Creating A Learning Community

Because Outdoor Education is an academic experience as well as a social experience, students are occasionally uncertain of the type of behavior expected of them. It is important that students are made aware of the fact that conventional school rules are applied and enforced, in addition to Outdoor Education community rules. In general, students are expected to show respect for one another and for the environment.

Cabin Life

Students will live for the week in a cabin with a high school-aged cabin leader, two or more schoolmates, and a number of students from other schools. Cabin living is a great opportunity to work together building friendships and developing a feeling of community. Students are responsible for working together to clean and organize the cabin and for planning and performing a skit to present the last evening of the week. The cooperative challenge of the cabin living situation can be a highly fulfilling aspect for students attending Outdoor Education. The quality of the cabin community depends on the attitudes of the students. The most important aspects of positive attitude in the cabin involve:

•	Respect for and friendliness toward cabin mates.
•	Cooperation with the cabin leader.
•	Enthusiastic participation in cabin activities.
•	Respect the property of others and the facility.

Each cabin will write a cabin contract on the first day. The contract will be signed and posted in the cabin. In this way, students are empowered to create their own code for living together. If a student struggles with cabin living, they are encouraged to approach a cabin leader, naturalist, or teacher for help.

Trail Time is Class Time

Students are expected to act with appropriate school behavior. Students should recognize that they are guests of the forest and treat the natural classroom with the sensitivity it requires. Teachers may wish to explain to students the characteristics of a good trail group prior to their arrival at Outdoor Education. For Example:

A Good Trail Group		An Excellent Trail Group
Stays on the trail		Looks around to observe nature
Is quiet while the naturalist talks		Is enthusiastic and asks questions
Doesn't drop trash		Picks up trash they spot along the trail
Stays with the naturalist		Takes on responsible leadership initiative
Completes the assigned task		Completes the assignment to the very best of their ability
Doesn't lose pens/other supplies		Returns dropped supplies to trail classmate or naturalist

Politeness Matters

The dining hall is a space for sharing food, sharing information, and sharing songs. Good table manners, polite conversation, and appropriate behavior are encouraged during meals.

Outdoor Education mealtime etiquette includes:
•	Participation in the pre-meal moment of silence.
•	Discussion at reasonable volume with tablemates.
•	Politeness – please and thank you – directed toward fellow students, teachers, naturalists and kitchen staff.
•	Family-style serving of food carefully and equally to all table members.
•	Attention to clean-up announcements, especially those regarding compostable and non-compostable materials.

Congratulations

Cabin groups have several opportunities throughout the week to work together to win awards for timeliness, cabin cleanliness, care for the earth, and care for each other. Cabin leader, naturalist and teacher-issued awards are a great way to build cabin enthusiasm and unity.