These educators facilitate organized outdoor learning experiences that allow students to engage with the natural environment. They emphasize experiential learning to actively involve students with the natural world and strengthen their connection to nature. These careers exist in various organizations, including local nonprofits, government agencies, adventure schools, and wilderness programs and expeditions. Many teachers are discovering ways to integrate outdoor education into their regular teaching practices.
Responsibilities
Outdoor education jobs vary significantly depending on the organization. Common elements include teaching outside, leading hikes or walks in forests, team-building activities, and using lessons with students to meet educational standards. These positions are often seasonal or may change with the time of year. Outdoor educators can also sometimes guide youth on camping trips and teach archery, paddling, and wilderness survival skills. Some roles require managing residential or overnight school programs. All these positions necessitate understanding risk management, organization, and planning, a willingness to be outdoors, and a solid background in ecology and the environment.
Requirements
All applicants are required to pass the Forester licensing examination.
Climate Connections
Outdoor educators aim to share the wonders of nature with everyone they meet. They play a crucial role in nurturing young people's connections with the natural world, instilling a sense of appreciation and responsibility for the environment. This influence can shape students' future actions and interactions with the world around them.