Curriculum
Though Chinatown is a community that has been historically affected by social, health, and land development issues and currently faces overcrowding, gentrification, and crime and poverty, it is also a vibrant, tight-knit community with a rich and proud history. Such a community needs enthusiastic young leaders who understand Chinatown’s history, know its current role in the city of Boston, and have the academic, personal, and social skills to advocate on behalf of the area. This summer, Chinatown Adventure 2010 will help its 80 campers to develop such skills, to become aware of their surroundings, and to become empowered through leadership experience and the growth of self-confidence.
Senior and Junior Counselors developed a daily educational curriculum that incorporated at least half an hour of math instruction and half an hour of literary practice a day. Counselors of the younger groups gave lessons in basic arithmetic and supplemented their teaching with flashcards and games, while older grades introduced algebra and incorporated math into other subject areas through the use of graphs and charts. Campers in all groups wrote in journals daily, usually in response to creative writing prompts that related to other lessons, to field trips or to current events. Outside of that, counselors took into consideration camper interests, strengths, and needs for improvement when planning other classroom activities. Last summer, Group 2 had an animal-themed week that included lessons on the characteristics of major animal groups, art projects, outdoor searches for wildlife, and a trip to the aquarium. In their unit on government, Group 5 learned about different administrative systems and designed their own countries, complete with economic, education, and healthcare systems. The two oldest groups incorporated Chinatown tours and local history into their curricula, then traveled to New York City to expand their area of reference and to compare their own community to another of larger size.
All groups took part in a variety of afternoon field trips around the greater Boston area designed to supplement classroom lesson plans and expose campers to new environments and experiences outside of their own community. Our new location at 65 Harrison Ave, right in the heart of Chinatown, placed us close to Red and Orange Line MBTA stops, allowing for safe and easy transportation to locations including the Arnold Arboretum, the National Braille Press, the USS Constitution, and the art and science museums of Harvard University. Several field trips, including the Boston Museum of Science, provided the opportunity for Group 6 and 7 campers to take on a leadership role and pair up with Little Sibs in the two youngest grades, adding to our emphasis on inter-age cooperation.
Under the guidance and mentorship of the administrative directors, Junior Counselors were given opportunities to develop their own leadership skills. For “JC Hour” each week, Junior Counselors designed and led their own activity, assuming responsibility for the classroom. Junior Counselors also collaborated to plan and run the camp-wide Field Day at the end of the summer.
Some Programming Highlights
LITERATURE AND ARTS MAGAZINE: CHAD continued its yearly tradition of publishing campers’ written work, showcasing their creative talents and growth in literacy. Campers from Groups 1 through 7 submitted journal entries, short stories, and classroom projects, compiling a keepsake of their ambitions and imagination.
YEARBOOK: Students spent the final morning of camp signing each other’s yearbooks, printed with the Literary Magazine, preserving the friendships and memories they formed with both counselors and fellow counselors over the summer.
FIELD DAY: For this full-day event, organized by the Junior Counselors, campers formed mixed-age, color-coded teams and competed in several active, safe, outdoor events that emphasized close teamwork and full-group participation. Working with the assistance of the Directors, Junior Counselors planned activities, developed a budget and procured materials, and supervised the day’s events. Campers in Group 7 also took on challenging roles, assuming the responsibility of Group Leader for their respective teams and encouraging cooperation and team spirit.
CAMPING TRIPS: A favorite CHAD tradition, Groups 1-5 experienced the outdoors on overnights that featured team-building activities, shared responsibilities, and the opportunity explore a new environment outside of Boston. Groups 1-3 traveled to Farrington Memorial Farm, in Lincoln, MA, while Groups 4 and 5 spent the night at Lake Dennison State Park.
NEW YORK FINAL TRIP: As part of this summer’s emphasis on personal and social identity, our eldest two groups spent time learning the history of Boston’s Chinatown and the issues that face it currently. To develop perspective, we brought the groups to New York City, home of the nation’s largest Chinatown, where they visited the Museum of Chinese in the Americas, met with New York City residents, and made comparisons to their own neighborhood. In addition, campers demonstrated maturity and responsibility when separating into small, supervised groups to visit museums and attractions in various other parts of Manhattan.
TEEN DANCE: At once a celebration of a summer of hard work and an opportunity to dress up and have fun on a Friday night, this counselor-chaperoned dance encourages social growth and eases the transition into adolescence with music, snacks, and, this year, a festive “Beach Ball” theme.
BIG SIB, LITTLE SIB: At once providing our oldest campers with an opportunity to develop leadership and responsibility skills and our youngest campers with positive, concerned role models, this continuing program paired each camper from our two oldest grades with a camper from Groups 1 and 2. Regular collaborations, designed by the Senior Counselors, included art projects, reading out loud, and field trips.
COMMUNITY CLUB: Lead by Senior Counselor Lydia Lo, this group of older campers met on Fridays to gain an understanding of Boston’s communities and develop an awareness of the issues facing them. Campers took part in resident-led tours of other neighborhoods, studied the history of politics in Chinatown, and organized a bake sale to raise awareness of Chinatown’s lack of a public library, an issue they decided to involve themselves with together.
FINAL SHOW: The Final Show is a year-end performance that allows campers to demonstrate their creative talents and enthusiasm, as well as the collaborative skills they have developed, for family, friends, and community partners. This year’s show featured choreographed dances, camper-written plays, and musical performances, all with props and costumes made by campers.