Back from OELC

I have to say the week Cole was up at OELC (Ontario Educational Leadership Centre) it was strange around here. It was just so quiet. And tidy. He left on Sunday morning and Louis collected him the following Saturday. By Tuesday, each of the remaining three kids mentioned how much they missed him. I was so happy to hear them. I missed him too!

This was the scene upon his return on Saturday:

And he unpacked his bag to find the poster that hung in his cabin was a bit wet, but he loves it. I had him pose with it while it dried:

Nice neon t-shirt, eh? Makes him look VERY tanned. Well, maybe that's because he is very tanned.

The poster says:

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. - Gandhi

RISK

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is the risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feeling is to risk exposing your true self

To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd, is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, has nothing, and is nothing

I find it interesting that of all the motivational and inspirational posters and quotes on the walls of the cabin, this is the one Cole requested of his Teacher Facilitator. It really lets me know exactly where his head is right now, in this moment. I think I'm going to like this boy-man who has returned to us!

Like his sister before him, Cole was selected to attend OELC by his school, specifically his Physical Education teacher, to attend Intermediate Athletics. Judging from his Facebook page, he made a ton of friends while he was up there. He is filled with stories and experiences. After a few of them, I've had to tell him there are some stories and jokes his mama just doesn't need to hear. Teenage bathroom humour is beyond my patience threshold! Though I do like that he was chosen to give the final day speech - and he did, by winging it :)

Once we got his laundry started he handed me the bit I was excited about. The report package:

Cole's evaluation form included a section for his own goal setting and a section for evaluation by the professionals at the camp. (The Teacher Facilitator is a real honest to goodness teacher who donates part of their summer to guide youngsters in areas of communication, initiative, organization, group work and goal setting.) On Cole's teacher evaluation the only area he needs to improve is no surprise to me: organization. Though it says he got a 3 out of 4, I know he was ineffective in that particular area, judging from his room and the number of times he leaves things at home he needs for school and activities! Certainly an area to improve. But he knows it and is starting to have a sense of humour about it. Last year he even gave me a study about how kids with high IQ tend to be "forgetful". In turn I showed him how to use a calendar and write a list ;)

The most interesting part of this exercise was the Goal Identification he wrote on his arrival at camp:

Skill: Initiative
Goal: Don't be afraid of being wrong or failing
Strategy: Just go for it. Don't be afraid. Let loose and be myself

and the follow-up Goal Reflection he wrote upon his departure from camp:

Achievement: Yes, I achieved my goal
Obstacles: Getting past that mental block that held me back from past opportunities
Next Steps: Continue expanding my social horizons

Mama comment: social horizons? What in the world does that mean? Never mind. He's 13, I don't think I want to know :) The part I love though is that there is an accountability factor. Cole had to be aware and not just go through the motions and have fun. It is the ultimate experience of LEARN THROUGH PLAY. My preferred method for my kids to learn.

The final word from the Teacher Facilitator was that: Cole should take more initiative from the perspective of self-direction. Cole is encouraged to become the chair person of the intra-mural committee for next year and has been told to approach the principal the first week of school and communicate this challenge. He is to take charge and see it through.

OELC really does a wonderful job. All aspects of learning are incorporated into an entire weeks worth of activities. The kids eat, drink, play and sleep the principles we most want them to learn in order to be current and future leaders. Some of the activities over the week included:

Trust Activities
Yoga
Ultimate Frisbee
CIRA Games
Sportsball
Cunkin
Tchoukball
And more!

This was the first time Cole went to overnight camp without a sibling! I was nervous, he was excited. If Claire's experience is anything to go by, Cole has just made long-standing friendships with those he met at camp and solidified relationships with those friends he knew before attending - and there were a ton of them! If you ever have an opportunity to send your child to such a wonderful place, or even OELC itself, do so! It is a life changing experience. 

For him. And me.