Real World Experience for Summer Camp Interns

July 19, 2018

Amazeum Program Educators Support Future Teachers

by Maddy Baumover

 

During the second semester of my sophomore year at the University of Missouri, I began to give some thought to where I would be working a summer job. I considered applying to be a barista at a local coffee shop or even babysitting--summer jobs I had done before but hadn’t done much for me in terms of my schooling or future career.  I did not think I would be spending my summer learning about bugs or the scientific process of art restoration. Through Tyson Foods and the United Way of Northwest Arkansas, I was able to join the Scott Family Amazeum for the summer as the Summer Camp Intern! This position has allowed me a one-of-a-kind opportunity to facilitate learning and simultaneously learn myself alongside six to eleven-year-olds.

As an Elementary Education major at the University of Missouri, I knew I wanted to spend this summer working with children in an effort to enhance my skills as an educator, but I hoped to accomplish this through an unconventional and exciting experience, rather than the typical summer nanny job. I could not have found a better opportunity to gain experience with classroom management and harness students’ creativity and desire for learning than through my position as a Summer Camp Intern here at the Scott Family Amazeum.

I knew I wanted to spend this summer working with children in an effort to enhance my skills as an educator, but I hoped to accomplish this through an unconventional and exciting experience, rather than the typical summer nanny job.

From working alongside the Amazeum’s Program Educators, I have observed  how to ask the campers open-ended questions about the activities, such as “why do you think _____ happens?” or “what can we do to fix ____?”, supporting their exploration and learning. I’ve also picked up on the importance of teamwork here at the Amazeum; campers are encouraged to “find a coach”, meaning find a friend to help them through how to do something they find challenging. I already plan to implement both of these techniques in my future classroom, as I’ve seen how successful they are in the Amazeum’s summer camps. As a future teacher, my main goal is to one day be able to facilitate learning in a special, exciting, and effective way. I feel that my experience thus far at the Scott Family Amazeum is pushing me towards that goal, and I am looking forward to what the rest of the summer entails. I am very grateful for the experience that @Tyson and @UnitedWayofNorthwestArkansas provided me and thank them for the opportunity to participate!