Position Description and Application
| Overview |
The Lorado Taft Field Campus is Northern Illinois University’s outdoor education and conference center and is located in Oregon, Illinois, on the bluffs of the Rock River. Taft Campus’ outdoor education program exists to provide students with positive experiences in learning and self-discovery in nature. The Outdoor Education Instructor is responsible for the instruction of outdoor education experiences for elementary and middle school students, with classes including outdoor science lessons, skill-based activities, and team building.
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| Essential Duties and Responsibilities |
• Develop and teach classes, primarily in the outdoor environment, to students in the 4th to 8th grades.
• Develop curricula and resources for the program.
• Assist in the maintenance and upkeep of campus teaching, habitat, and resource storage areas.
• Participate in staff training prior to teaching and throughout the school year.
• Assist in the coordination of the residential outdoor education program.
• Provide guest services and assist in security and emergency procedures.
• Complete projects assigned by the faculty supervisors.
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| Minimum Required Qualifications |
• Bachelor’s Degree in education, science, natural resources, recreation, history, or related field
• Six months experience as an educator, naturalist, or facilitator of non-formal education programming.
• Two months experience teaching, facilitating, or participating in outdoor education or recreation activities.
• Ability to manage a security sensitive position.
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| Additional Requirements |
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Ability to convey information about environmental topics without bias and with the goal of encouraging lifelong learning.
• Ability to effectively engage in behavior management in order to maintain students’ interest and participation in outdoor classes and activities.
• Ability to manage work time effectively and with little supervision to ensure preparedness and project completion.
• Flexibility and the ability to deal with the unexpected and quickly changing nature of outdoor activities and children.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for the outdoors and outdoor education, even when conditions are challenging.
• Demonstrated professionalism as related to the field.
• Demonstrated competence in verbal communication, particularly the ability to present information, ideas, directions, etc. in a clear and concise manner.
• Demonstrated initiative to go above and beyond minimum assigned duties.
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| Preferred Qualifications |
• Experience as an educator, program staff, naturalist or related position at a residential outdoor education center, nature center, or similar facility preferred.
• Previous experience in preparing lesson plans, outlines, or guides in preparation to teach or facilitate activities.
• Previous experience leading or facilitating groups in team building activities.
• Ability to work effectively with co-workers and supervisors to achieve the goals of the program.
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| Physical Demands Summary |
Ability to hike hilly, uneven terrain. Ability to be on feet for much of the day.
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