A Break At Home12thJuly
At Trackers we value clarity. The following blog is going to be very difficult for me to post yet I believe the conversation is essential to have clear and healthy dealings with the families we care for. Below is a letter a parent sent out to her list of friends. I was cc'd on it to ensure that I got the message.
I would ask that you please read through the entire email and also the Trackers response below. Many folks may question the need to use real negative feedback as an example. For me, real complex and imperfect situations are ideal examples to help parents better understand what Trackers truly has to offer. We have changed "son or daughter" to "child" to protect the privacy of everyone involved: families, kids and even the letter writer who does not especially like us.
Hello Friends -
I felt it was important to send this email to you all, regarding a disappointing experience we have had with the NW Trackers Camp that has been conducting children's camps in Portland for only 3 years. They have a very strict philosophy regarding disciplining young children. This philosophy contradicts many of the ways we all are raising our kiddos. Additionally, once (my child) had an issue at this camp, I asked for the owner to recognize that this camp and their counselors were potentially not a good match for (my child), and that we would be happy to withdraw (my child) and get a refund. There was no recognition on their part that their extreme philosophy might be the absolute wrong approach for some kids and they refused to concede that a polite refund was the right thing to do. So as we all know, there are many other choices of camps in Portland, that are healthy and nurturing environments, with an emphasis on the appropriate level of discipline and fun with well trained counselors, and I encourage you all to choose those camps over this one. I strongly caution you against choosing this camp for your kids. Please pass this on to other friends and school families as you see fit. Happy Summer to you all!
Signed, (a parent)
Our Response Even though this email seems to have been sent in mean spirit and spite, I believe it's an awesome opportunity for a conversation. The irony is, this individual used this email as a threat against us, hoping to cause damage to our reputation with her private school and friends. They believed we would run for the hills and hide our heads in shame. On the contrary, it addresses an issue that makes Trackers Kids programs very unique and I believe far more healthy than other outdoor education organizations out there. Here it is…
We have kids who can't follow directions take a day break immediately.
Due to ongoing behavior concerns our instructors were forced to constantly redirect the child referred to in this letter. This overwhelming need for attention dilutes the ability of both of our staff to give their full presence and care to the other 9 campers in their group. As a result the student was asked to stay home a single day. The Wednesday this student was asked to stay home was a day on our traditional umiak boats. When on the boat, Ernie (our giant Norwegian sea captain) always insists on the utmost attention and care. The child in this letter had not demonstrated the capacity to make safe choices even when consistently given the opportunity by our staff. As an organization that makes it possible to do things that most other camps will never let kids do (boats, arrows, woodcarving), we have to follow every precaution for safety and care. That includes asking students to temporarily take a break when they consistently do not demonstrate the capacity to listen and adhere to healthy boundaries and directions.
So that covers this specific situation, let me get into the larger ramifications of this policy. I don't believe kids are good or bad. In fact I don't even go there with adults. Instead I believe we are all doing the best with the information we have and that life is a series of opportunities to build more family-like trust with one another. I learned this with my own family, I learned this while walking through the woods and knowing only that my patience would bring me closer to the deer. Most importantly I learned this in over 18 years of working with children.
A break is simply a break. NEVER a punishment. It is a chance to recollect and come back. At Trackers we really do things other camps don't do anymore: kids carve with knives, they milk goats, make cheese and even go sailing in 24-foot traditional skin on frame boats competently build by the 2007-2008 Freshman class of the Portland Waldorf School. We need them to be ready for it. Taking a break is one the tools we have in keeping everyone safe as we forge ahead into a healthier world.
By the way, the letter states that we have been conducting camps for "only 3 years". In truth, we have been conducting both private and public camps for 6 years. Trackers officially came into being in September 2004. It was an off-shoot of my own 18 years of work organizing programs as a contractor for other well known and highly respected environmental education organizations.
From that experience Trackers evolved. It is the result of intentionally creating an organization that actually cultivates healthy, complex and sincere relationships with families. Not simply one of customer/server, but a real human person whom you can confidently trust your child with. Remember, we are not daycare*, your Trackers instructor is not your child's babysitter. Instead, we immerse your child in a world of wilder ways. A world we all truly need to remember.
Cheers, Tony Deis
*nothing wrong with daycare though
