SuperCamp’s learning skills are applicable to every subject and every level of learning, and to virtual learning as well as classroom learning.

This has not been an easy school year for students. With no warning whatsoever—and therefore no preparation—virtual learning became the new normal for students and their parents. No one was ready for virtual learning, not teachers, not students, and not their parents.

We recently came across an article in the Wall Street Journal declaring “The Results are in for Remote Learning: It Didn’t Work”! Then another article in the New York Times was brought to our attention by a parent: “What Students are Saying About Remote Learning.” It’s a sad and challenging situation.

While we have produced physical camps and trainings for decades, this spring we looked at how to create the same engagement, connection, and joy in learning online. It’s what students are missing and crave. With this is mind, we designed virtual programs based on our signature Quantum Learning System and the results are in—they work!

Have a look at some student reactions . . .

In addition to students connecting with content, peers, and facilitators at deep levels and looking forward to online sessions, we know that there is high need for students to gain effective learning-to-learn skills for both online and in-person learning. With learning loss a real challenge, keeping students engaged and motivated is paramount at this crucial time.

The virtual programs we developed have been hugely successful—they provided students with new skills and more positive perspectives to build their confidence and help them adapt to virtual learning. Participants have not only gained confidence, increased their motivation, and learned how to focus their attention to stay on task (even with the distractions and reduced discipline of home learning), they made real peer-to-peer connections with other participants.

And now as students and their parents consider what form school may take in the fall—and there are many options being considered out there—many are wondering how students are going to cope. If it’s more virtual, there’s a feeling of dread for most. If it’s back to school “as usual,” there are concerns about learning loss (Covid-19 as well as the usual summer learning loss). And if it’s a blend of virtual and in-person learning, there’s a combination of these anxieties.

To address these real concerns of parents, students, and educators—as well as requests from students who have done our two-week programs—we are now offering a four-week virtual program. SuperCampU (July 6 to 31 and July 20 to August 14) is an engaging and interactive program for students ages 9 to 18 (in groups by age: 9–13 and 14–18). Each week Monday to Friday for one hour students learn SuperCamp’s core content that has resulted in improved grades, confidence, and motivation over the last 39 years! The program consists of four one-week courses: Self-driven Motivation and Leadership Now, Quantum Reading, Quantum Writing, and Quantum Strategies. During all our virtual programs, participants interact with peers in live energetic learning experiences guided by a SuperCamp trained facilitator—and have fun while they learn!

In addition, we have recently partnered with GeniusU and can now offer participation in their Young Entrepreneur Academy at no additional cost. This partnership gives students the unique opportunity of including powerful entrepreneurial experiences with SuperCamp’s proven curriculum. From being a YouTuber to building an app or having an online store, participants in this program can learn how to launch their own fully functioning digital business.

Students really need an extra boost now to reduce the possible effects of learning loss from their virtual school challenges and prepare them for their return to school in the fall no matter what form that may take. SuperCampU has been created to meet those needs. Participants will experience joyful learning and real connections with other participants and with our super SuperCamp facilitators!

LEARN MORE here.

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Middle school and high school students, also known as Gen Zs, are significantly different from millennials and face very unique challenges in school as well as later when they enter the workforce.

Studies indicate that, overall, Gen Zers are less optimistic than the preceding generation, due in large part to the influence the Great Recession has had on most families with children in the 11–18-year-old range. They also have a great deal of uncertainty about their future career because they’re not even sure what the job market will be like and how current professions will be impacted by automation and artificial intelligence.

The president of Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, Bob Brower, goes so far as to say, “Today’s students can expect jobs that don’t yet exist, in companies or organizations that haven’t been created.” Brower believes the answer is not simply about teaching students “what to learn”—it is about teaching them “how to learn throughout their lifetimes.”

SuperCamp has long believed that “how to learn” skills are critical to a student’s academic and professional success. SuperCamp’s foundation is Quantum Learning, a proven teaching method that has impacted the lives of millions of students globally. The learning skills students acquire at SuperCamp include effective study, writing, reading and note-taking strategies, memory and retention skills that use all three learning channels (visual, auditory and kinesthetic), and critical thinking. These are skills that students are able to apply in all subject areas at school.

SuperCamp also addresses other notable characteristics of Gen Z students—their lack of self-confidence, their concern about physical safety and emotional well-being, and their tendency to be easily offended and hyper-sensitive. Students who attend SuperCamp participate in activities throughout the 6- to 10‑day programs that build trust and help them move out of their comfort zones. They also experience “mini-success moments,” in which they get positive reinforcement by successfully applying new learning and life skills they’ve been taught.

Students at SuperCamp learn several communication and active listening skills that enable them to interact effectively with others, even with the most sensitive individuals. Students also go through goal-setting exercises and learn about their personal leadership style at SuperCamp, which further helps them prepare more confidently for an uncertain future.

Complementing these communication skills are the character principles students learn at SuperCamp—the 8 Keys of Excellence. The 8 Keys, which are a cornerstone of SuperCamp, align perfectly with the Gen Z personality and needs. From Failure Leads to Success to Speak with Good Purpose and Flexibility, Gen Zers who attend SuperCamp and embrace the 8 Keys soon realize that, regardless of what the future holds, they can achieve great success while maintaining personal excellence.

Another characteristic of Gen Z is their short attention span—as short as eight seconds! It’s not all that surprising really. This generation has grown up consumed by mobile devices of one kind or another—up to six hours a day for many young people. A study by Pew Research Center found that two-thirds of parents are concerned about the amount of time their teen children spend in front of screens—and many students are concerned themselves! The impact of this behavior from an academic standpoint is that Gen Z students get bored easily at school. Traditional teaching methods that often rely on just one learning modality only add to this condition. At SuperCamp, we tap into all three learning modalities and use music, movement, and color to elevate the attention of our campers—and we teach students the benefits of utilizing all three modalities in their learning.

In addition, students turn in their mobile devices when they arrive at SuperCamp, and only get access for a short time mid-camp to check in with family. By removing smart phones from the students, a major distraction is eliminated, facilitating greater focus during all learning activities. It also promotes more interaction and team building among the students, as they can’t “hide behind” their devices during unstructured time.

The bottom line is that every new generation faces challenges and many uncertainties. Gen Z is no exception. Parents of Gen Zers, like all parents before them, want the best for their children and want to do whatever they can to help their kids prepare for adult life. SuperCamp is here to help and as this blog post demonstrates our teaching methods and skills training are ideally suited to help Gen Z students.

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• Solid foundation – alignment through clearly defined expectations, values and goals
• Empowering atmosphere – a place where students feel supported and experience a strong sense of belonging
• Effective design – where lessons are created using elements that incorporate how the brain learns and retains content
• Engaging deliver – one that uses a multisensory approach and maximizes participation and comprehension
• Supportive environment – a learning space that is inviting, comfortable and stimulating for everyone

 
As stated, we teach learning skills and strategies that students pursuing academic achievement can apply in most, if not all, of their subject areas in school:

• Quantum Study Strategies – we teach the “why” behind clearing the clutter and the “how” to create a brain-friendly study area.
• Notes: TM – our specialized note-taking strategy gives students the skills necessary to take notes and to make notes meaningful and memorable once they leave the classroom.
• Location Memory – students discover how to use all three learning channels, which makes them more able to retain new information in their long-term memory. Location memory is one of many memorization techniques we teach.
• Power Pegs – this technique helps students memorize long lists of information (e.g. words, phrases or objects) within minutes.
• Mind-Mapping – students learn how to visually outline information and thoughts in a colorful tree-like format that facilitates understanding and learning.
• Quantum Reading – we show students how to gain an academic edge by reading faster and still comprehending the material through creating an ideal environment for reading, shifting their state and preparing their minds to access the appropriate brainwaves for optimal learning.
• Quantum Writing – students in our summer programs learn how to narrow the gap between what’s in their mind and what’s on the page. We teach them fast-write—how to get a lot of ideas down on paper quickly, mind-mapping to organize their ideas, cluster to expand their ideas and how to write “colorfully” to bring more impact to their writing.

While we’re fine being called an academic achievement camp or a summer academic program, the truth is that the life skills training we provide students at SuperCamp play a part in their academic success. As students learn and experience such life skills as how to move out of their comfort zones and break through personal barriers, how to set goals, and how to communicate and collaborate effectively, they’re directly impacting their academic success in a positive way. They’re gaining confidence, they’re becoming more responsible for their academic achievement and they’re transforming into more self-motivated learners.
 
Importantly, these life skills contribute to students’ middle school and high school academic achievement and to their academic success in college and other post-secondary school training programs.
 
So, how ever you want to define our summer programs, just know that we are all about academic achievement and about students becoming their best self in school and in life.

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We’ve written a blog recently detailing the importance for students to acquire lifelong learning skills—something that’s been a focus of SuperCamp’s summer programs since day 1 in 1982. Related to the value of lifelong learning skills is the need for students to become adept in the four key skills that the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills defines as essential for workers as this century progresses.

Once again, SuperCamp was on the leading edge of this trend with the learning and life skills taught in our summer programs. Here’s a look at the “Four C’s”—the skills the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills has identified as must-haves for every high school and college student.

CRITICAL THINKING

In its Framework for 21^st Century Learning, the NEA has identified four key components to Critical Thinking, as follows:

Reason Effectively

• Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation

Use Systems Thinking

• Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems

Make Judgments and Decisions

• Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims, and beliefs
• Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view
• Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments
• Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis
• Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes

Solve Problems

• Solve different kinds of unfamiliar problems in both conventional and innovative ways
• Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points

Critical thinking is important in career success as well as in higher education success. In everyday work, employees must employ critical thinking to better serve customers, develop better products, and continuously improve themselves within an ever-changing global economy. In a survey by the American Management Association, over 70 percent of business executives identified critical thinking as a priority for employee development, talent management and succession planning. Just taking one component of critical thinking—successful problem solving—requires today’s employees to work effectively and creatively with computers, with vast amounts of information, with ambiguous situations, and with other people from a variety of backgrounds.

Students can begin to acquire critical thinking skills early on in their academic life and can apply these skills across all subject areas, from Arts and Science to English, Social Studies, Mathematics, World Languages and more. In turn, they also become better able to develop other skills, including a higher level of concentration, deeper analytical abilities and improved thought processing.

At SuperCamp, Critical Thinking is a fundamental part of our
Learning and Life Skills training in both our Junior Forum and Senior Forum programs, as well as in Quantum Academy.

At SuperCamp, Critical Thinking is a fundamental part of our Learning and Life Skills training in both our Junior Forum and Senior Forum programs, as well as in Quantum Academy. Students learn that being successful on tests is more than just having a strong grasp on facts. Strategy is involved, as well. We show students how to use divergent and convergent problem-solving techniques, which helps them on standardized tests. But we don’t stop at academics. We also show students at SuperCamp ways that they can use critical thinking to overcome challenges in their everyday lives.

Another contributing factor to effective critical thinking in school is when students pay close attention in class. We show students how they can better manage their own states (thoughts, feelings and breathing) and physiology (body posture). By better learning and absorbing information, a student is more equipped to thinking effectively. To accomplish this goal, we teach students the SLANT technique: Sit up, Lean forward, Ask questions, Nod your head and Talk to your teacher.

COMMUNICATION

By Communication, P21 mean to communicate clearly. They identify the following required skills that contribute to clear communication:

• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts
• Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes, and intentions
• Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade)
• Use multiple media and technologies, and know how to assess impact and their effectiveness a priori
• Communicate effectively in diverse environments (including multilingual and multicultural)

Effective communication skills are more important now than ever before because of the power of modern media and the ubiquity of communication technologies present in all aspects of an individual’s life. Despite the need for strong communication skills, employers in studies have indicated that all graduates, in particular high school graduates, are lacking in both oral and written communication skills.

One 21^st-century reason underscoring the need for strong communication skills, as noted by P21, is the increased presence of “global teams” that work together in business. As technology gives rise to global work teams that span time zones, nations, and cultures, it is imperative that tomorrow’s graduates communicate clearly and effectively in a variety of languages.

With 81 percent of jobs now in the expanding service economy, where relationships with customers and fellow employees are of vital importance, the value of communication skills is even more significant. Linguistically and culturally effective listening, empathy, and effective communication skills are essential skills for every person in the service economy.

Not surprisingly, communication competencies such as clearly articulating ideas through speaking and writing are closely related to another one of the 4 Cs—Collaboration skills. The interrelationship of these two skill areas comes into play in order to work effectively with diverse teams, make necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal, and assume shared responsibility for collaborative work. Communication cannot be effective unless the message is received and understood.

…we take in information through visual, auditory and kinesthetic sensory channels. We teach students to make the most of their preferences.

The communication/collaboration link is equally important for students and for adults. Young people in school, as well as individuals in the workforce, are impacted by today’s technologies, which shape words and images as we receive many of our messages today through one or more digital devices. Communication skills are intertwined with information, media, communication, and technology skills.

At SuperCamp, we recognize the importance of communication, both in terms of how it is received and delivered. On the receiving side, we take in information through visual, auditory and kinesthetic sensory channels. We teach students to make the most of their preferences when receiving communication and information. At the same time, we teach them how to add strategies to enhance their non-preferred channels and how to match the right strategy to the right learning situation.

We also provide students with several communication techniques that they test out within their respective 12-15 person SuperCamp team. One such technique is “active listening.” For this communication tool, we instruct students that good listening involves sitting facing the person with an open, available posture, maintaining good eye contact, giving encouragement (nods, u-huhs, etc.), reflecting feeling and content, and showing empathy.

Another technique is OTFD, which is used in resolving relationship problems or giving praise. OTFD stands for the steps in this communication process, which are Observe, Think, Feel and Desire. The ultimate goal behind this tool is to articulate feelings in a positive and direct manner.

A very effective communication skill we teach students at SuperCamp is the Four-Part Apology. This technique allows the person to look beyond the actual incident to consequences of behavior. By defining those consequences and choosing a different behavior, both individuals remain thoughtful and supportive rather than angry or defensive. The four steps in this approach are Acknowledge, Apologize, Make It Right and Recommit.

The Affinity Activity is a communication process we teach students to enhance relationships. We put the students in pairs and have one student pose three requests to the other. Those requests are: Tell me something I don’t know about you, Tell me something you like about me, and Tell me something we may have in common. Regardless of the other person’s answer, the first student replies by saying “Thank you.” The two students then reverse roles and repeat the process. From this base of experience further conversation can occur.

Throughout SuperCamp, students learn about the 8 Keys of Excellence, a character framework for personal success. One of the Keys focuses on communication. It is Speak with Good Purpose, defined as: speaking honestly and kindly, thinking before you speak, and making sure your intention is positive and your words are sincere.

COLLABORATION

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills states that the skill of Collaboration is essential for all students to learn because it is inherent in the nature of how work is accomplished in our civic and workforce lives. As they say, 50 years ago, much work was accomplished by individuals working alone, but not today. Much of all significant work is accomplished in teams, and in many cases, global teams.

They define Collaboration, or collaborating with others, as follows:

• Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams
• Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal
• Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member

Teams are given a number of assignments throughout camp that promote consensus-building to find the best solutions.

When students learn to work collaboratively, their group can generate more knowledge, making collaboration a key ingredient to student success in today’s global society. Just as important, they will need to be able to apply this skill throughout their lives. Collaboration is a perfect example of how true the phrase “strength in numbers” is. While the term may have originated in reference to the battlefield, it’s equally important in business—the fact that a diverse group of people will come up with better, more creative and more intelligent solutions than an individual decision maker.

A collaborative effort creates more holistic results than individual efforts and it also creates knowledge for a greater number of people. It’s no wonder, then, that collaboration is a skill looked upon highly by today’s hiring managers.

Collaboration skills are developed in multiple ways throughout each SuperCamp program. At the heart of teaching and practicing collaboration skills is the team concept. Teams are given a number of assignments throughout camp that promote consensus-building to find the best solutions.

SuperCamp’s Outdoor Adventure Day requires students to work together in order to complete various physical tasks such as rope climbing. On the evening of Outdoor Adventure Day, students come together to reflect on the day’s experiences and how working as a team and supporting one another led to greater success.

Another interesting collaboration skill taught to students at SuperCamp employs non-verbal communication. We teach students this skill in an activity called The Maze, where a student needs to successfully step through a maze of squares only with the help of non-verbal cues from their teammates.

Collaborating by supporting one another is put into practice during a board-breaking activity intended to demonstrate to students that they can overcome obstacles on the way to achieving personal goals. Each student breaks a board on which they write a goal on one side and an obstacle or challenge that they feel is holding them back from achieving the goal. Every student receives a great deal of vocal and moral support from the rest of the team. Occasionally, a student may not have the strength to break the board the first time. When that happens, the team ramps up the support and, when needed, they collaborate with other teams to enlist their support as well. Every so often, a student even receives physical support from teammates in order to break the board, for example, if they have to use their foot rather than their hand while teammates help them keep their balance.

Once again, the 8 Keys of Excellence come into play. Relating to Collaboration, several Keys are involved, starting with Integrity, which is about matching behavior with values, and demonstrating those positive personal values in words and actions with others. Flexibility and Balance are two other Keys that tie in closely with well-developed collaboration skills. Flexibility is being willing to do things differently. Clearly, in a collaborative environment, reaching a consensus is going to require flexibility on everyone’s part. Balance involves being mindful of yourself and others while focusing on what’s meaningful and important in your life. As one participates in collaborative activities, an awareness of being mindful of others, as well as oneself, contributes to success.

CREATIVITY

Creativity and innovation are key drivers in the global economy. P21 states that if students leave school without knowing how to continuously create and innovate, they will be underprepared for the challenges of society and the workforce. They go on to say that in today’s world of global competition and task automation, innovative capacity and a creative spirit are fast becoming requirements for personal and professional success.

Mind Mapping…employs a two-dimensional structure and uses colors, symbols and pictures to help students make mental associations that facilitate learning.

In a TED talk from 2011, Sir Kenneth Robinson, a leading speaker and thinker on creativity said that creativity is as important in education as literacy.

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills has a three-part definition for Creativity:

Think Creatively

• Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)
• Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)
• Elaborate, refine, analyze, and evaluate original ideas to improve and maximize creative efforts

Work Creatively with Others

• Develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to others effectively
• Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work
• Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas
• View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity and innovation are part of a long-term, cyclical process of small successes and frequent mistakes

Implement Innovation

• Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the field in which the innovation will occur

When you look at this definition, you see how creativity is closely intertwined with some of the other skills previously identified. Innovation today has a social component and requires adaptability, leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills. Increasingly, today the capacity to innovate is linked to the ability to connect with others and with a facility for communication and collaboration.

At SuperCamp, students are taught several creative strategies. For example, Mind Mapping is a brain-friendly way to take notes. It employs a two-dimensional structure and uses colors, symbols and pictures to help students make mental associations that facilitate learning.

In our ABCs of Writing, Brainstorming is the “B” and emphasizes getting ideas down on paper both creatively and with a specific focus. Skills include Cluster It, See It, Say It, Draw It and Fastwrite It.

Various creative memory techniques are taught at SuperCamp to help improve retention and information recall. One such technique is the Peg System, which entails memorizing a list of 20 items attached to the numbers 1 to 20. Students then see how easy it is to memorize any list of items by associating them with the original peg list.

Creative Thinking is a skill we teach students. This part of the SuperCamp curriculum is based on the following principles:

• There is always another way of looking at a challenge
• Look to the world around you and borrow from its treasures
• Creative thinkers are curious and take risks
• The best way to get good ideas is to get lots of ideas
• Keep focused on who you are, what you want and what it will take to get there

Creativity is a big part of the Quantum Writing process at SuperCamp, which empowers students with strategies that give them confidence in their writing ability. In our ABCs of Writing, Brainstorming is the “B” and emphasizes getting ideas down on paper both creatively and with a specific focus. Skills include Cluster It, See It, Say It, Draw It and Fastwrite It.

SUMMARY

Now, almost two decades into the 21^st-century, the 4 Cs are proving to be even more critical to a student’s academic success and ability to advance in a meaningful career than they were at the turn of the century. In an age when automation, artificial intelligence and robotics are taking jobs from humans, a solid foundation in the 4 Cs is what will keep a person relevant and irreplaceable in tomorrow’s workforce. It is incumbent upon students to develop their skills in these four areas. If they aren’t able to do so sufficiently in the classroom, they must turn elsewhere to learn these skills. SuperCamp is an ideal 4Cs resource for middle school, high school and college students.

5 College Prep Tips for High School Students

Learn writing skills

Learn how to listen/communicate

Critical thinking

Set goals – have a plan

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