Report from 2010 Move to Learn Summer Camp
Ms. Zheng Hui (Dalian)
July, 2010
The 2010 Move to Learn Summer Camp was held in July at a north-eastern coastal city in China, Dalian. In the camp, head coach Mr. Conrad Ho from Hong Kong introduced the new idea of “buffet-style parenting”.
The camp was sponsored by Dalian New Commercial Daily and Dalian Qingzhu Psychological Exchange Centre. On the first day, the coaches and group leaders started to pave the way for implementing this philosophy through games and interaction. In some of the games, children who were lagged behind complained about their partners. Some cried out loud, got angry, gave up, or even tried to prevent the activity from evolving. Such kind of “I can’ t loose” attitude is common in our children. The camp provided a safe environment in which children could express their thoughts, emotions and needs. Mr. Ho thought those were the best “teachable moments– the best times for sowing the seeds for change in children. He often asked simple and direct questions, such as “what can you do to change the situation?” This inspired the children to look deeply inside themselves.
The 2010 Move to Learn Summer Camp offered a safe space for children to express, to learn to accumulate success, to acknowledge and to appreciate themselves. It also let children work in teams and be accepted by others. It also helped children to be responsible for their own words and deeds.
