Revised 5/09
For more information contact Valerie Arrechea at
etcharren@msn.com
Thank you for agreeing to take part in N.A.B.O.’s Udaleku
program. As teacher or aide you will be learning how
Udaleku works from the staff’s perspective. You will be
expected to help run classes, ensure discipline, help with
class and event scheduling, and do whatever you can to make
the day run smoothly.
As a staff member, you are now in a different position than
you were if you participated as a student. There are duties
and responsibilities that come with being an aide or
instructor, and you will be expected to keep that in mind
throughout the camp – from the first day until the final day
when the children have left. You are here to be a mentor and
teacher to the participants. You are not here to be their
playmate or socialize with them on an equal level.
Below you will find some guidelines that will help you draw
the line between student and instructor, will help with
situations that might arise, and help you avoid situations
that would be unfortunate.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Cell phones should be turned off during Udaleku hours.
Phone calls and text messaging are not allowed during camp
hours. Messages may be checked and calls returned during
your lunch hour, or when the children have left for the day.
Personal items such as iPods, MP3 players or video games may
not be used during camp hours.
Please dress appropriately to set an example for students.
The staff should dress so he/she can participate and teach
activities at Udaleku.
Never be alone in a restroom with another child, this is for
your protection!
When on a field trip using a public restroom, check the
bathrooms before letting Udaleku participants in. Stand in
the bathroom (not in the stall) to make sure our little
“Bascos” are safe.
Please do not drive with an Udaleku participant in your
vehicle without the permission of the Director of Udaleku.
If the director does ask you to drive students, please take
only as many as you have working seatbelts for.
For your protection, it is strongly recommended that you
refrain from touching children. Holding hands while walking
or playing games, or patting heads or shoulders is generally
acceptable. However, do not place them on your lap, or hold
them in any way that might be misconstrued.
Please remember that these children are between 10 and 15
years old. There can be no romantic or physical
relationship between you and any camper. Doing so is grounds
for immediate dismissal without pay.
There can be no socializing with campers during after-camp
hours. Your role does not end at the end of the work day,
it ends after the final performance and once the children
have gone home.
If you are romantically involved with another instructor,
please do not show this in any way to the children. They
should not be aware of this, unless there is a married
couple working as instructors. No public displays of
affection, please.
There should be no drinking of alcohol, smoking, or using
illegal substances at Udaleku. An exception can be made for
a drink with dinner for someone over 21, but only in
moderation.
No teacher should provide any camper with alcohol,
cigarettes, or any illegal substance. Doing so is grounds
for immediate dismissal without pay.
You should always be actively looking for something to do.
Please don’t wait until someone senior to you tells you to
go do something.
HAVE FUN!!!!
DISCIPLINE – GENERAL INFORMATION
Talk to the child in a calm, yet firm manner.
Listen to both sides of a story.
Do not reprimand a child in front of a parent or the group.
If the situation is more than what you feel comfortable
assisting with, quickly have someone get a senior teacher or
the camp director.
Remove the child from the situation. Talk to the child
individually as soon as you have time.
Be consistent in enforcing Udaleku rules in a positive,
impersonal manner.
Attempt to foresee and forestall trouble. Redirect an
uncooperative child to another activity. Keep a watchful
eye.
Help children understand one another’s actions.
Discourage improper language. Say, “We do not talk like
that at Udaleku.”
Never talk to the child when you are angry. Calm down
first.
Do not allow any bullying or name calling. Stop this
immediately, let the child know such behavior will not be
tolerated at Udaleku. This will rarely be done in front of
an instructor, so you need to be on the look out for changes
in behavior, what other children are saying, and children
who suddenly don’t want to be with the group they have been
assigned. It is always good to remind campers that the
Basque Community is small, and they will probably be
socializing with fellow campers for many years, regardless
of where they live.
A “positive atmosphere” at Udaleku is our goal!
DISCIPLINE METHODS
Take the child out of the group and talk to him. Find out
what the problem is. Sometimes talking to a child on an eye
to eye level is all that is necessary to take care of the
situation.
Remove the child from a group for a short period of time.
Sometimes it is necessary to rearrange groups based on a
negative group dynamic.
Send the child to the Director of Udaleku for further
discipline, if it is necessary.
No physical punishment is allowed. This includes (but is
not limited to): pushups, laps, throwing objects, physical
restraints.
Broken Record Method: If you ask a child to do something and
they begin arguing with you or talking back, simply repeat
your command in a calm voice. For example if you ask them
to get in line and they keep telling you no, simply keep
repeating “get in line please,” over and over until they
finally give in.
Don’t let children go “shopping!” If children don’t get the
answer they want, they will try and shop around until they
get the answer THEY want. Don’t let this happen! Make
sure you are all on the same page and enforcing the same
rules, otherwise when the child gets in trouble they will
say, “Well Mr. Etcheverry said it was okay” and you’ll get
the blame.
Be consistent! If you tell a child something follow
through! If you don’t, they know they won’t have a
consequence, and won’t take you seriously.
Never talk bad about other children or instructors with the
children this puts you at their level and they will repeat
it.
You are not here to compete for the spot of favorite
teacher. Do not be more lax than any other teacher.
Teachers must all be on the same page.
Children that act up want attention. Give them attention
but make sure it’s positive. The child that drives you nuts
is the child you might want to eat lunch with or start a
conversation with during down time, ask them about their
life, you’ll be surprised how their behavior will improve.
If you are only disciplining them, they will think you are
against them, show positive interest in them and their
behavior will improve.
Make sure you are CONFIDENT and don’t be afraid to let them
know YOU are in charge!
