Karen Pittman became famous in the education world in the 1990's. She asserted that problems are not only inevitable, but also a necessary part of the growing process. 

In line with her philosophy on youth development outcomes, Pittman created the "5 C's" model. This model can help us understand how to help our students thrive. Even if our students are dealing with various issues or challenges, the following measures of "progress" can be used in a variety of settings:

Is the student developing....

• Confidence - a general sense of self-worth and the belief in one's own ability to succeed
  
  
• Character - the ability to take responsibility for one's actions, feel independent and self-sufficient, and stay true to one's own set of principles and values
  
  
• Connection - a sense of belonging and safety in one's community 
  
  
• Competence - the ability to be effective in school, in the real world, and in the workplace 
  
  
• Contribution - taking on a leadership role in different situations, working to make a difference in the lives of others, and thinking about the bigger picture 

Another important "C" not originally listed in Pittman's model is also worth noting: 

• Caring - a commitment to social justice, empathy, and sympathy towards others

So what does this all have to do with summer? Hosting summer camp programming really matters! Research has shown that summer camps typically result in significant growth in these developmental areas.

As stated by the American Camp Association (ACA), "Between 2001 and 2004 the American Camp Association conducted national research with over 5000 families from 80 ACA-Accredited camps to determine the outcomes of the camp experience as expressed by parents and children...The findings from this national study indicated that camp is a unique educational institution and a positive force in youth development." 

Interested in learning more? Check out this fact sheet. 

Vocabulary refers to the words we understand and use to communicate effectively. Vocabulary is a very important part of the reading process, as it contributes largely to our comprehension of a given text. We cannot understand a text without knowing what most of the words mean.
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What parents can do to help at home:

• Engage your child in conversations every day. If possible, include new and interesting words in your conversation.
• Read to your child each day. Whenever a book contains a new or interesting word, pause and define the word for your child.
• Help build word knowledge by classifying and grouping objects or pictures while naming them.
• Help build your child's understanding of language by playing verbal games and telling jokes and stories.
• Encourage your child to read on his or her own. The more children read, the more words they encounter and learn.

What our tutors can do:

• First, provide a simple, kid-friendly definition for any new word. For instance, you might say, “Enormous means that something is really, really big.”
• Second, provide a simple, kid-friendly example that makes sense within their daily life. “Remember that really big watermelon we got at the grocery store? That was an enormous watermelon!”
• Third, encourage your student to develop their own example. “What enormous things can you think of? Can you think of something really big that you saw today? That's right! The bulldozer near the park was enormous! Those tires were huge.”