As a PhD researcher, my work has revolved around how we can sustain learning and education as part of a whole-person approach to vitality and learning. Sustaining learning and education is not about addressing and responding to problems. Problem-focused thinking encourages reacting to and placing blame on single-issue concerns. It is not by addressing a single-issue concern that leads to healthy outcomes. Instead, it is about taking steps to shape an ecosystem of ideas and social supports so that learning, mental health, behavioral health, and community health emerge in a way that naturally provokes both individual success and community health.
Learning should aim to address the needs of the people that it serves. For so long, our systems of education have focused on preparing children to be citizens, to be workers, to be capable of using academic skills for higher education. All of this seems to be reinforced by some of our educational places, while ignoring some of the most basic sentiments that our youth express. "Why do I need to learn this?", "How is this relevant to my life?", and, "This is boring!" are a few of these sentiments that demonstrate a lack of student interest and connection with what they are learning.
At NewLand Camps, we see learning and education as one of three pillars that supports a healthy person and a healthy community. Our Re: Discovery project is aimed at revolutionizing how we think about and design our educational spaces. We focus on researching and creating student-interest driven educational approaches that meet the core needs of a sustainable future. This means that we look for ways to engage students and connect them to the relevance and purpose of what we are learning about in enjoyable ways before we attempt to teach. We ask them questions and learn about their lives and their interests. We design experiential education approaches that allow students to not only learn the academic considerations, but help them put these ideas to work in a real and relevant way!
Our seasonal camps, in-school leadership development, and after-school programs are built around hands-on, collaborative projects and teambuilding practices that engage students with skills of working in groups, self-evaluation, self-initiated learning, and STEM competencies without ever opening a text book or trying to justify classroom-based or "traditional" teaching approaches. While we promote reading as a critical academic skill that can provide reading comprehension, analysis, and self-expression, our research has led us to believe that a journey through a collaborative project may be the best way to instill enduring learning and an interest in educational opportunities.
By using our hands and bodies, we connect with learning material in a way that is difficult to forget. Our projects are self-selected by students through a process of consultation with our facilitators and mentors and are carried out using a step-by-step process that builds in success, allowing young people to develop a sense of personal agency and effectiveness with every project completed. Using completion badges, licenses, clearances, and portfolios, students track their progress and skill acquisition and earn a sense of pride and personal responsibility. Using games and play, EduLARP and other Role Oriented Learning Environments allows participants to step eagerly into the learning process without ever setting foot into a classroom. By providing knowledge when asked, making suggestions, and guiding learners towards their own understanding, our facilitators and mentors offere a community-led effort to address the needs of the young people that we work with.
Here are a few of the defining aspects of our Project Re: Discovery -
- Seasonal and Summer Camp Offerings
- After-School Programming
- Hands-On, Collaborative Learning Projects
- Student-led Learning Focus in S³TEAM Scenarios
- Preventative Mental and Behavioral Health Focus
- Teambuilding Skills and Leadership Skills Development
- Student-led Business Development and Mentorship Program
- Cutting-Edge Innovation and Workshopping so students can choose among projects that integrate:
- Computer Coding and Vibe Coding
- AI Development
- Energy Source Explorations
- Robotics
- 3D Printing Technology
- Electronics Development
- Engineering Scenarios
- Social Media Skills and Tools
- Machine Shop and Workshop Tools
- Drone Design and Piloting
- Virtual Reality
- ...and many more!
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about our Re: Discovery pillar!
NewLand Camps CEO - Paul Newland, PhD, LMFT
"Go Beyond. Grow Together."