Comprehensive guide covering all aspects of running an in-person camp, from setup to partnerships to closeout. Reference this throughout camp for location-specific logistics, managing physical supplies, coordinating with hosts, and navigating in-person dynamics.
In-Person Camp Structure
In-person camps bring together 30 scholars and a team of 2 Instructors and 2 IAs. The smaller scale compared to virtual camps means a higher staff-to-scholar ratio and more direct, personal relationships between instructional leaders and scholars throughout camp.
The Physical Space
In-person camp takes place in a host space that varies by location. There is always a main room where whole-group instruction happens, with scholars facing a projector or screen. Some locations have additional adjacent spaces that allow for small-group breakout opportunities; others do not. Tables are typically arranged so scholars can work in pairs or small groups for practice and try-it activities during technical lessons.
Every camp space is different, and flexibility is essential! Location-specific details about your camp space can be found on the Camp Details tab in your Camp HQ.
Whole-Group Instruction
When all 30 scholars are together facing the projector for direct instruction, this is your primary teaching context. You can read the room in real time, and use that visibility to gauge understanding, energy, and engagement as you teach.
Small Groups and Pairs
During practice and try-it activities, scholars work in pairs or small table groups. IAs circulate the room rather than being assigned to a specific group, providing support to whoever needs it. If your space allows for breakout into separate rooms, this can be used for differentiated practice, quiet focus time, or small-group check-ins.
Camp Partnerships and Host Spaces
KWK in-person camps take place in spaces that have been generously offered by partner organizations and host institutions. This partnership is foundational to making in-person camps possible, and it comes with real responsibilities for the instructional team.
Being a good partner means:
- Arriving on time, every day. Arrival and building access are coordinated with your host. Late arrivals create friction for the people who have gone out of their way to make your camp possible. Punctuality is a form of respect.
- Following the host's protocols. Security procedures, building access rules, and space usage expectations vary by location and should be treated as non-negotiable. Consult your Camp HQ → Camp Details tab for location-specific guidance before Day 1.
- Leaving the space as you found it. At the end of each day, and especially at the end of camp, the space should be restored to its original condition. This includes furniture arrangement, any supplies or materials, and general cleanliness.
This partnership mindset extends to the scholars too. Help them understand that they are guests in this space and what it means to be respectful of it!
Day 1 Setup
The first day of in-person camp requires significant physical preparation before scholars arrive! An organized space sets the tone for the entire camp. It signals that you're prepared, that you care about the experience, and that scholars are walking into something that was built for them.
The full Day 1 setup checklist lives in your Camp HQ. Review it well in advance and divide setup tasks between Instructors and IAs before you arrive on Day 1. A few high-level principles for setup:
- Arrive early enough to set up fully before scholars walk in. Factor in building access time, any setup that requires coordination with your host, and buffer for the unexpected. Scholars should never arrive to a space that isn't ready.
- Arrange the room intentionally. Think about table groupings, sight lines to the projector, and whether the layout supports the kind of interaction you want (i.e., pairs working together, IAs circulating freely, scholars able to see the board from every seat, etc.).
- Test all technology before scholars arrive. Projector, screen, speakers, instructor laptop, scholar laptops, WiFi and MiFi, any tools you plan to use on Day 1. Tech issues discovered after scholars arrive eat into precious learning time and disrupt the energy of the first day.
- Set up scholar workstations. Depending on your location, this may include distributing laptops, organizing supplies, or preparing any printed materials.
The Three Core Responsibilities
Every member of the instructional team shares responsibility across three areas. The balance of who owns what shifts by role, but all three areas require everyone's attention throughout camp.
Core Responsibility #1: Build Community
In-person camps offer something powerful: physical presence. Scholars share a real space together, and that changes how community forms and what it can feel like.
Instructors
- Set the tone for camp culture
- Structure key community moments
- Provide guidance to IAs for community-building activities
- Create opportunities for the scholars to connect
Instructor Assistants (IAs)
- Lead Culture of Tech sessions
- Facilitate Brain Breaks, Opening/Closing Circles, and Theme Days
- Build scholar relationships through daily support
Energy spreads quickly through a physical room. Bring it consistently! This energy is contagious in a way that scholars will feel and respond to. Brain breaks and community activities can (and should!) take advantage of physical space and movement in ways that aren't possible online. Lean into that. Inside jokes, shared moments, and a strong camp culture can develop quickly and organically when people are in the same room together.
Review the modality-specific guidance in the Building Community guide for even more ideas for how to leverage the in-person camp environment to foster strong camp culture.
Core Responsibility #2: Facilitate Learning
In virtual camps, all instructional leaders play a pivotal role in facilitating and supporting scholar learning. Here’s the role that each instructional leader plays in supporting scholar learning:
Instructors
- Lead direct instruction
- Shape the daily agenda
- Monitor and differentiate for the full camp
- Circulate during practice to observe and support
Instructor Assistants (IAs)
- Circulate the room during practice
- Answer questions live
- Support scholars with debugging at their laptops
- Flag scholars who need differentiated support
Circulating is one of your most powerful instructional tools. During practice and try-it activities, Instructors and IAs should be in motion. This means moving through the room, checking in at laptops, noticing what scholars are working through. You will catch bugs, confusion, and off-task behavior much faster by being present and mobile than by staying anchored to your computer off to the side.
Content Review
Every morning during Opening Circle, Instructors and/or IAs have an opportunity to lead a brief review session. Kahoots and Blookets work particularly well in-person. The competitive energy in a physical room is tangible and worth leaning into. Code-alongs on the projector are effective too, with scholars following along on their laptops while the instructor pauses and circulates to check progress.
Microfeedback and Scholar Artifacts
IAs review scholar microfeedback daily and share reflections with Instructors, who use that information to make adjustments to the following day's instruction. Scholar artifacts are collected Days 1-5 via the microfeedback form and rated for proficiency in Airtable.
Core Responsibility #3: Manage Operations
Operational responsibilities are shared between Instructors and IAs. Instructors take the lead on logistics and team coordination, and IAs take the lead on scholar-facing systems like attendance and managing lunch logistics.
Instructors
- Plan and lead daily team huddles
- Manage and support IAs
- Share key updates with scholars on Slack
- Handle arrival, dismissal, and location-specific logistics
- Communicate with KWK staff and follow escalation procedures
Instructor Assistants (IAs)
- Take attendance daily
- Maintain Airtable data
- Serve as scholars' primary point of contact
- Escalate concerns to Instructors or KWK staff
- Update the Quick Links document daily
Arrival and Building Access
Arrive early enough that the space is fully set up before scholars walk in. Factor in building access coordination with your host, any setup tasks from the Day 1 checklist, and buffer for the unexpected. Security protocols and arrival procedures vary by location. Know yours before Day 1. All location-specific procedures are in your Camp HQ → Camp Details tab.
Lunch
Lunch is delivered to camp and distributed to scholars by the instructional team. The IA assigned to lunch logistics should manage this process. Whenever possible, encourage scholars to step away from their laptops and eat together in a separate area. Lunch is a natural community-building moment and scholars benefit from a genuine mental break!
If a dedicated dining space isn't available, encourage scholars to close their laptops and step back from their screens during the break even if they're eating at their workstations. Instructional Leaders should be present and engaged during lunch, while still giving scholars space to relax and connect socially.
Dismissal and Sign-Out
Before dismissal each day, check the Airtable roster to identify scholars who require adult sign-out before they can leave. Hold those scholars until their adult has arrived. Do not release a scholar who requires adult sign-out without confirmation.
Most scholars will have permission to leave independently, but not all. When in doubt, hold and check. This is an important scholar safety procedure.
Core Camp Systems
Slack
- Instructors use the announcements channel for daily reminders and resource links
- IAs open lesson threads for code snippets and reference materials
- Scholars use Slack DMs for personal communications with IAs or Instructors
- The team uses Slack for coordination before and after camp hours
Airtable
IAs are responsible for tracking the following in Airtable throughout camp:
- Attendance (AM and PM)
- Mircofeedback
- Scholar artifact proficiency ratings (Days 1-5)
- Capstone project progress
- Sign-out status (which scholars require adult sign-out at dismissal)
Instructors should check Airtable regularly and ensure IAs are keeping it updated.
Google Drive
- Include identifiers in document titles to keep things organized
- Use subfolders for different activity types
- Share materials with scholars via Slack links
Communication Norms
Most questions during in-person camp will be answered in the moment with a raised hand, an IA stopping at a laptop, or an Instructor addressing the group. This is the primary mode of communication during sessions, but Slack still serves as an important space for resource-sharing and camp-wide communication.
- An IA should open a Slack thread for each lesson to drop code snippets, links, and reference materials scholars can return to during and after the session
- Scholars can use the thread to ask questions, but most support happens live
- The thread creates a useful archive of lesson resources even when it isn't heavily used in the moment