This
brief and definitely not complete job description is meant to
introduce you to what our program entails for its staff. It is not
by any means meant to scare people, but it is an honest attempt to
describe some of the realities and responsibilities of a very
difficult yet rewarding job.
Begun in
1973, Nature's Classroom (NC) is a non-profit environmental education
teaching service. We serve a wide variety of academically normal
children ranging from fourth to eighth grade. They come from
every type of background imaginable, inner-city Boston, MA, to Greenwich,
CT, to rural New Hampshire. You must be willing to deal
with every type of group while giving up all your own problems, hang-ups,
etc., and devote your energy towards and concentrate on the needs of the
kids who come to us. The love and excitement kids give back, though, makes
all this worthwhile.
We have 14
sites in New England and New York.
(See "Where is Nature's Classroom?")
Each site has a staff of about 9 teachers, a program coordinator, and a
medical staff person.
Our first
requirement for a job at Nature's Classroom is that you have a love
for children. Children are the reason for our program's existence.
You must have the
desire to help them learn -- learn about themselves, other people, the
reason why they’re in school, and the environment around them. If
you cannot stand your nieces and nephews, the kids next door, or the
kids you student taught, forget it! Perhaps education isn't your
field (don't give up, try something else).
WHILE
YOU
MUST HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK LONG HOURS, IT IS NOT STRESSFUL. OUR DAYS ARE LONG (7:30
AM. TO 11:00 PM.), AND WE
REALIZE WE DEMAND A LOT FROM OUR STAFF, BUT IN RETURN WE ARE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF YOU.
A sense of
humor is most helpful.
The
following is a typical day’s schedule at NC, subject to change
instantaneously (consider your flexibility level, it is a necessity).
This schedule will give you a brief idea of what the kids and staff
are involved in.
7:15
am Kids and staff wake up!! Please no moans or groans.
Life’s a drag when you have to wake up next to a groan of
"Oh Scat."
7:45
Waiters (i.e. our students) and one staff member get the dining room ready for breakfast.
8:00
Breakfast. All staff and kids eat together. It’s a chance to compare
yawns, discuss the coming day, and greet the morning as a group. Two
o’clock classes are announced and selected; they are followed by
morning activity announcements and off everybody goes to get ready to
go on field walks.
9-9:25
Your field walk prep time. Brush your teeth, warm up your compass,
check your day pack, dress for the occasion because at...
9:30-11:30
You and twelve kids are off to explore and discover the woods
and wetlands together. The field walks are very basic science. We emphasize our natural
environment, how it affects us and how we affect it. It's discovery
time. We also do team building activities during this time.
11:45
Waiters and one staff member get the dining room ready for lunch.
12:00
Lunch (yummy, yummy). Be ready to drop all inhibitions and lead songs,
tell stories, introduce four-o'clock classes, and generally have a fun time.
1-1:55
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, kids' free time, our class prep panic.
"What do you mean you need the bioscope, too???! Argghhhhhhhh!"
On Mondays, once the children arrive, there is little, if any, free
time until the break after dinner. On Wednesdays, at some sites, you
will sometimes be out for a longer portion of the day with your field group exploring a
mountain or
saltwater environment. You are responsible for the children until you
return to the site mid-afternoon or shortly before dinner. On Friday, the children
usually depart for home after lunch; then, the clean-up begins.
2-3:30
Special interest classes. Staff teaches classes from our over 500
lesson plans or ones that they research and develop themselves. Within each class period we, as a group,
cover all the academic disciplines (math, science, social studies, and
humanities) with a
leaning toward the math and science areas. Many are classes the
visiting school teachers have requested that we provide. (See "Sample
of Special Interest Programming"). Topics, classes, resources
etc. are shared amongst staff to help keep each class and instructor
as exciting and informative as possible.
3:30-4:00
Class prep panic sets in again. "What happened to the bar
magnets? Who’s seen the geodome rope? The scissors are missing
AGAIN!"
4-5:30
Another set of special interest classes.
5:45
Waiters and one staff member help get the dining room set up for
dinner.
6:00
Dinner with the kids. "And what did YOU do today?"
7:20
Evening activities begin approximately 20-30 minutes after supper
ends.
We might
be leading anything from a square dance to an environmental hearing to
a night walk. These vary from week to week according to what new and
exciting things the staff comes up with and what requests are made by
the participating schools.
9-9:30
Snack and quiet sing. Staff helps in setting up snack and singing
quiet songs or telling stories; a nice way to close the day for kids.
9:30
Staff meeting to keep those old communication lines OPEN.
"What’s happening with the group?" "As a staff, are
we ready for tomorrow?" It’s definitely a time to examine
personal philosophies and warm laughter, which is just as important to
the picture as the whereabouts of the bar magnets and scissors! Some
meetings last only a few minutes; others
may go very late depending on the topic, always ending no later than
11:00 pm.
All of this is
followed by lines for the bathrooms and exhausted souls groping for
their beds. On Tuesday nights, there is a staff meeting with the
visiting teachers and chaperones. This meeting usually starts at 10:00
pm. It is a time to share any problems or make needed changes to the
program. (It is important to remember that we are a SERVICE TO THE
SCHOOLS and try to meet their curricula and program needs.) Usually
it’s a time to receive many "pats on the back" for the
work we’re doing. It is also a chance to just relax and meet the
teachers socially. During this time you will be asked to take one of
the shifts in supervising the "sleeping" children.
Parts
of our day also include:
-Maintaining
discipline, especially in regards to safety.
-Doing
occasional office work, light maintenance or snow shoveling.
-Cleaning
kids’ living spaces and facility before kids arrive and after the
kids leave (The kids try to help clean up before they leave.)
-Helping
out in the kitchen 3 or 4 times throughout the week during meals as
either a staff waiter or dishwasher.
-Writing
outlines on new material you introduce.
-Helping
out at other sites on occasion (we pay transportation).
-Anything
else not mentioned!!!!
We do recommend that
all teaching staff teach for one week at a different site. This allows
you to have a greater awareness of Nature's Classroom as a total
organization and permits you to have a greater impact on our
development.
Our staff is on duty
with the students, morning, afternoon and evening, 5 days a week. (Oohhh,
I need your love, babe - woops! That's 8 days a week!) Your
after-minutes are generally your own, but understand that you may be
called on in an emergency. Occasionally a school will ask for our
staff to cover the children at night, for an additional charge.
Weekends are yours to do what you want: travel, sleep in, go out,
party or relax with old and new friends.
Unfortunately,
after hours and weekends are the only time we have to prepare for
field walks and classes. But not to fret, we are all in this together;
by sharing resources, ideas, knowledge, and experiences, we can enjoy
learning as much as the kids we work with during the week. Come
prepared to share your knowledge and turn interests into dynamo stuff
to use with the kids during the week.
Our program runs like
the school year, September through mid-June with a December holiday
break of 2-3 weeks; we have a number of winter options available to
keep staff employed until the sites open for the Spring season.
We always hire more
staff for our Spring season, there will be openings beginning in
February, March and April and ending in mid-June with options for
summer employment with Life-TECH Ventures, the summertime program of
Nature's Classroom. Our host organizations hire our staff for their
summer programs as well.
If you are in need of
immediate employment during our winter and off-season periods, we are
able to hire you for general tasks as needed at the Charlton site
only. Please let us know if this is one of your needs.
The living
conditions at Nature's Classroom are probably different from any you
have ever experienced. We live as a functional, working community
which involves both professional and social aspects of our lives. We
live and work closely together. While living at Nature's Classroom, be
aware that we are guests of the host organization which owns the site.
Standards of behavior, cleanliness, and respect for property that are
agreeable to them must be adhered to.
The
staff quarters vary from site to site; most are summer camp cabins
that have been winterized; several are real houses. All have bedrooms
plus a common area and kitchen facilities. The staff quarters are
tight; you will share a room with one or two other people along with
sharing a bathroom. As many of the housing arrangements are rustic,
feel free to bring your own touches of home; lamps, posters, radio,
alarm clock, musical instruments, day pack, books (save some room for
clothes and personal toiletries). Also, be sure to bring bedding. The
weather in New England is very unpredictable. Even if you are only
joining us for one season, bring four seasons worth of clothing. While
we do not have a formal dress code for our teaching staff, staff are
required to wear long pants and closed shoes during program times. We
ask that your clothing is neat and appropriate for being around
children. Every site has laundry facilities on or near the property.
It is strongly recommended that you bring warm, comfortable shoes,
waterproof boots, sneakers, hats, gloves, etc. Raingear is a must! The
whole environment is a challenge, not only to the kids but to the
staff. Your must be creative, open, and able to share. Returning staff
can work themselves into the very few private rooms.
Please
come willing to work harder than you've ever worked before!!! The
weekly stipend varies according to degree and work experience. We
provide room and board 7 days a week. Weekends you can come and go as
you please! It is a good idea to stay close to your site the first
couple of weekends in order to become batter acquainted with your
fellow staff members and your new home. The salary may seem low
compared to general teaching jobs; however, we teach on a 1-12 ratio
unlike public schools that teach on a 1-30 ratio, and you have some
freedom in what you teach. Taken as an entire package - food, lodging
and salary - it's not half bad. Many staff members have said that they
have saved more money or paid off more bills than they did at higher
paying regular jobs.
Most importantly, we
offer the freedom to teach and to grow. You are encouraged to explore
new areas for classes and programs; do not simply draw on the past,
take the opportunity to grow within the program itself. Our Program
Coordinators and Core Staff are chosen from within the ranks. If you
find that this is truly what you love to do, there is even the chance
to open your own site in association with Nature's Classroom.
OUR PROGRAM IS ONLY AS
GOOD AS WE MAKE IT, AND WE MAKE IT GOOD ONLY BY AN ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT
TO EACH OTHER ON THE STAFF. WE NEED THAT HELP/SUPPORT THAT EACH
INDIVIDUAL ONE OF US CAN GIVE TO EACH OTHER.
What are the rest of
the staff like?? Will I fit in?? There is not a person on our staff
who didn't ask the same questions AND probably said it again during
orientation. "What the heck am I doing here?!!" Everyone
comes from a wide background; hardcore science and artists, veggies
and hunters, preppies and polyesters, and on and on...all academic
backgrounds are embraced. Nature's Classroom is composed of people
from the arts, philosophy, religious studies, English, social studies,
business, and of course, math and science. But, each person sharing
helps to create one of the finest experiences that most will ever
have. Environmental Education involves all of the relationships that
exist in this world of ours.
So you'd still like to
work for Nature's Classroom?? Great! REREAD this one more time to make
sure; it is a pretty sound picture. QUESTIONS?? I hope so. Come and
see us in operation. Your final step towards joining us is a personal
or phone interview.
Apply to:
Nature's Classroom
Dr. John G. Santos, Director
19 Harrington Road
Charlton, MA 01507
