Arrowhead Ranch Retreats, Conferences and Outdoor Science School
Where life is an adventure not a race!
Naturalists
Naturalist introducing a new concept to the students
Naturalists are college graduates with a four year degree in one of the sciences. A naturalist possess the skills and desire to teach in an outdoor setting. All the teaching that is done comes straight from The State of California Board of Education Science Framework. Naturalists have a desire to teach kids about the environment, the way people affect our environment and enjoy teaching children. Many of our naturalists have never been in a position to teach. For some it is their first time. We train our naturalists about trails, which ones are the most effective for specific concepts in the curriculum. We have an intense week of training. The naturalists are introduced to the lesson material. They are then shown how to create an outdoor lesson plan. The staff collaborate on different styles and ways of teaching the students who come to our program. Props, games and the environment are what we use to reinforce the curriculum. Everything about our outdoor education program revolves around using the natural surroundings as our classroom. It is exciting and a bit of an adventure for the kids who come to our program
A naturalist with his trailteam. Paul is wearing a "NEMO" hat to go with the theme of the week.
Naturalists play science oriented games to reinforce what has just been taught on the trail
Once the naturalists have been through training, testing and lesson planning, they are ready to take a trail team on a hike. A trail team is a girls cabin group and a boys cabin group. Numbers in these groups range from 18-28. It varies from school to school. The Naturalist will meet with their trail team at a prearranged meeting area. One of the cabin leaders are also present and hiking on the trails with the kids. Teachers like to and are encouraged to come along too. The teachers observe the naturalists as they teach. The teachers also assist the students in hiking while they enjoy observing the learning going on. The cabin leader will take the rear of the trail while the naturalists will navigate the trail to the next lesson area.
Naturalists are heavily relied upon in many ways. The naturalists are responsible to ensure the safety of all students while on the trail. A count off system is used to maintain that all students are where they are supposed to be. Before leaving one lesson area to move to another the students will count off. While traveling on the trails to the next lesson spot, the naturalist will point out items of interest during the hike. The naturalist are also responsible for giving the proper information to the students.
Kim, a naturalist hikes and sings with kids.
The students have science journals with specific questions as they relate to the lessons. The naturalist need to cover all the material so that when they return from a hike the students can correctly filled in the answers. The science journals are sent back to school with the teachers. The teachers will use the journal as a partial science grade, some use it to work with after the camp experience is over. The naturalists also help with dining room protocol. All staff, including naturalists, sit at the tables with the kids at each meal. We expect the students to remove their hats in the dining room. When we are outdoors we don't allow hats to be worn backward or bandannas to be worn either. The naturalists make sure the kids are respecting the rules. We like to have the kids use their ladies and gentleman skills by putting the napkins in their laps, use please and thank you and no grabbing across the table.
A lesson area where the kids interact under instructions from the naturalist.
Students wave from teaching spot.
Our Naturalists are hired mainly from the United States however we receive applications from all over the world including Europe, Germany, New Zealand, China and Korea, Japan and Brazil.Each Naturalist has a degree in one of the sciences.Many of our naturalists began as cabin leaders and have developed into naturalists in training after furthering their education. For further information on our hiring process please email mzcamp@msn.com. If you are interested and wish to apply please send your resume with references to mzcamp@msn.com
Arrowhead Ranch Conference Center
Arrowhead Ranch Outdoor Science School
480 Cottage Grove
PO Box 123
Lake Arrowhead, California 92352
reservations: 909-337-7265
fax line: 909-337-3634
e-mail: mzcamp@msn.com
Arrowheadranchconferencecenter.com
Arrowheadkidscamp.com
Arrowheadranchoutdoored.com
Arrowheadranchscienceschool.com
