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to include specific problem areas t he child, parent, and staff
agree can be dealt with within the confines of the program. The
contract could attempt to define the underlying causes for the child's
problems which might include his/her attitude towarQ the family,
school. etc. Those behaviors that are identified would then be the
ones for which points could be earned. Admittedly such a system
would entail more work for staff, but at the same time it· has the
potential for being of greater. longer lasting benefit to the child.
One means of making this system easier to administer would be the
assignment of a specific staff person to work with a small number of
participants, preferably for the entire four-week period.
Under the 15-point system. a great deal of emphasis is placed
on the participant bringing a sack lunch with one of the four points
being awarded on this basis. The thinking behind including this
provision in the point system seems to be that those individuals not
bringing food wil~
either get too hungry during the session to actively
participate or will be asking for handouts from others. This does not
ac count for those wisiling to eat before leaving home. The one",ha If
hour for the lunch period may be viewed as a good opportunity for kids
and staff to socialize, but including such a provision in the point
system seems to be yet another mech~nical
rule that has little or no
value to the goals of the program.