Dounans 2010

Photo: Early morning run...well worth getting up for!
Camp fire.

Just back from my 6th visit to Dounans with all the 150+ Primary 7's in the Dunbar cluster from what was another great week for all. My main duty was to make a film so I got to spend most of the week filming and photographing everyone. Sadly this meant I missed out on taking part in some of the hair raising activities but had fun watching kids do it. The pecking order is well and truly adjusted after Dounans. The quiet kid nobody bothered with at school suddenly turns out to be the bravest and actually has a good sense of humour. Whilst those kids others once looked up to are brought down a peg or two because their 'hard man' image is actually revealed as being very superficial when they bottle it on the flying fox.
For a change there were plenty of blokes on camp (note I was careful not to say camp blokes!). This is good as one failing of primary education is the lack of men involved in it. I think boys and girls need some male role models and it is no wonder boys have a tough time in education when they are only taught by women. There are lots of very good women teachers in all the schools I work in but I think a few male teachers would compliment their efforts, and vice versa. One of the dads there joined me in doing an early morning run with anyone who wanted to join us. 16 turned up for day 1 but we got the impression some were just following the crowd. So on day 2 on of the lads decided to create a route that went around the campsite a few times to help lose those incapable of running further. It worked a treat and we had 12 runners who made it up to the David Marshall Lodge. Day 3 and everyone is knackered. However we were joined by one lad and another teacher and they were rewarded with the best views all week. The sun and mist combo looking up the valley to Stirling made that trip well worth it.
So another year passes by. The first lot I went to Dounans with are now in 5th year. How quickly it passes by but each time with fond memories.