ONSC Teaching Assistant Volunteer Training

Teaching Assistants are volunteers who help with workshops, camps, and school programs, as well as other educational programming during ONSC events at our main campus, north of Huntsville, AR. As an ONSC Teaching Assistant, you will receive 8+ hours of advanced training, shadow at least one program, and then you assist a Teacher Naturalist or other ONSC staff with programs and workshops. 

• Requirements: We ask that you commit to volunteering for 2 or more school programs, camp days, or workshops per season. 

• You must complete ONSC’s Volunteer Agreement Form, and have a clean background check (run by ONSC, unless you already have a recent copy from within the past year) to work with ONSC program participants.

Trainings will be from 9AM to 5PM, and will cover the ins and outs of our two most common types of school programs: Day Programs and Overnight Programs.

The Day Program Training will include:

• Overview of ONSC History, Mission, and programs

• Introductions & Name Game Activity

• Review of Detailed Schedule of ONSC (½) Day Program

• Roles of Chaperones/Teaching Assistants: Safety #1 priority, Behavioral Management, Sharing/Encouraging Enthusiasm and Engagement

• Tour of ONSC Main Campus

• Lunch

• Field Investigation Topics Overview & Field Journals Use

• Example Field Group Orientation & Field Investigation w/ONSC staff

• End of Program Routine & Post Program tasks

The Overnight Program Training will include:

• Introductions & Name Game Activity

• Review of Detailed Schedule of ONSC Overnight Program (with attention to roles of Chaperones/Teaching Assistants in each part of program)

• Lodge Move-in Process & Rules

• Lunch with instruction on Mealtime Support

• Field Investigation Topics Overview/Review (Paired with typical hike routes)

• Example Field Group Orientation & Field Investigation w/ONSC staff

• Snack, Store, & Recreation Time leading and supporting

• Class Topics & Assistant Duties (with example of one of ONSC's most popular choices)

• Evening Activities (Campfire, Night Hike, Astronomy)

If you are interested in being an ONSC Teaching Assistant, but are not able to attend either of these training days, please reach out to Liz Hill at liz.hill@onsc.us to work on arranging alternative times to come to the ONSC main campus for training.