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The
Naturalist
Internship
at Foothill
Horizons Outdoor
School
If you are
interested in a
rewarding career
in nature, and a
chance to feel
like you are
doing a job that
makes a real
difference, then
consider an
internship with
Foothill
Horizons. Our
naturalist
internships
offer the
equivalent of a
university level
teacher training
program for
people who want
to be
professional
outdoor science
educators. Click
on the links
below to learn
more about the
Foothill
Horizons
Naturalist
Intern Program:
What Makes Our
Naturalist-Internship
Different?
Questions You
Should Ask
Prospective
Employers
Quotes from Past
Naturalist-Interns
How to Apply
Effective
Supervision
Training
Guidance and
Observation
Career Support
Hours
Salary and
Compensation
Duties
Open
Communication
about Outdoor
Education as a
Career
References
Effective
Supervision
You will be
given direct
feedback and
guidance during
the internship.
Our staff takes
the time to
create an
effective
work-learning
program during
training and
observations.
Training
Interns will
have thorough
training before
taking on a
group of their
own students. We
begin with a
period of
orientation and
staff training.
Next, interns
observe a
permanent,
experienced
naturalist
teaching and
then spend time
team teaching
with a second
veteran
naturalist. This
extensive
training period
helps interns to
be more
successful in
their first few
weeks of
independent
teaching.
Training
continues
throughout the
internship with:
Weekly natural
history mini-inservices
Inservices
provided by
permanent staff,
interns, and
visiting experts
Regularly
scheduled intern
meetings for
reflection and
review of
progress
Visits to other
outdoor schools
Guidance and
Observation
Interns are
informally
observed soon
after they begin
teaching
independently.
Formal
observation
occurs regularly
throughout the
internship.
These
observations
include
conducting a
self-critique of
a videotaped
lesson. In-depth
critique and
coaching
sessions with an
experienced
naturalist
follows each
observation. In
addition,
permanent staff
will provide
one-on-one
mentoring
throughout the
school year.
Career
Support
Interns are
assisted with
résumé
development and
critiques.
Training on all
aspects of job
hunting is made
available,
including
preparing for
interviews, and
a review of all
application
documents.
Hours
Workdays are
based on an
eight-hour
workday and
compensation is
given for
overtime.
Interns are
scheduled for
the same hours
and duties as
permanent staff
whenever
practical. There
are
opportunities
for interns to
work on a focus
area and to
observe
experienced
naturalists
teach during
regularly
scheduled hours.
Salary and
Compensation
Our intern
stipend is
$64.00 per day.
Full time
housing, meals
five days per
week, and
weekend food
staples are
provided. A
health care fund
has been
established for
minor medical
care and
prescriptions.
There are also
paid days made
available to
visit other
outdoor schools.
Additional
substitute and
weekend work is
also available.
Duties
Interns rotate
through
positions as
recreation
leader, health
coordinator, and
“evening
principal.”
Interns also
serve as dorm
counselors
during one week
in order to
better
understand the
important role
high school
students fill at
the outdoor
school. These
non-teaching
roles serve as
breaks from
teaching and
allow interns to
gain a more
holistic
understanding of
a residential
outdoor
education
program. Interns
spend a few
Saturdays during
the year
training high
school students
for the
counselor role.
Open
Communication
about Outdoor
Education as a
Career
We maintain an
atmosphere of
open
communication
about what’s
going on at our
school and in
our field. Links
with
professional
organizations
are encouraged.
References
Departing
interns know
exactly what
kind of
reference to
expect. If
someone has
proven himself
or herself
unsuitable for
hiring in our
program, they'll
know it.
Likewise, a
recommendation
from our program
means that the
person has
attained a
fairly high
level of skill
for a first-year
educator. They
will be able to:
Write lesson
plans and
conduct
lessons with
set
objectives
Competently
teach groups
of up to
thirty
elementary
students in
the field
Command the
attention of
large groups
of students
Design
inservices
and teach
peers
Carry
through to
completion a
site
enhancing,
high-quality
project
We are proud of
our many past
naturalist
interns who are
now enjoying
successful
careers in the
field of
environmental
and outdoor
education, and
other related
fields.
Questions you
should ask
prospective
employers
Below is a list
of questions
that may help to
give you some
guidance in
choosing the
program that
will allow you
the greatest
opportunity to
grow.
How many
permanent,
instructional
staff work in
the program?
These people
will be your
mentors. Are
there enough to
be effective in
this role? Some
programs staff
themselves
almost
completely with
interns in order
to save money.
This is often a
reality
administrators
face. You must
decide whether
you’ll get the
guidance you
need given the
staffing
arrangement that
exists.
What are the
qualifications
of the permanent
naturalists and
intern
coordinator?
Are there any
teachers on the
staff who hold a
teaching
credential? What
other experience
do they have?
How long have
permanent
employees been
at the school?
What
qualifications
are required of
interns? How
thorough is the
selection
process?
Your peers will
provide some of
the best sources
of inspiration,
learning,
sharing, and
friendship. How
carefully are
applicants
screened? Will
your peers be
likely to have a
level of
schooling/experience
that will ensure
that you are
surrounded by a
strong support
group?
What training
is offered to
new interns?
A lot of your
internship
anywhere will be
on-the-job
training.
Experiential
learning is a
large part of
the learning
philosophy
inherent in
outdoor
education.
However, how
much investment
will be made in
directing and
enhancing your
natural learning
process in
return for the
investment of
life-energy you
give to the
program?
What
affiliations
does the program
staff have with
other
professionals &
organizations?
Networking is
everything. How
“connected” are
the people
you’ll be
working for?
What kind of
living
conditions will
you have?
Does the program
require you to
move out on the
weekends and
vacation
periods? Will
you have a
private room?
Will you share a
bathroom? Is the
housing safe,
sanitary, clean
and comfortable?
Are kitchen
facilities
available for
your use?
How many
hours will you
work per day?
Lots of
internships
require you to
work extremely
long hours.
Would this kind
of intensity
enhance or
detract from
your
effectiveness?
Will you have
time for
activities that
might enhance
your learning,
such as time
spent alone in
nature, readings
that supplement
your
understanding of
the experience
and teaching
skills, and time
to recharge?
What kind of
experience did
past interns
have in the
program?
Is the person in
charge of hiring
open to allowing
you to talk
candidly with a
past or current
intern? Does the
program staff
provide interns
with the
opportunity to
evaluate the
program? If so,
could you read
these
evaluations?
What kind of
job
opportunities
will exist for
you after
completing your
internship?
Does the program
hire from
within? How many
of the current,
permanent staff
were former
interns? What
help will the
program staff
provide you with
in terms of
career
assistance?
How will your
experience as an
intern be
documented?
Will you be
provided with
portfolio
assistance,
résumé advice,
letters of
recommendation,
evaluations,
etc.? What will
you be able to
show for the
time you’ve
invested in the
program?
Quotes from past
naturalist
interns
The following
quotes are the
reflections from
naturalist
interns at the
end of their
year as an
intern.
I felt very
supported—the
people here are
a huge part of
why I can
continue to be a
naturalist next
year. Having the
chance to team
teach with an
experienced
naturalist was
an invaluable
springboard into
being an
educator. I’m
thankful for
both the staff’s
positive,
egalitarian
perspectives and
support during
the internship.
-Justin Canty,
06-07
The program is
very thorough
and thoughtful.
It was evident
that staff has
worked hard to
create a
well-rounded
internship that
teaches interns
about various
elements of
outdoor
education.
Foothill
Horizons is a
great place for
children. I feel
like the
naturalists are
given enough
freedom that
they make the
experience hit
home in their
own way.
-Sasha
Redford 06-07
It was excellent
to have diverse
leadership
during the
training
process. I think
things would
have been lame
if only one
person handled
all of our
trainings. This
also gave us a
chance to form
relationships
with our
coworkers out of
reliance. It
sort of set the
permanent staff
up as go to
individuals. I
think the best
measure of
effectiveness
would be how
prepared I felt
by the time I
had to teach. I
felt more than
prepared, and
this speaks well
for the
training.
-Walter Sams
06-07
I like the fact
that for each
lesson there is
a general lesson
plan to help you
but you are able
to do and go
wherever you
want on site and
have the freedom
to integrate or
add things to
your lesson.
-Anthea Shore
07-08
The following
comments were
elicited when we
asked former
interns what
advice they
would give to
interns who are
beginning the
internship:
"Be open to the
adventure that
lies ahead. Be
open to the joy
of success, and
also the
frustration of
making mistakes.
Check in with
your 6th grade
self. Laugh at
your mistakes
and let others
laugh with you.
Use the
permanent
staff—tag along
on their hikes
when you are
working
evenings. You’ll
learn awesome
new ideas and
techniques, and
you’ll see that
no one ever has
the “PERFECT”
lesson. Be open
to all the new
people you will
meet—including
parts of
yourself you
never knew. Find
out what makes
you really
excited and the
kids will be
really excited.
Let your
personality
shine through.
Have fun and
praise kids
often—if they
feel good about
themselves,
they’ll feel
good about
others and about
the outdoors.
Explore the
Sierra, but
don’t neglect
our own 143
beautiful acres.
Make sure you
try new things,
challenge your
fears, so you
remember what it
is like for the
kids when we ask
them to push
their limits."
-Liza Earle
01/02
"Get ready for
an amazing year.
You should make
sure to get to
know every
member of this
staff. They are
all amazing
people with a
wealth of
knowledge and a
heart of gold.
Take the time to
really bond with
your interns.
You will be
going through a
lot together and
you will need
each other for
support,
playing,
laughter, and
venting. Walk
around the
trails by
yourself; make
your own
personal
connections to
the land. This
way when you
take your kids
there, it is
like you are
sharing one of
your favorite
places with all
of your friends.
Take personal
time for
yourself. Go to
Glory Hole and
go mountain
biking or run
there!"
-Stephanie
Campbell 01/02
All quotes from
previous staff
are used here
with permission
How to Apply:
Each school year
we hire 5
interns for the
following school
year. We begin
the process in
January and end
once we have
found 5
qualified
candidates.
Apply early!
1. To begin
the process,
supply us with
the following:
Submit an online application
here
Résumé
Cover letter
Two letters of reference
Please email
your materials
to Pam Ivie,
Director,
pivie@stancoe.org.
You may also
send materials
via US mail to:
Pam Ivie,
Director
Foothill
Horizons Outdoor
School
21925 Lyons Bald
Mtn. Rd.
Sonora, CA 95370
(209) 532-6673
2. The next
step:
Interview:
applicants with
suitable
experience and
education will
be invited to
visit
Foothill Horizons to interview and
teach a short
lesson. If this
is not feasible,
we will
arrange a telephone interview.
Demonstration
lesson: if
you are able to
visit our site
you will be
asked to teach a
demonstration lesson at the time of
the interview.
We will accept a
videotaped
lesson
in lieu of an on-site presentation if
visiting is not
possible. Read
below to learn
more
about planning your lesson and/or
preparing a
video of your
lesson.
3. Once you
have been hired:
We will send you additional
information and
paperwork.
Demonstration
lesson
guidelines
The
demonstration
lesson is a
10-15 minute
lesson that you
teach. It gives
us an idea of
what your
current level of
skill is with
group
presentation. It
helps us to
assess
characteristics
(voice,
mannerisms, and
presentation
clarity) which
are important
for success as
an outdoor
teacher.
If you are able
to visit our
site, you will
teach a short
lesson to a
group of 20-34
sixth grade
students. There
will also be a
naturalist, the
visiting
classroom
teacher, and up
to four high
school students
in the group;
plan to let
these adults
know how you
would like them
to be involved.
You will be
teaching your
lesson at the
beginning of a
class, either at
9:00 a.m., or at
1:30 p.m.
Depending on
your arrival
time, you may
have time to
discuss your
lesson with the
group’s
naturalist ahead
of time. Plan a
lesson that is
10-15 minutes
long, so the
naturalist can
continue with
planned
activities.
Allow time for
set-up,
activity/lesson,
wrap-up, and
questions.
Try to create,
or adapt, a
lesson that fits
within our
curriculum as
outlined in the
“Foothill
Horizons
Curriculum”
section of this
website under
“About the
Program.”
Introduction to
science
concepts,
discovery, and
sensory
awareness
enhancing
activities are
appropriate, as
are many of the
activities that
you might find
in books by
outdoor
educators such
as Joseph
Cornell, or in
Project WILD and
Project Learning
Tree Activity
Guides.
Teambuilding/initiative
activities are
also acceptable.
Please feel free
to contact our
staff if you
would like
guidance on your
demonstration
lesson:
209-532-6673.
To ensure that
your
demonstration
lesson fits our
curriculum,
please discuss
your proposed
lesson with us
before visiting
our program.
Demonstration
Video
If you are
unable to visit
our site, you
may submit a
videotaped
lesson. To
complete the
video portion of
your
application,
simply arrange
to be videotaped
while you are
teaching or
leading a group
in a topic of
your choice.
Obviously, the
closer the
audience and
topic
approximate
teaching science
outdoors to a
group of 10- to
12-year-olds the
better. However,
almost any group
and topic will
be acceptable.
Past candidates
have taught
dance to adults,
separation of
recyclables to
developmentally
disabled adults,
games to
neighborhood
children, and
science lessons
to students in a
local school. A
short
presentation
will suffice;
lessons of
fifteen to
thirty minutes
are acceptable.
Please take a
few moments (on
camera) to let
us know a little
more about you,
or to
demonstrate a
relevant skill
(for instance,
storytelling,
singing or
playing an
instrument, a
scientific
experiment,
tracking,
primitive
firemaking,
speaking another
language—including
American Sign
Language).
Remember, if we
do not have the
opportunity to
meet you in
person, your
video will be an
important tool
for you to
demonstrate your
abilities.
You may ask the
person doing the
filming to alter
camera angles
during the
filming to
include both
close ups of you
as the teacher
and wider angle
shots which show
the effects of
your directions
on the
participants.
You may post
your video on
line or send
your lesson on a
CD to
Pam Ivie at the
address given
below.
Pam Ivie,
Director
Foothill
Horizons
21925 Lyons Bald
Mountain Road
Sonora, CA 95370
(209) 532-6673
We are excited
to hear from
you!
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