Temi Akinfeleye 2/24/2020
English Composition 2
My “Discourse Community” is my first job as a counselor at a camp called “Merrick Woods Daycamp”. It was a summer camp for kids 3-17 year old’s. This camp goal was to make sure that the kids attending the camp enjoy their summer and will make their camp experiences memorable. This summer camp makes it a discourse community because everyone who was working there as a camp counselor had a goal. And their goal was to make sure the kids were taken care of, have a great time at the camp, and also make money as soon as summer is over
During the time while I was at the summer camp,I had a few initial assumptions about the discourse community which is the summer camp.My initial assumptions about the discourse community was that the counselors who were working at the camp were stuck up, rich, and also rude. I assumed that the camp and the managers of the camp were very strict and perfect. My last assumption was that I thought the babies(Since I worked with the nursery) were not going to like me. However, the assumptions I made were wrong.The camp counselors were friendly and welcoming,the camp managers and the co workers were cool and very relaxed about everything while the camp was still going on. While you are working on schedule with the camp and the children, the counselors will get a different format of the schedule for the day. They wont have the same activities on their schedule everyday. Also every morning the camp starts at 10a.m. and before the children get into their groups and their own classrooms they will first say “The Pledge of Elegance”. The camp provides the kids lunch, however, the counselors cannot eat the camps lunch only because its only for the kids. The counselors would have to buy or bring their own lunch. Sometimes the counselors can take the kids lunch only if there are leftovers. Most of the times the kids can also bring their own lunch.
Throughout the day the kids will do fun outdoor actives and at the end of the day the kids will receive ice cream and would be packed up and ready to go home. Every Friday the camp arranges shows for the kids. Such as Magic shows, talent shows, and sometimes skits. Most of the time the counselors would have to join the kids during their activities only to show them how to play the games or to sometimes keep the counselors active and not lazy.
I researched this group by looking online and researched “Ratings on Merrick woods counselors’ ‘ and I also looked up merrick woods social media so I can see what their counselors looked like. I also even asked my sister and her friend how the counselors are and old were they. I asked my sister and her friend because they used to work at the summer camp themselves. While I was working with the kids at camp I was also observing the other counselors and how they acted with the kids and also how they acted with other counselors. What I learned about the counselors is that all they talk about is college and what they are doing after the summer camp is over.After i realized they have conversations about things i can relate to that’s when i started talking to the counselors who were my age and also maybe even a little older than me.
What makes this community is that the counselors are very welcoming and so are the other co-workers. They will always check up on you when you’re not in the best mood. And sometimes will even bring you gifts and buy you food without even asking. The camp itself is also unique because they provide entertainment for both kids and counselors such as: magic shows, talent shows,zoos, bouncy houses, and sometimes indoor amusement parks. The camp also has separate pools for different ages. One thing that this Discourse community .values the most is the kids and their enjoyable times while attending the camp. The managers care about how the kids feel and if they are having a fun time everyday.There is a process to become a member. First you’ll have to apply online on the Merrick Woods website, then they will email you a reference sheet, then after you will be interviewed by the owner of the camp. One way the members communicate is by talking after the kids go home and they sometimes have walkie talkies for the older or head counselor of the group. Most of the times the counselors would also communicate on social media which is easier because they use social media almost every day.
Therefore the discourse community that I discovered and experienced taught me many lessons and surprised me in many ways. For instance, they taught to always have patience especially with kids. They also taught me that not every counselor or co worker will get along with you and that you should always make sure you have a good relationship with your own counselor that you were paired up with. I also learned that everyone had different goals after they graduate high school. For example, most of my co workers wanted to be a nurse and most of them wanted to travel after high school and not even go to college so instead they wanted to get a good paying job. What made me rethink the way I initially looked at the group was the people there and how they took me in with open arms and opened hearts. While I was working at the camp nothing seemed confusing to me at all. I knew what was going on and how to handle things at the camp. I truly enjoyed this discourse community because it was a very great learning experience and it was also sometimes fun with the kids. I would definitely recommend this discourse community to someone who enjoys children or who is looking for a job over the summer.
