Outdoor Education Teacher/Naturalist

Tired of meaningless work?  Join our team of awesome Outdoor Educators who put their values into action every day!  ECHO HILL OUTDOOR SCHOOL (www.ehos.org), located on Maryland’s scenic Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, has openings for both entry-level and experienced Teacher/Naturalists.  Or if you’re taking a gap year or need an internship to fulfill college major requirements, our supervised Outdoor Education Internships can be your ticket to success!

Job Overview

For over 50 years, Echo Hill Outdoor School, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, has been teaching students about the magic of the outdoors with no classrooms, no textbooks, and no assignments other than engaging with the people and the natural world around them. Exploring natural landscapes from marshes to local waterways, students observe and appreciate the environment surrounding them. Experiential learning takes place on our adventure/challenge course, in our nature preserve and its freshwater swamp, and around the waterways and fields of rural Kent County, allowing participants to experience a ‘eureka’ moment when their classroom lessons jump out of the textbook and into real life. Our programs aim to form a practical understanding of the natural and human environment based on hands-on experiences, and through them, to help each student grow their social/emotional sense of self-reliance, confidence, and independence.

Course areas include: Ecology of the Chesapeake Bay conducted on historic work boats, Swamp Ecology including Swamp Canoe and Swamp Walks; Group and Individual Development on our low and high element challenge course; Outdoor Skills in classes like Orienteering and Survival; and History and the Human Environment with classes such as Early American Studies and the “Mystery Tour”, an exploration of the cultural and historical landscape of Kent County. The program is flexible so as to meet the needs of a wide range of students, typically 3rd through 9th grade, from both public and private schools.

Responsibilities: At Echo Hill you would teach a variety of classes from all of our curriculum areas. Positions are residential, living with and supervising students in a beautiful, rustic camp setting on the Chesapeake Bay (typically Mondays – Fridays.)  You would also supervise all aspects of students’ residential life during their stay at the school including overnights in platform tents or cabins of seven to ten students, table-heading at family style meals, and supervision of free time and other activities.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:  Echo Hill Outdoor School supports an environment that values the dignity and worth of all individuals. Our focus is on empowering the individual and developing empathy and respect for ourselves, for others and for the natural environment. We recognize how differences shape how we experience the world and the watershed—and how we access resources and the environment.

Deadline: Applications are welcome year round. Primary starting dates are in March and late August.

To Apply: If you are interested in a challenging and rewarding experience please send cover letter, resume, two written reference letters and three telephone reference contacts to:

Betsy Zelter McCown, Associate Director
Echo Hill Outdoor School
13655 Bloomingneck Road
Worton, Maryland 21678
(410)-348-5880
[email protected]
www.ehos.org

Special Benefits

Compensation: The starting salary for Teacher/Naturalists is $340-$400 per week. Individuals with demonstrated current certification in Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness First Aid, American Red Cross Lifeguard Training, or Valid State Teacher Certification will be considered at a slightly higher starting range.  Interns receive a paid stipend.

School owned housing and meals are provided with these residential positions.

Ten-month contracts may be available for interested, committed individuals depending upon future openings and satisfactory job performance.

A staff medical reimbursement plan is also available.

Minimum Requirements

Ready to join our amazing team?  We are seeking motivated, energetic individuals with creativity and commitment. A background in Education, Recreation, Environmental Education, Adventure Learning, Psychology, Natural Sciences, Marine Biology or related fields is desired. Experience working with and relating to children of all ages is very beneficial. We are open to applications from anyone of all backgrounds of education.