Educational Program Volunteers
Instructors: The Science Center is always looking for people to serve as instructors for its many exploratory, hands-on education programs. Instructors work with small groups of children and most of the instructing takes place outside in the Campbell Tract’s woods and streams. Any given program might require from two to six hours of instruction, up to an hour of preparation time, and 30-45 minutes of cleanup time. Depending on interest and abilities, volunteers may also be involved in program design and evaluation, maintenance of equipment and education trails, organization of program files, program promotion, and grant writing.
Equipment and Props: Educational programs at the Science Center use a variety of props and equipment—all of which need to be kept organized and maintained. For example, Earth Ranger necklaces need to be strung, glacier “dough” needs to be mixed, and educational mounts of plant and animal specimens need to be prepared. Sometimes, too, we need to develop new props to support educational programs, replace signs in activity areas, or re-route activity trails.
Qualifications:
Educational volunteers…
- Have experience in the life sciences, physical sciences, education—or in a combination of these.
- Have a firm grasp of basic scientific principles and the scientific method of inquiry.
- Are willing to work outdoors in inclement weather and are able to endure moderate physical activity.
- Have excellent communication skills.
- Are comfortable and effective working with groups of students.
- Have experience working with children and knowledge of local natural history.
- Are required to pass an extensive government background check before instructing.