SuperCamp president and co-founder, Bobbi DePorter, was talking the other day about what differentiates SuperCamp from other summer enrichment programs. It’s a lot of things, of course, but the essence of SuperCamp’s uniqueness is that we create a total learning environment in which each moment builds upon the previous one to achieve the ultimate goal of creating lifelong learners.

Doing so separates SuperCamp from the masses – the many academic summer camps and summer study programs that focus in on specific classroom content for a particular grade level or are not much more than glorified two- or three-week vacations for kids.

It’s also very different from how we often describe SuperCamp ourselves, that is, by the many learning skills and life skills we teach. SuperCamp truly is greater than the sum of its parts. And while it’s difficult to talk about yourself in superlative terms, we’ve come to the realization that we are the “world leader in raising grades, confidence and motivation.” It’s a handle we’re not yet completely comfortable with, but it probably sums up who we are better than anything else we’ve come up with in the past.

It’s become pretty obvious that holidays like Thanksgiving, which started out one way, have drastically changed in terms of how we celebrate. The holiday thrives on traditions (tradition!), some of which have stayed constant since Pilgrims and Indians were kickin’ it together in Massachusetts. Yet, a number of newer traditions are for many people, kinda strange and unsettling. For instance, in Buffalo, New York every year on Thanksgiving weekend, 7,000 people gather for the World’s Largest Disco. Seriously. Check it out.

For some, this kind of event ruins the spirit of the holiday. And so, every year we are hit with a slew of articles, reports, and news stories that come out talking about the “real spirit” of the holidays. Usually, they go on about the ways in which our society has lost touch with the true meaning of Thanksgiving and yet, they’ve become so commonplace that, unfortunately, they are rarely read or discussed.

The problem is that these writers never really give us any action steps except for “be thankful.” That’s like putting a brand new swimmer at the top of a high diving board and saying, “Just jump and do some flips and twists.” There’s no guidance, just a simple abstract command. Is Thanksgiving really just about “being thankful for stuff?”

The other day, one of our brilliant Team Leaders wrote something on Facebook which really made me stop and think. She wrote,

“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”

I think this is something most people realize, yet don’t have the necessary mindset for – that is, they don’t know how to really physically represent the idea of being thankful.

At SuperCamp, we’re given so many useful tools for life, relationships, and school – and we’re encouraged to use them often so that they can fully impact who we are and what we do.

This Thanksgiving, the challenge is to take physical action steps in regards to thankfulness (I think that’s a word. And if not, you’re welcome). Personally, I’m always thankful for important people in my life. If you feel the same, maybe use this Thanksgiving break to strengthen those relationships.

Here are some SuperCamp ways in case you need a refresher:

The Affinity Process

• Tell me something I don’t know about you.
• Tell me something you like about me.
• Tell me something you think we may have in common.

OTFD

Try using OTFD as a way to acknowledge someone.

4 Steps:

1. Observations
2. Thoughts
3. Feelings
4. Desires

Example: Dad, I noticed that you carved that turkey all by yourself. I think this makes you a champ because only you could carve a turkey like that. I feel proud that you are my Dad, not just because of your awesome turkey-carving skills, but also because you do so much for me. My desire is to give you a hug and then eat this delicious turkey. You the man, Dad.

4-Part Apology (AAMR)

Maybe this is the time of the year for a heartfelt apology to your parents, siblings, creepy uncle, whoever.

Remember, the four steps are:

1. Acknowledge
2. Apologize
3. Make it Right
4. Recommit

Try some of these out! Let us know how it goes. Be sure to comment on the blog or post something on our Facebook Fan Page. Most of all, have a fantastic Thanksgiving from all of us here at QLN.

Mark Twain said the difference between the right word and the almost right word is “the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.”

Everyone can think of a time when they said something that was “almost right” to another person and the result was a situation that became incredibly amusing, dangerous, or embarrassing very quickly. Often, it’s completely unintentional – yet the damage is done. What about those times though, when it’s very much intentional?

Someone who has a full vocabulary – and uses it well – has that Twain-ish ability to create a “lightning” effect with their words. With that capacity, he has an almost startling power to affect others; a well-placed compliment or cutting insult can determine a person’s emotional well-being for days, weeks, or even years. The choice is clearly there in front of us every time we open our mouths.

When we make the right choice – the choice to empower and inspire rather than disparage and hurt – we are living one of the 8 Keys of Excellence: Speak With Good Purpose.

SPEAK WITH GOOD PURPOSE: Speak honestly and kindly; Speak in a positive sense with good intent, being responsible for honest and direct communication.

When SuperCamp facilitators present the idea of Speaking With Good Purpose, they speak of communicating clearly and honestly, while also being attentive to the feelings our words create in others.

If we use the example of the person above with the sweet vocab skills, we expect them to be accountable for what they say, because one would assume that with an ample vocabulary a person has a lot more flexibility in what they enunciate.

And for those of us who aren’t verbal gymnasts – what then? Can we blame our lack of extensive vocabulary for our negative words?

The simple answer is yes. The more complicated answer still involves choice.

From years of research on the brain and language, science shows us that words are stored in our memory through frequency and relation. In other terms, the words we use most frequently are the words that are easiest for us to retrieve. If someone constantly uses the word “idiot” to describe a friend or classmate, they are cementing the connection between the insult and the person being insulted.

So, let’s get back to the simple answer. If you consider yourself to be limited in your vocabulary, you are going to have a stronger tendency to say words or phrases that you use often. If you are used to using negativity to describe your friends, co-workers, classmates, family members – well, that’s going to come out instinctively. On the flip side, if your vocabulary is limited and you still use kind words to those around you, it’s going to be instinctive to speak with joy and positivity.

When you use uplifting words, you form the habit of Speaking With Good Purpose, even if you’re not necessarily thrilled about a person or situation. Make it a habit to use the right words – all the time. Habits are hard to break, so let’s form some good ones.

(Photo by duncandavidson via Flickr)

Horace Silver

One of the greatest Jazz pianists of all time, Horace Silver, once sat down and decided to write a different kind of Jazz song. In the liner notes, he writes, “Although [this] is dedicated to pre-teenage children, it might not be a bad idea for us grownups to review some of the principles of good living that are expressed here which are always worthy of our consideration.”

He called the song “Accepting Responsibility” and though the music itself is pretty groovy, the lyrics are maybe some of the cheesiest ever written. One verse goes:

“You gather your toys and put them away/The weeks allowance must be earned and what’s more, these things are your chores/We must all accept responsibility, can’t you see, as we grow, responsibility grows too.”

Yes, it’s aimed at younger kids. Yes, it sounds like someone taught Chuck E. Cheese how to Samba dance. Yes, it was written in the 80s – a decade known for some pretty ridiculous music. But give the whole thing a listen and you get to a verse near the end which is pretty heavy for a “children’s song”.

“The world’s in a mess. There’s people in need/Don’t wait for someone else to speak and to do/They’re countin’ on you.”

You can have a listen to the whole thing here.

The point is, Horace Silver wasn’t a teacher. He didn’t work with kids in any capacity. Yet he understood that he had a certain responsibility as a public figure to teach children proper values. He felt a moral responsibility and acted on it.

In the world of Quantum Learning, we refer to this emotion as Ownership. When we speak about Ownership, we mean being accountable and responsible for what we feel, say and do. Being someone who can be counted on and someone who responds in an appropriate and intelligent way.

In another sense, it’s one thing to be responsible; it’s another to be response-able, i.e., being able to think and choose one’s response to a situation. Let’s say a teen gets his driver’s license and immediately gets into an accident. The non-Ownership response – the response that is pure instinct (and not thought out) – is to bail on the situation right away. The response-able choice means calming emotions and thinking clearly about the most positive and productive action to take.

Ownership can be responsibility for our world (environment, politics, social activism), our health (eating right, exercising), or our words (how we treat others, our response to how they treat us). In it’s essence, Ownership is about choice. Choice about the way we live, speak, think, and act.

In any situation, what response will you choose?

Photo by Austin Kleon

As the school year progresses, it becomes more and more important for your kids to preserve what their teachers have been saying in class to ensure they’ve got the information they need to pass those tests. Here’s a quick review for you to share with your son or daughter of some ways to make their note-taking more effective:

Listen Actively

Ask yourself, “What does the teacher expect me to learn? Why? What is he saying? How does it relate to the subject? Is it important? Is it something I need to be sure to remember?” Asking these questions makes it easier to separate what is important from what is unimportant. If you use the Notes:TM technique, this provides you with a steady supply of things to jot down on the right side of the line.

Observe Actively

Pay attention to clues you can pick up from the teacher and your reading material. Clues in the reading material can take the form of headings, bold type, italics, pictures, graphs, and diagrams. Some books have chapter outlines that contain important topics. Look at section and chapter summaries. Note the author’s or teacher’s conclusions.

Look for physical clues from the teacher too. Every teacher has a unique style; you can pick up on important points by becoming familiar with that style. Activate your antennae to the teacher’s facial expressions, gestures, body movements, and raised or lowered voice. Notice when she repeats an idea or word, and be attentive to what she writes on the board. Always sit as close to the front of the room as possible – it’s easier to pick up on important clues that way.

Participate

If you don’t understand something or have questions about it, ask! Join in discussions. Some people hold back, worrying about what others might think. Surveys show that people in an audience usually think highly of participators, often envying them for their courage even when they resent them for interrupting. Besides, what’s the worst other people can think – that you’re selfish in wanting to gain new knowledge?

Preview

If you know what the teacher is going to discuss, preview the material and find as much information on it as possible beforehand. Having some knowledge ahead of time will help you identify important points during a speech or lecture.

You’ll also know which concepts are unclear to you, so you can be prepared to ask questions. As you hear bits of information, you’ll find it easier to see how they fit together in the big picture. Previewing is one of the most effective ways to insure success and understanding.

Make the Auditory Visual

Your notes should be personal and meaningful to you, just like snapshots. Have you ever noticed how a picture from a vacation or important event brings a flood of memories – things you thought you’d forgotten?

When you’re taking in information, snap pictures of it by adding visual associations like symbols, drawings, and arrows as they occur to you. This way, your notes, even if reviewed months later, will remind you instantly of the material you knew was important at the time – and need to recall now.

Make Reviewing Easy

When taking/making notes, write on only one side of the paper. Use single sheets, not paper in a bound notebook. Then you can lay the sheets out in front of you or hang them up on the wall alter, when you need to review.

It’s also helpful to copy key notes onto three-by-five cards that you can carry around with you. When you’re standing in line, riding a bus, or waiting for a class to start, you can take them out for a few minutes of extra study or thinking time.

If students apply these tips to their note-taking, they will be more organized and more prepared to tackle whatever comes their way this year. They’ll be begging for their teachers to, “C’mon, gimme that test!”

* For one-on-one support from a SuperCamp facilitator, call our Grad Support Hotline at 1-800-285-3276, extension 170.

Hop on over to YouTube. In the search bar, type in “Bored in school.” When the results pop up, you will see that there are over 25 THOUSAND videos that were either filmed while bored at school or were thought up during that same “lull” time.

It’s not the latest research. One need only watch the first 30 seconds of the video to know what’s happening: lack of attention and motivation. It’s common knowledge that teens have a harder time staying focused and motivated in work settings than adults do. Adults can look at a situation and usually discern some value in the mundane; teens – for the most part – usually look at a situation and dryly ask, “When will I ever use this?” The result is that they operate with low motivation, which keeps them from advancing. Out of desperation, parents and teachers try a host of things to get a student motivated. Personal tutoring, special classes, or extra attention at home can help, but motivation will stay low unless the student takes interest in what she’s doing.

With almost 30 years of research under our belt, we’ve found a number of factors that play into a student’s motivation, or lack thereof. The most important stems from a simple question:

“What’s In It For Me?” or WIIFM (pronounced wiffem) is what our kids need to be asking themselves in the classroom. Most likely, they’re already asking this question, but for the wrong reasons. WIIFM works because it is a step-based process and we know that we tend to be less overwhelmed when we can take things in “baby steps”. Jimmy knows that he wants to go to college, so his first baby step is paying attention in math class. The next baby step is studying for the big test. Maybe even asking that cute girl he sits across from to be a study partner. And so on. Helping kids and teens find the relationship between what they are being taught and the life that they’re living is the key to switching a “So what?” attitude to a “Now what?’ attitude. Learning is brought to life when students begin to connect the seemingly abstract events in their lives to who they are and their interests.

There are certainly other aspects that play into the enthusiasm with which a student looks at school and it is safe to say that some of the responsibility rests with our teachers. Much of the training we do with our Quantum Learning for Teachers professional development program focuses on facilitating effective classroom management based on motivation and designing engaging lessons that make content more meaningful.

The responsibility, however, always falls on the listener. By encouraging our children to be thinking ahead and thinking about what they want, we are helping them to become proactive, motivated learners – regardless of the situation.

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Imagine an ice cream cone. Two mammoth-size scoops of your favorite flavor perched ever-so-gently on top. Sounds amazing, right? The only problem is the summer heat blasting down on you and that precious dessert. The logical solution: eat now, eat fast (avoid brainfreeze!).

Summer is officially gone, our kids have begrudgingly made their way back to school, and it’s very possible that SuperCamp was the most delicious treat they got all summer. The day they graduated from camp, that SuperCamp ice cream cone was fresh, cool, and seemingly endless. But we all know that the first day of school is just like a heat wave – new friends, new classes, and pressure to fall back into old habits. If we don’t keep eating, all that good stuff will have melted onto the floor.

In order to make the camp-to-school transition smooth and ongoing, we at SuperCamp have created a number of strategies to assist you and your SuperCamp grad in holding onto powerful strategies, mindsets, and goals:

• Our grad support hub is QuantumLearner.com, which will be constantly updated throughout the year. This is where you can access pictures from your student’s SuperCamp experience. One way to offer support is to print off pictures of your son or daughter with their friends at camp and post them near their ‘Homework Spot’ at home. This will keep them enthused about using SuperCamp skills throughout the year. QuantumLearner.com is your first stop for Grad Support.

• NEW FOR 2009! We are proud to introduce our Grad Support Hotline at 1-800-285-3276, extension 170. Have your camper leave a message (anything regarding SuperCamp skills and tools) and one of our trained SuperCamp Facilitators will call back with a refresher, pep talk, or whatever is needed! Your son or daughter may be hesitant to ask for help; let them know that they might get to speak with a Facilitator who was at their camp and that all of our Facilitators are dynamic, fun, and love to help! Again, call our main number at 1-800-285-3276 and dial extension 170.

• Refresher videos will be available once-a-month on YouTube and QuantumLearner.com based on topics that are appropriate for the time of year, (i.e. Test-Taking Skills in December for Midterms). No boring lectures – all the sweetness of SuperCamp in a quick, informative fashion.

• Visit our student and parent support page for a quick review of some of the most common SuperCamp support topics.

• Facebook! As you’re reading this, it’s very possible that your child is currently on Facebook or has been at some point during the last 2 hours. With that knowledge, we have created a number of groups and support networks and even an official SuperCamp Facebook page as a way of bringing our world to theirs. Encourage your kids to keep in touch with their SuperCamp friends and staff members and look at pictures from camp. Facebook is a great way to stay connected, however, if your student has questions for staff about SuperCamp curriculum, please direct them to the Grad Support Hotline (800-285-3276×170).

• Find a time (after asking permission) to look over your student’s SuperCamp playbook with them and ask questions about learned skills. Top things to ask about: Goals, the Quantum Reading process, Strategies (SLANT, Notes TM, Mind Mapping), and the 8 Keys of Excellence.

• If you’re interested in having your son or daughter come back to SuperCamp in 2010 (and they were a student in Senior Forum), encourage them to come back on Leadership Training Team to further develop their skills while getting the chance to have a new, different camp experience. For more information, check out our teen summer camps page and scroll down to Leadership Training Team or call 1-800-285-3276.

We are so excited to have had your student at SuperCamp this summer and are committed to making sure you get the return on your investment. Encourage your kids to use our resources – we want to keep them successful.

We’re looking forward to helping you and your student keep that ice cream cone fresh and “non-melty” throughout the school year!

It’s not even August and already we’re getting calls and emails from parents whose sons and daughters have attended SuperCamp this summer and returned home positive, energized and enthusiastic about the upcoming school year. These testimonials prove once again that our academic summer camps are not just about learning skills. They provide students with the valuable life skills and strong positive outlook they need for a bright and successful future.

Between our unique character instruction, featuring the highly acclaimed 8 Keys of Excellence, and the series of mini-success moments we use throughout the 10-day session, which build each camper’s self-esteem and confidence, parents are seeing noticeable changes in their kids post-SuperCamp. They tell us that while they enrolled their kids for academic summer enrichment, they’re even more thrilled with the personal enrichment that’s evident almost immediately in the form of improved communication at home.

If you know of parents looking for any last-minute summer enrichment for their son or daughter, tell them there’s still time to enroll in an August SuperCamp program. Our final pre-teen and teen summer camps start on August 15 at Stanford and we have other camps beginning earlier in the month. Here is a complete list of summer camp locations.

Because it’s last minute, anyone interested in enrolling should call us at 800-285-3276 immediately.

Do you have any stories from your son or daughter’s experience at SuperCamp this summer? Please share with us! You can do so via our Facebook Page, on Twitter, or by leaving your comments here

Did you know that in just four years, social websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter have become bigger than TV? Ninety-three percent of teens have social accounts online and kids as young as 7th and 8th graders are spending up to four hours per day online. There’s a huge upside to knowing how to leverage the full potential of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, but there’s also a risk if used improperly.

That’s why you, as parents, need to attend our special two-hour seminar on July 18, entitled “The Secrets Behind Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.”

At this seminar, you’ll learn what you need to know to help your kids, including the “best practices” of social networking for students:

• Safe online homework collaboration
• Reliable online researching
• Online college recruiting secrets
• Best sites for networking
• How to make extra summer cash online

You’ll also learn how to help your children avoid the dangers of social networking, including:

• Identity theft protection
• Cyberbullying support
• Damaging personal reputations
• Hurting college admission and job opportunities

“It’s important that kids understand how to take advantage of what these sites have to offer. And it’s just as important that both they and their parents know the right way to do it.” - SuperCamp president Bobbi DePorter

This unique seminar for parents is from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 18 at the QLN Conference Center, 1938 Avenida del Oro, Oceanside, CA 92056. Click here for directions.

The cost to attend is only $25 per person and just $35 per couple.

Enroll online or call us at 800-285-3276, ext. 115.

So if you live in Southern California and have kids between the ages of 10 and 18, don’t miss out on this special event, and be sure to share this opportunity with your friends!

Somewhere deep inside Iraq, there is a set of ‘8 Keys’ hanging over a mirror in an American Marine’s bunk. As most of you know, the 8 Keys of Excellence are the underlying foundation of SuperCamp, as they provide a framework for students to use to become more successful in the classroom as well as in their everyday lives.

In the summer of 2000, Brian Seidl was an aspiring high school senior when he attended SuperCamp Senior Forum at Claremont Colleges just outside Ontario, California. Today, Brian is a 1st Lieutenant in the H&S Company 3rd battalion 3rd Marines stationed in Al Assad, Iraq. Brian recalls having “a blast” during his 10-days of SuperCamp; “I got a lot of tools … most beneficial was the Quantum Reading,” he says.

Lieutenant Seidl started thinking about the ‘8 Keys’ on the 26 hour flight to Iraq:

“I was [occupying] some of my time by writing a journal. Somehow my train of thought took me to thoughts about responsibility, choices, and things that somewhat equate to productive citizenship. I was contemplating the Leadership Traits and Leadership Principles, and other tools that I have encountered, such as [SuperCamp’s] ‘8 Keys’. I started thinking about the ones that mean the most to me, and which ones I find myself thinking about most frequently. [The two I thought of first were] Failure Leads to Success, and Speak With Good Purpose … The simple fact that those two are most frequently on my mind meant something important.”

Even nearly 10 years after Brian’s experience with SuperCamp, he still holds the academic and life lessons he learned close to his heart. So close, as a matter of fact, that he e-mailed SuperCamp President Bobbi DePorter to thank her for her influence on his life, and she was so touched that she personally mailed the 8 Keys of Excellence to Brian in Iraq. Brian’s ‘8 Keys’ are now posted on the wall above his mirror to remind him of them every day.

On behalf of SuperCamp, I would like to thank First Lieutenant Brian Seidl, as well as all American service members for their service, dedication, and commitment to our country.

Way to live the 8 Keys, Brian!!