Program Philosophy

At Camp Summer Garden, when a child struggles, we do not assume the child is a “bad seed” that needs fixing. Just as a gardener does not dig up an entire garden because growth is slower than expected, we do not remove or blame the child.   

Instead, we examine the conditions.

A gardener adjusts the soil, sunlight, water, and spacing before concluding that something is wrong. In the same way, we reflect on the environment, the expectations, the teaching strategies, and the supports in place. We ask what might need to change around the child before we ask the child to change.

Children grow best in environments that are responsive, patient, and intentional.

At Camp Summer Garden, we cultivate growth by adapting conditions, explicitly teaching skills, and providing consistent support because every child deserves the opportunity to bloom.

Connect • Serve • Grow

“When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

- Alexander Den Heijer

“Similarly, when a child is unsuccessful in a learning environment, we shouldn’t attempt to “fix” the child.”

“What if, instead of attempting to “fix” the child, we first examined the learning environment and shifted the focus from fixing the child to adapting the conditions in which the child is growing and learning?”-Michelle Salcedo