response.

3 Questions to ask yourself when faced with a challenging behaviors:

#1. Awareness - how am I feeling?

#2. What does this child need or want?

#3. Ask yourself, what is the best solution?

🎯 Closing Activity : “Campfire Reflections”

Goal: Create a sense of calm reflection and collective insight, just like gathering around a fire at the end of a camp day.

🔹 Instructions:

Everyone sits in a circle.
Each person answers one of the following prompts:
- “One thing I’m taking with me from today is…”
- “One way I want to show up for kids this summer is…”
- “One thing I want to remember on tough days is…”

You can pass around a talking object (e.g., pinecone or marker) to guide the turn-taking.

What can this approach (beyond strength-based ) be used for?

Complex problem solving
Career development
Student support plans
Coaching and Teaching
Personal Development

Articulating Meaning: Building Language

Integrating differentiating Perspectives

The Rubik's Cube Solution Guide

🔠 CORE ELEMENTS (How You Make Sense of the Situation)

Integrating Differentiating Perspectives
- Prompt: Each side of the cube has a different color. What happens when we only focus on one side?
- Activity: Reflect in pairs on how this mirrors life/work problems with multiple sides (e.g., personal goals vs. family expectations).
Articulating Meaning
- Prompt: What does this challenge mean to you personally (frustration, fun, confidence)?
- Activity: Write and share 1–2 sentences about your personal connection to problem-solving.
Rationalizing Perception
- Prompt: What did you think when first handed the cube? "I can't do this" or "Let's figure this out"?
- Activity: Unpack how your first thought influenced your willingness to try.

🧠 THINKING ELEMENTS (How You Process and Evaluate Information)

Contemplating Ideas
- Activity: Experiment with the cube for 2 minutes. Notice patterns? Try strategies?
- Debrief: Discuss with a partner what you tried and what helped.
Valuing Knowledge
- Activity: Learn the first official step (e.g., solving the white cross).
- Discussion: How does knowledge change how you approach the puzzle?
Harmonizing Information
- Prompt: How do your thinking, emotions, and new knowledge blend together?
- Activity: Journal or group discussion about how logic and emotion both show up in your process.

🛠️ DOING ELEMENTS (How You Plan and Act)

Assessing Quality
- Activity: Review what worked/didn’t work so far. What patterns emerged?
- Discussion: Compare random vs. intentional moves.
Planning Strategies
- Activity: Set a plan for solving the next step using what you've learned.
- Career Link: How can this habit of planning next steps help in job or training decisions?
Adapting Resources
- Twist: Swap cubes with another person – reapply your knowledge in a new situation.
- Debrief: Talk about how you adapted your strategy and stayed flexible.