At the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., I spent another week working as a Youth Teaching Assistant, this time for a camp about space and rocketry. Eighteen kids came each day, and I immediately noticed that they all had very different personalities. Some were loud and outgoing from the beginning, while others barely talked at first. Some planned every part of their rocket before touching the materials. Others started building immediately and figured things out as they went.
At the start of the week, a few of the quieter campers seemed unsure around me. They would listen when I explained an activity, but they usually went to the instructors when they had questions. As the week went on, that changed. They started asking me for help, showing me their designs, and telling me what they wanted to try next. Even during breaks, more of them came over to talk to me. Some were shy and polite initially. As I got to know them better and tried to learn their interests, they opened up. Eventually, many were comfortable asking endless questions, laughing at their own mistakes.
I also had to learn how to work with each kid differently. Some wanted clear instructions and reassurance that they were doing the activity correctly. Others had their own ideas and mostly needed someone to listen. The more outgoing campers often wanted to answer every question, so I tried to make space for the quieter kids without putting them on the spot. During the egg drop challenge, I encouraged campers who had barely spoken earlier in the week to start explaining their designs to the rest of their group.
Even though a week is not a long time, it still provided me an opportunity to form tight bonds with my campers. I loved the process of getting to know them and becoming a supportive mentor as we explored the extensive and fascinating exhibits at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
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