I often hear that camp leaders feel they have been doing character, but not naming character. Herein, you will find a step-by-step guide to developing your own character curriculum that will fit your camp’s unique mission, chosen values or character strengths, and targeted outcomes.

WHY Create a Character Curriculum?

It is essential to clarify the purpose of developing an intentional character curriculum for your camp. If your camp has a values-based mission or is working toward values-based outcomes, then whatever happens while campers are present ought to be character development. By investing the time and energy in creating your own tailored character curriculum, you will build a clear map to follow. However, be mindful that the whole curriculum plan will absolutely fall apart without sincere buy-in from your staff and camp leaders. Before development begins, take steps to ensure your vision for character development at camp is shared and consistent across your influential leadership.

WHEN to Begin?

The simplest answer to the question of when to begin building a character curriculum for your camp is when you have the resources to do so. Resources primarily include dedicated time and committed individuals. As you will see later, your character curriculum ought to be infused throughout each element of staff training, so it should be developed prior to planning training activities, if possible. However, your curriculum will grow and improve each year, so your earliest efforts to begin are valuable, whether the timing seems ideal or not.

WHO to Include on a Curriculum-Building Adventure?

Your group of adventurers should be made up of those who oversee staff training. If preliminary steps need to be taken to gather necessary materials (see the list in the “What to Gather” section), those involved may initially expand to include any important stakeholders, such as board members, seasonal staff, campers, and parents, whose perspective you want to include. A consultant or coach might provide valuable support with facilitation of the process but is not required.

WHERE to Explore Curriculum Development?

If possible, gather in person in a relaxed space with dedicated time and snacks. The environment or atmosphere ought to be one of retreating to focus energy on something deeply powerful to benefit the communities you serve.

WHAT to Gather for Your Curriculum Journey?

Just as with any other large-scale youth adventure activity, gathering all the necessary materials is a critical piece. If you don’t have any one of these materials yet, devote time to creating or developing it before beginning the curriculum-building process.

• Your organization’s mission, vision, or values statement.
• Your chosen core character strengths — just three to four to frame your curriculum around. (For support in choosing these values, see the Character Academy webinar: The Pathway to Character Development at Camp.)
• A list of outcomes you hope campers will experience from participation in camp activities. Bonus points if you develop three lists (if you’ve ever created a logic model, these may be familiar):
  • Immediate outcomes: What campers experience during participation in camp activities
  • Intermediate outcomes: How campers grow immediately after participation
  • Ultimate outcomes: The long-term effects of participation on campers’ lives<
• Writing utensils and paper. Determine if posters, sticky notes, notebooks, whiteboards, or some other materials would work best for your unique team.
• Snacks and water — really! To think and reflect effectively, your team will need their blood sugar steady and brains at full power.

HOW to Build a Character Curriculum

You will build an effective character curriculum for your camp that will ultimately articulate the overarching practices and activities that will be infused and applied to everything you do at camp. Adding intentional curriculum doesn’t mean you squeeze in character lessons between archery and gaga ball — unless you feel excited about that. Instead, you will take a clear look at each activity at your camp and develop ways to enhance it with the flavor of your chosen values.

Remember that character is defined as positive strengths and habits of heart, mind, and will. Many character experts frame respect and responsibility at the center of good character, not unlike many camp leaders. In our context, providing opportunities for positive character development is our definition of character education at camp. Character education must include three elements: a positive environment for character, consistent positive role models, and intentional curriculum.

Finally, here are six clear steps to developing your own unique character curriculum:

1. Everything begins with your mission. Read through and discuss your camp’s unique mission, vision, or values statements. Spend some time discussing and writing down observations of where you see or feel your mission in action at camp. Make sure each person has an opportunity to share.

2 Define your character strengths. When you have your three or four chosen character strengths, make sure all team members are on the same page about how they are defined. Your definitions should be clear and relevant. While specific examples of the strengths in action are helpful to the thought process, they should not form the definitions. If any of your character strengths are unclear to you or difficult to define, make note of this, as they will need more time in your staff training and overall curriculum. Emphasize building definitions that can be communicated clearly to the age groups you serve.

3. Clarify the camp experience. In a detailed brainstorming session, make lists of structured and unstructured activities that happen at camp. Structured activities generally include staff-led programs like water sports, hikes, large-group games, or campfire. Less-structured or unstructured activities include things like meals, free time, transitions, or bedtime, where the process is not generally facilitated as a structured activity would be. Be as thorough as possible in this brainstorming.

4. Develop your essential staff practices. Apply the three character education elements to each strength. List each of your character strengths and the three elements of character education: role modeling, positive environment, and curriculum. Keeping in mind the variety of activities and programs at camp, identify key observable practices that staff members need to consistently do, regardless of activity type. (For a more in-depth activity to prepare for this step, see “Defining Character-Based Staff Practices”) While this list ought to be fairly concise in the end, encourage open brainstorming in the early stages. Sample phrases to guide you in building your list:

• To role model (character strength), staff members will consistently (insert observable behaviors).
• To verbally teach about (character strength) across activities, staff members will consistently say (insert specific phrases that explain the strength to campers).
• To create and reinforce a positive environment for (character strength), staff members will (insert observable behaviors)

5. Incorporate reflection activities. An essential companion to your clear list of observable staff practices is a plan to create reflection opportunities regularly throughout your camp program. Reflection activities should be related to your chosen character strengths. To build your reflection plan:

• Identify structured activities where group reflection can and should be facilitated. For each identified structured activity, select at least one character strength to intentionally reflect on, build high-quality questions, and be sure to schedule reflection time that is not rushed.
• Identify individual reflection opportunities for campers, such as journaling (with or without prompts), during structured group activities or solo time.
• When developing reflection questions, try to find a balance between using the definition of your character strength in the questions and being more open-ended. Always keep in mind the goals of meaning making and identity development as they relate to your chosen core character strengths.

6. Prioritize perspective-taking opportunities. Camp offers many built-in opportunities to learn about lived experiences different from our own. Be intentional about promoting and creating opportunities for perspective-taking at camp. To build these in:

• Schedule appropriate story sharing when possible. Staff members may have had profound experiences in their lives where they struggled with the chosen character values. After practicing their stories during staff training, staff can share their journeys of character growth at campfire, during the bedtime routine, or at other gathering times. Make sure to clarify any boundaries on topics to be shared, such as risky behaviors or abuse.
• Develop questions that reinforce the value of campers sharing different opinions and perspectives. At any activity, campers will vary in their level of fear, interest, and enjoyment. When you build a safe environment for sharing, it is crucial for campers to often hear how differently another camper experienced or remembered the same activity or event. Train staff members to emphasize these differences in positive and affirming ways.
• List action steps for creating a culture where different perspectives are valued. Many character strengths are related to the concept of understanding and respecting that there are infinite ways to experience life. As this practice is built, it forms a strong basis for building our other character strengths.

Bringing It All Together

Now you have created a list of core staff practices related to your chosen character strengths, as well as a clear plan for reflection and perspective-taking activities. Your core curriculum is built, and opportunities for character development can be further developed using it as the guiding map.

Your core curriculum can provide the basis for your staff training program as you identify the many ways to incorporate character-based staff practices into camp life. Most importantly, staff members must be given ample opportunities to practice the words and actions you expect from them. Demonstration is not enough.

And finally, to determine if your core curriculum is effective, you must develop evaluation methods. Whether you assess program quality by observing your staff in action or survey your campers about what opportunities for growth they experienced, you must find ways to measure your progress.

In many ways, camp has always centered on character development — but when we create a core curriculum for character development, we find ways to be more intentional and effective in our support of young people.

Amanda Palmer, MS, is a camp trainer, consultant, researcher, and doctoral candidate at the University of Idaho. Amanda supports camps and organizations year-round with developing plans for aligning their unique missions with observable staff practices. Within ACA, Amanda is a program quality coach, an accreditation visitor, a subject matter expert for the Character at Camp initiative, and a member of Camping Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Committee. She is a former camper, camp counselor, and mother of four campers of her own. Contact Amanda at [email protected]