Environmental Educator and Challenge Course Facilitor

~ Don Lee Camp & Retreat Center is affiliated by faith with The North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and is operated by NC United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries, Inc.  In this program, students come with their classes for a one-day, two-day, three-day, or even five-day nature experiences. ~

Position Overview

We're looking for live on-site educators for our spring season: from Feb 11th - May 25th. 

In the spring, our groups are primarily large (up to 200 people), overnight groups that are coming for an environmental education experience to reinforce the lessons they have learned in the classroom all year. We hire twelve seasonal positions in the spring, as well as utilizing educators that live locally when needed. We work in the small group model of 1 instructor per group of 15 students; in addition, the school is required to provide one, preferably two, adults per group of fifteen students.

Our days begin before breakfast, when staff are expected to have their classes/activities set-up to begin immediately following breakfast at 8:45 a.m. Staff will usually teach 3 program options between breakfast and lunch (at 12:30), and then teach 3 to 4 more rotations of that exploration between lunch and dinner. After dinner, there is a time for group reflections (facilitated by staff), and evening programs. Lights out for all groups is at 10:00 p.m.

Responsibilities

Environmental Education Instructors at Don Lee Camp & Retreat Center teach students through a residential outdoor environmental education program known as Coastal Communities. Instructors of the Coastal Communities program facilitate students in grades 3 - 8, and occasionally students as young as kindergarten and high school age. In this program, students come with their class for a one-day, two-day, three-day, or even five-day nature experience. Instructors teach a variety of different explorations, depending on which programs teachers select.

Program options offered through Coastal Communities include:

Neuse River Study, Beach Study, Salt Marsh Study, Pond Study, Herpetology, Fantastic Fish (dissection), Tidal Creek Study (canoeing), Ocean Study, Marine Invertebrates (dissection), Creeping Crawlers, Forest Ecology, Coastal Soil Ecology, Coastal Birds, Weather, Traditional Coastal Transportation (sailing), Coastal Seafood Experience, Fossils, Coastal Folklore, Settlers, Fishing, Arts and Crafts, Creatures of the Neuse, Plankton, Man and the Neuse River, Challenge Course, Stars and Constellations, Night Nature, Native Americans, Pirates, and Maps and Charts Navigation.

Experiential education at Don Lee also incorporates our low element challenge course through both the Common Ground program and the Coastal Communities program. Groups may participate in the challenge course experience for a small portion of their extended visit, or for an entire day! This experience is designed to raise the awareness of students as being part of a group, help them to better learn to cooperate, communicate, and work more effectively as a team. Together, the experiences of these two programs can be a very effective tool to help reinforce lessons of teachers working in a classroom setting.

Qualifications

Don Lee Camp & Retreat Center's Environmental and Outdoor Educators are required to have a bachelor's degree in a science or education related field or in outdoor recreation and experiential education. They should possess experience or strong interest in teaching children in an outdoor setting. Enthusiasm, flexibility, and effective communication skills are a must. Those persons seeking internships must currently be obtaining a college degree in a related field and possess a strong desire to teach children in an outdoor setting.

Expectations of Don Lee Experiential Education Staff:

• Enthusiasm about the environment and the experiential education process
• Self-confidence and the ability to facilitate activities with large and small groups
• Be prepared and prompt for all activities and meetings
• Ability to function as an effective team member with other staff members, and to successfully function in a cooperative, communal living environment
• Helping with setting up and cleaning up of daily activities
• Hardworking person with the ability to work long hours in a day, in an outdoor setting
• Positive Attitudes!!
• Debrief daily with other staff members and be able to offer solutions to issues
• Communication of problems, ideas, etc. with coordinator and other Don Lee staff members
• Flexibility!!