Common Learning Portal

For Educators, By Educators

National Park Service educators work to create meaningful and often unique learning opportunities for youth. The For Educators, By Educators webinar series brings national park educators together to share some of their successful practices and resources. Education Specialist, Katie Phillips facilitated a monthly discussion sharing tips and resources created by the Rocky Mountain Environmental Education and Outreach Office. The three topics covered in this discussion included:

1. Preparing teachers for their in-park experience
2. Managing chaperones expectations
3. Training education staff

This resource includes handouts from the park, guiding questions, and an activity. It will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

How to Use This Resource

• Complete the following activity.
• Review and use the Resources at the bottom of the page.
• Leave a review (how useful was this resource?).
• Join our group in the CLP Commons.

Guiding Questions

• What challenges do you face with your park’s existing field trip program?
• What conversation do you have with teacher’s before they arrive?
• How do you currently maximize parent chaperones?
• How could a 10 minute conversation with teachers help to learn more about their needs?
• How could a chaperone welcome talk improve your field trips?
• How do you develop and train your education staff to promote active learning and handle all the challenges involved in curriculum-based education?

Activity

1. 1. Pull your existing checklist or other documents you use to prepare for field trips.
   2. Review your existing process on how you learn about the needs for both teachers and students as they prepare for a field trip to your park.
   3. Create a short list of how chaperones interact with the park during a field trip.
   4. How do you currently train your education staff? What’s working and what isn’t working? Have a conversation with your team or partner. Take 10 minutes and brainstorm as a team.
   5. Review the handouts that have been provided by Rocky Mountain National Park Environmental Education team. What questions do you have about their process? Compare your resources to Rocky Mountain. Are there any ideas you might adapt or adopt? Have a conversation with your team or a partner.

Resources

• ROMO Education Program Form
• ROMO Student and Chaperone Expectations
• ROMO Chaperone Welcome Talk
• ROMO Post Trip Discussion
• ROMO Education Staff Expectations
• ROMO Our Team Session
• ROMO Spring Training 2015
• ROMO Winter Training 2018

Dig Deeper

• Build a Dynamic Education Team
• Create an Effective Work Environment