Full Circle

Program Assistant

Program Description: Full Circle is an outdoor-based character development and community-building program that uses a combination of field trips to parks along with classroom and community activities to allow children to explore the parallels of nature and personal behavior. By developing an understanding of the dynamic relationships that exist in nature’s ecosystems, students can then begin to apply those same principles of interconnection on a social level – back in their classroom, in their home and in the community. In fact, each Full Circle program concludes with a Community Service project designed by the students.

This particular day of the program is about Awareness.

The first half of the day is about developing the physical skills to be aware of our surroundings, particularly in nature. It’s about using those skills and those senses to explore to look for signs of wildlife activity.

The second half of the day is about going back on the same trails, covering the same ground, but this time…exploring with tools and documenting their experience. Students will record their findings on field data forms and with digital cameras. Specifically, they will be looking for examples of systems, as part of an underlying programmatic theme. (More about the systems categories can be found in the lesson plan.)

This activity will be repeated in two weeks when the class explores the neighborhood surrounding their school, also recording their findings. The images and information that the class collects will then be displayed on-line at their own “Web of Our World” web site that compares and contrasts their impressions of nature and their own urban community.

Program Type: Non-Residential
Job Description: Be one of a team of four leading a class of 5th-grade students (10 years old) through a series of awareness activities, a nature hike and a photo expedition in a park in the Santa Monica Mountains. On a separate day, Program Assistants will also lead the same group of students on a “community walk” and photo expedition in the urban neighborhood near the school.

Job Responsibilities:

• Under direction of Program Coordinator, set up activity station for program opening.
  
• Begin promptly and time your lesson plan and activities to meet a set itinerary.
  
• Follow theme of program curriculum: Awareness
  
• Lead a group of six-eight 5th-grade students (and one high-school aged Peer Counselor) through a series of nature awareness activities (Fox Walking, Owl Eyes, Deer Ears) and games (3 sticks), as well as a general overview of animal tracking. (Curriculum and materials provided.)
  
• Lead brief nature hike around park. (Route provided.)
  
• Assist Peer Counselor in digital camera distribution.
  
• Lead after-lunch photo expedition hike on same route as earlier hike.
  
• Encourage students to record their impressions in their field journals.
  
• Assist Peer Counselor is camera collection.
  
• Return all materials to Program Coordinator at the end of the day.
  
• Repeat similar photo expedition at the school two weeks later.

Job Duration: School Year, Seasonal:, Fall, Winter, Spring
Job Status: Part-Time, Temporary
Qualifications: Excellent group facilitation and group management skills are a must! Likely applicants will have teaching experience and/or experience leading groups at camps or outdoor schools. Experience as an interpretive naturalist is beneficial.

Applicants should also possess general knowledge and experience in the following fields and topics: Cooperative Team-building Games & Activities, Natural Science, Human Ecology, Wilderness Skills (tracking, fire-building, cordage and edible & medicinal plant usage), Photography and Systems Theory.

Knowledge of and familiarity with the native tradition of “council” is helpful. The same goes for “coyote” methods, as practiced by Tom Brown, Jr. and the Wilderness Awareness School.

First-Aid training is preferred.

Additional training (in any or all areas) will be provided as necessary to qualified applicants.

Salary: $20/Hour
Benefits: None
Housing & Meals: Not Provided
Deadline for Application: September 30, 2008
Start Date / Job Period: October 15, 2008 to November 8, 2008
Application Procedure: Email or Fax Resume & Cover Letter. NO PHONE CALLS.
Contact: Dwain Wilson, Executive Director
Address: 1000 N. Alameda St., Suite 240 Los Angeles, CA 90012
Fax: (213) 956-1957
e-mail: PA@WildwoodsFoundation.org
Website: www.WildwoodsFoundation.org