(2021-08-15) Oster A Credo For The Classroom

Emily Oster: A Credo for the Classroom. Last week, Lucy McBride and I got an email from camp director Steve Baskin of Camp Champions in Texas. He and I met last summer when we were all studying how to operate schools safely

Last summer Steve was trying hard to keep his campers, counselors, and staff safe — and he succeeded. His camp had zero cases of COVID-19. He had expected the summer of 2021 to be easier. Epidemiologically, it was. Emotionally, it was not.

Steve’s note — plus Lucy’s observations of naturally stressed-out adolescent and adult patients — provide some insights.

Campers are emotionally ill-prepared for camp

For 18 months, they have not practiced their interpersonal skills. They have not built their resilience. They have also been cloistered in very small communities with awkward (or non-existent) schooling and stressed adults. They are simply less prepared for the social aspects of camp. The shy children are shyer, the anxious kids more anxious, the angry ones are angrier. (anxiety)

The counselors are in a similar if not more acute situation. At the very time in their life that they strive to individuate, their college experience became one of Zoom meetings and limited (or subversive) social interactions.

The parents are also really on edge. I suspect that many were hoping that 2–3 weeks of camp would solve all the ills of 18 months staring at screens and isolation.

Now, any camp-related issue can elicit an angry parental email.

I see a perfect storm coming this fall. As a nation, we are focused on non-pharmaceutical interventions and safe classrooms (as we should be), but the conversation seems oblivious to the levels of anger and frustration we will face. We are essentially a nation of people with very thin brake pads who are all speeding into our schools. (mental health)